Loyd's daughter testifies; officer explains why he kicked Loyd in the face
Markeith Loyd's daughter took the stand during his sentencing trial
FOX 35's Holly Bristow has the story.
ORLANDO, Fla. - Markeith Loyd was very vocal throughout the day in court today.
"Where her brother said I shot from, I could never have shot from there," Loyd said to the judge before the jury was brought into the room.
He spoke out throughout the day but would not answer the judge’s questions.
"Does your client wish to testify or not?" Judge Leticia Marques asked Loyd's attorney, Terence Lenamon.
"The last time we had a conversation with him, he did not," he replied.
At one point, Loyd interrupts, "I'm testifying!"
Loyd’s defense team stepped in and had a very animated conversation with Loyd.
"Mr. Loyd is not testifying," Lenamon said.
"Mr. Loyd is that correct? You are not testifying this morning?" the judge asked. "Mr. Loyd is not responding, so I am going to take that as a no. Mr. Loyd is refusing to respond to the court and a waiver of his right to testify after discussing it with council."
While Loyd did not testify, his oldest child, Kiyanna, did.
"Anything I wanted he would get it for me. I didn't need anything when he was out ever," she said.
The 28-year-old told the jury that when her dad was not in prison, he would spend all the time he could with her.
"My dad would pick me up from daycare. He would pick me up from my mom's house even when she was married. He was always there," Kiyanna Loyd testified.
She told the jury he’s always been an important figure in her 7-year-old daughter’s life as the defense shared videos of Markeith Loyd with his granddaughter. The defense shared a letter the 7-year-old wrote to Loyd saying, "Grandaddy I love you…I have miss you so much I can’t take it."
Kiyanna Loyd said regardless of the sentence her dad receives, she’ll continue to support him.
"I’ll love him no matter what," Kiyanna Loyd said.
In presenting their rebuttal case, the prosecution spent a good bit of time justifying why Markeith Loyd is missing his left yet. Orlando Police Lt. Jonathan Cute took the stand. He told the jury that he helped take Makeith Loyd into custody the night investigators found him hiding in an abandoned home on Lescot Lane.
"I instructed Mr. Loyd to crawl towards my voice," Lt. Cute said.
Then he told the jury, Loyd did not follow his instructions. He told the jury that the way Markeith Loyd was crawling, not using his legs just his arms, he believed Markeith Loyd was still concealing a firearm. So, he reacted.
"I struck Mr. Loyd with my foot on the left side of his face. "I believed Mr. Loyd would use his gun to kill myself or other officers," Lt. Cute said.
That kick resulted in Loyd losing his left eye.
Prosecutors called the assistant state attorney to the stand who’d done the use of force investigation into what happened the night Loyd was taken into custody.
"It was a 19-month investigation," 18th Judicial Circuit Assistant State Attorney Stacy Salmons testified. She told the jury she decided criminal charges were not warranted against the officers and that her now former boss, State Attorney Phil Archer agreed.
The after prosecutors wrapped up their rebuttal witnesses, the judge sent the jury home for the day. Closing arguments will resume Tuesday morning at 9 a.m.
Judge Marques gave the jury instructions to pack an overnight bag for Tuesday in case they’re not done deliberating, they’ll be sequestered overnight.
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