by Bryanna Fissori
Legal Analyst

Despite the fact that just a week ago, Jermain “Bad Intentions” Taylor shot his own cousin five times and landed him in the hospital in critical condition, he will still be permitted to fight Sam Soliman on October 8.

There has still been no public disclosure of the nature of the argument that inspired Taylor to go into his house, retrieve a gun and shoot four bullets through the body of his cousin Tyrone Hinton, the fifth bullet lodging in his pelvis. Hinton was not alone in his near-death escape. His son was with him and could have been in the same or worse condition as Hinton if the bullets, which were fired at both family members would have landed.

Taylor was charged on the scene with first-degree battery and aggravated assault, but released the next day on bail. And why not? It’s not like he tried to kill someone . . . oh wait, he did!

Statements from Tyrone Hinton’s brother Kevin were released recently and he said the family would not be pressing charges and that, “It’s hard, but knowing he (Tyrone) is going to be alright, everything is much better . . . I talked to Jermain earlier. He is really sorry and remorseful, but does it negate the fact that my brother is laying in the hospital? No, but we’re family. We’ll work it out as family.”

Another interesting fact reviled by Kevin Hinton is that his brother Tyrone also worked for Taylor and opened his boxing gym for him everyday. They were reportedly close.

I’m not sure how families usually “work it out” when one family member tries to kill two other family members by shooting them, but apparently this family has it covered.

Also, since it appears to be all-good for the Taylor-Hinton clan, it is apparently no big deal to boxing promoters either.

Self-Defense laws in Arkansas state the following:

A person is justified in using deadly physical force upon another person if the person reasonably believes that the other person is:
a) committing or about to commit a felony involving force or violence;
b) using or about to use unlawful deadly physical force; or
c) imminently endangering the person’s life or imminently about to victimize the person from the continuation of a pattern of domestic abuse.

A person may not use deadly physical force in self-defense if he or she knows that he or she can avoid the necessity of using deadly physical force with complete safety by retreating. However, a person is not required to retreat if the person is:

a) in the person’s dwelling or on the curtilage surrounding the person’s dwelling and was not the original aggressor; or a law enforcement officer or a person assisting at the direction of a law enforcement officer. Ark. Code Ann. 5-2-607.

Without knowing what happened that night, Taylor could indeed have a valid case for shooting at Hinton and his son. Let’s hope that’s the case, because it will make fans feel better.

In most cases, even if the victim does not wish to press charges, they can still be brought by the district attorney, city attorney or attorney general as long as there is evidence to support the charges. This decision is dependent on a number of factors, but it would certainly be an uphill battle for any prosecutor without the support of the victim.

So until that day comes, Taylor will keep his battles out of the courtroom and contained to the familiar hunting grounds of his front yard and the ring.

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