Man accused in deadly attack over Air Jordans begins trial

Steve Campion Image
BySteve Campion KTRK logo
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Trial begins for second 'Air Jordan' murder suspect
Deron Taylor was allegedly involved in the 2012 robbery and murder of Joshua Woods in northwest Houston.

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- In dress clothes with a tie, now 20-year-old Daron Taylor walked into criminal court wednesday morning.

He sat down and listened as prosecutors accused him of captial murder, detailing how he and a group of friends robbed and shot 22-year-old Joshua Woods all for a pair of Air Jordans.

Woods had just bought the new sneakers at the Willowbrook Mall back in 2012 when he was targeted.

"He admits he was sitting in the backseat. He tells police they know he's there to rob. Well his friend emptied that .40 caliber pistol, killing him. Equally guilty of capital murder," the prosecutor told jurors.

Mother of teen killed over Air Jordans recalls son's murder

On Wednesday, emotions ran high. Taylor's mother Devorah Perry told our cameras her son didn't pull the trigger and he doesn't deserve to be locked up for life.

Trial starts for suspect accused of killing man for a pair of shoes

"It's just too much for me. I never thought he would be experiencing it. He does people who have love him even if he was out there doing things we didn't know about," Perry said.

Woods' mother -- the man murdered -- didn't walk to talk on camera. Her pastor tells abc13 she's praying for her son's accused killers.

VIDEO: Man gets life for killing teen over shoes

Guilty verdict in Air Jordan murder trial.

"She's concern about this young son's ... I'm willing to hold his mother's hand. I want to comfort his mother when the time comes," Pastor E.A. Deckard said.

In February, Neal Bland was found guilty of capital murder in the Woods case.

VIDEO: Trial begins for Neal Bland, teen accused in 'Air Jordan murder'

Neal Bland is facing charges in the murder of Joshua Woods.