By LISA HAMMER
The Dispatch/Rock Island Argus
A Henry County jury on Thursday found Daylon K. Richardson, 24, of Granite City, guilty of murder in the April 29, 2022, death of Knox County Deputy Nicholas Weist.
The jury opted not to select the lesser charge of aggravated reckless homicide.
The jury also found that Weist was a peace officer performing his official duties, which enhances the penalty from 20 to 60 years to a mandatory natural life in prison. Sentencing by Judge Norma Kauzlarich was set for May 24.
Richardson faced murder charges after an April 29, 2022, car chase from Galesburg into Henry County that ended after Weist put down stop sticks on Rt. 150 at Alpha. Richardson’s vehicle struck him and overturned. Richardson was apprehended in a field after fleeing on foot.
In closing arguments, defense attorney Bruce Carmen said it was “really unlikely” that Richardson had the opportunity or ability to control his vehicle from the instant he left the roadway at Rt. 150 and 150th Street, covering 160 feet before he struck and killed Weist.
Accident reconstructionist Sgt. Paul Kuhn of the Illinois State Police had testified the distance from the point the Ford Taurus’ tire marks went off the road into the shoulder to the point of impact with Weist was 160 feet. He agreed that at 100 miles per hour, the vehicle would have been traveling 146.7 feet per second. Kuhn said he didn’t think the tire tracks were any evidence of braking.
“He didn’t have time to form an intent to kill,” Carmen told the jury.
Carmen compared the case to a mass shooting in Las Vegas in 2017, saying murder was a man in a hotel room in Las Vegas who started firing on a crowd although he didn’t intend to kill anyone in particular.
“That’s murder,” he said.
In contrast, he said, “we don’t have (Richardson) doing something intentionally with the idea to kill somebody.”
Carmen also disputed that Weist was in the course of performing official duties, an enhancement that enables a sentence of natural life in prison.
“There are some things a peace officer does that are not official,” he said, adding that Weist was a Knox County deputy who “somehow ended up” in rural Henry County. He pointed out that Weist’s shift was over.
“I think in the end it was reckless homicide,” he concluded. “It’s a bad reckless homicide, but it’s not murder.”
Henry County State’s Attorney Catherine Runty countered Carmen’s argument regarding whether Weist was in the midst of his official duties.
“I’m not sure how much more official duties get than stopping a fleeing vehicle,” she said.
She noted Weist was still within Knox County and on his way home when he heard radio traffic about Richardson and the chase from Galesburg.
Runty also noted Weist’s squad car lights were on and oscillating at the scene of the crash and he had been given authority by his supervisor to deploy the stop sticks.
She pointed out that while Carmen argued that Richardson was not in control of his vehicle, he had managed to stay on the roadway the whole pursuit until he chose “flight” to get around the stop sticks. Trial testimony was that when Richardson struck Weist, the deputy was launched 127 feet into the west ditch.
“Mr. Carmen would like you to believe the defendant didn’t intend for this result to happen,” she said. “The intent was to not get caught — ever.”
Runty said showing that intent was why she included evidence of shots being fired by Richardson while he was still in Knox County.
“That shows you what the end game was here,” she said.
Richardson became vocal as he was being led out of the courtroom, prompting his relatives to call out to him. Judge Kauzlarich admonished them.
“You are guests in my house. You follow my rules,” she said. “If you don’t like it, you don’t have to be a guest.”
This story is being republished with permission from the Moline Dispatch/Rock Island Argus.