Biloxi man sentenced to life in prison for murder over dominoes
A Biloxi man was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday for a 2024 murder linked to a dispute over a game of dominoes. Julius Taylor Jr., 60, was convicted of first-degree murder following a trial that included eyewitness testimony and video evidence, according to District Attorney W. Crosby Parker.
Prosecutors said Taylor was playing dominoes on his front porch with Jerome Overton, a cousin of neighbor Rodney Dabney. Witnesses testified that Overton won about $15 from Taylor before Taylor accused him of cheating. Taylor then went inside, retrieved a pistol, and threatened to shoot Overton, witnesses said.
When Dabney stepped between the men and disarmed Taylor, he was shot in the chest by Taylor, prosecutors said. Witnesses reported that Dabney managed to take the second gun from Taylor before dying from his injuries. Taylor then shot Dabney in the abdomen and through the knee, court records show.
Video footage from the apartment complex was presented during the trial, showing parts of the shooting. Taylor testified in his defense, claiming Dabney shot first, hitting him three times, before Taylor retrieved a second gun and shot Dabney. However, during cross-examination, Taylor admitted his story did not match police accounts and grew agitated, saying, “Yeah, I killed him; he shot me first, so (expletive) him, and y’all just go ahead and find me guilty.”
After more than two hours of deliberation, the jury found Taylor guilty of first-degree murder. Circuit Judge Brad Touchstone sentenced him to life in prison and an additional 10 years for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. The judge condemned Taylor for taking a life over a trivial dispute, noting, “blood was shed for something so silly and minuscule, and you have to be held accountable.”
Due to Taylor’s prior criminal history, including a domestic violence charge in 2016, his sentences will be served without the possibility of parole or early release. District Attorney Parker praised law enforcement and witnesses for their roles in the case, emphasizing the value of human life and the importance of justice in this case.
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