Tay-K has been famous for only a few weeks, but has emerged as the most controversial teenage rapper this year. Tay-K, whose real name is Taymor McIntyre, is facing a capital murder charge at only 17 years old.
If convicted of capital murder, Tay-K could face life imprisonment or worse – the death penalty.
Criminal Defense Attorney Christy Jack explained the difference between a capital murder trial and a murder trial in Texas.
“A jury is determined whether or not an individual is guilty of the crime they’re charged with,” Jack said. “The differences begin in the punishment phase. In the punishment phase for the regular felony case, a jury is given a range of punishment. It can include anywhere from probation all the way up to as much as life in prison. What’s different about that in a capital murder case, is that the jury is given questions, and the way in which those questions are answered determines whether or not an individuals receives a life sentence or a death sentence. Simply put, the two most basic questions are: number one, whether an individual would constitute a future danger, and number two, is there any reason worthy of sparing their life.”
Tay-K is facing a capital murder charge for committing a murder during a robbery. He was one of seven people arrested for the murder of 21-year-old Ethan Walker during a July 26, 2016 home invasion robbery in Mansfield, TX.
He was placed on house arrest before deciding to cut his ankle monitor off in March. U.S. Marshalls captured Tay-K last month in New Jersey, and extradited him to Fort Worth, Texas.
A judge ordered Tay-K to be held in adult jail until he is certified as an adult in the Mansfield case. Tay-K was booked into Tarrant County Jail, according to the Star-Telegram.
Tay-K’s legal woes don’t end there. He is a suspect in another murder in San Antonio after fleeing house arrest, the Star-Telegram reports.
He is also accused of beating and robbing a 65-year-old man in Arlington’s Craven Park.
Skip Pepe, 65, was attacked near his home Thursday, May 25 in broad daylight after 11 a.m., NBC 5 reports.
Pepe was walking through the Cravens Park when Tay-K allegedly approached him from behind.
“I walk like six, seven miles a day, four, five days a week,” Pepe told NBC 5. “And I hear just behind me a faint voice, ‘Give me your wallet.’”
“I looked over, and sure enough, he’s got a gun pointed at me toward my head,” Pepe said.
Pepe told authorities that Tay-K – wearing a gray or white shirt and unknown color basketball shorts – was armed with a small snub-nosed black revolver.
Pepe refused to hand over his wallet and was knocked unconscious by the robber, Star-Telegram reports.
“The whole time he had his arm extended and holding the gun sideways like that, saying, ‘Give me your wallet,’” he remembered.
Pepe identified Tay-K in a photo lineup for detectives. He again identified the rapper during an interview with NBC.
“Oh yeah,” Pepe said when shown McIntyre’s photo. “That’s the one who pulled the gun on me and beat me.”
Pepe says he’ll never forget Tay-K’s face.
“Oh, I’ll never forget, I’ll never forget his face,” said victim Skip Pepe. “He looks like an all-American high school kid.”
Pepe said he was struck at how young and clean-cut McIntyre looked.
“Looks can be very, very deceiving,” Pepe said. “And he’s very deceiving.”
Pepe suffered serious injuries from the assault, including three fractured ribs, a brain bleed, and numerous cuts and scrapes.
Tay-K gained popularity when he released his “The Race” music video upon his capture by U.S. Marshalls. Tay-K posed with his own wanted flier in the visual. Tay-K also calls himself a shooter like slain Chicago rapper Young Pappy.
He raps, “I tote 50s, I’m a shooter like Young Pappy/B***h tried rob me, make her dance, Michael Jackson.”
