Death In Pine Bluff

When I see a bar discipline matter of some potential interest, I will often google the attorney to see if there is more to the story.

I saw a series of orders (four in total) authorizing the initiation of disbarment proceedings in Arkansas and was shocked to see this reporting last Thursday from the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Maurice Taggart, former director of the Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency, was shot to death and his son injured by gunfire early Wednesday morning during a domestic disturbance, according to the Pine Bluff Police Department.

Police went to 1 Hillcroft St., located near the Pine Bluff Country Club, a little after 2 a.m. on Wednesday because of a shooting. When they arrived, they found that two men had been shot, 43-year-old Maurice Taggart and his son, 26-year-old Justice Taggart. Both were taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center where Maurice Taggart died from his injuries. Justice Taggart is in stable condition.

According to witnesses, the homicide began as a domestic disturbance, police said.

“During the altercation both Taggarts fought over a pistol resulting in them shooting each other,” Lt. David DeFoor stated in a news release sent at 5:35 a.m.

The police report on the incident from Officer John Woods said that when he arrived at the Taggart house, he spoke to Shawndra Taggart, who is the Jefferson County clerk. Woods said she told him that her husband had gotten into a fight with her son and that her husband had shot her son.

“Officer P. Meachem and I went to the back of the residence and noticed one black male wearing a red shirt with blue jeans, lying on the ground near the stairs at the back door (later identified as Maurice Taggart),” Woods wrote, “and another black male wearing a blue shirt with grey sweatpants lying on the ground next to the carport (later identified as Justice Taggart). Both males were bleeding through their shirts from their upper body areas. Both males had gunshot wounds on their upper body areas.”

Woods also said there was a pregnant woman at the scene who was also covered in blood. The woman was later identified as Justice Taggart’s girlfriend, Shatia Johnson, 26.

“She was holding J. Taggart saying, ‘He needs help,”” Woods wrote.

Woods said that he and Meachem found a brown 9mm Smith and Wesson handgun lying in the bushes next to the carport. The scene was then secured and both of the men were taken to Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Woods stated in the report.

The investigation into the incident is still ongoing, police said.

Taggart resigned his position at Urban Renewal in late 2021 to pursue a legal career. In early June of this year, he and another man were charged with 46 counts of forgery and 38 counts of theft of property in a scheme that allegedly bilked $667,384 out of the Urban Renewal agency, according to the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Taggart was also charged with one count of abuse of office. Urban Renewal works in tandem with Go Forward Pine Bluff on a variety of projects. Taggart posted bond at the time of his arrest and was living at his home.

This is the 19th homicide in Pine Bluff this year.

(Mike Frisch)