Fairfield Man Accused Of Killing Ex-Wife Pursues Insanity Defense

FAIRFIELD, CT — A Fairfield man accused of killing his ex-wife earlier this year plans to pursue an insanity defense, according to the Connecticut Post. James Taylor, 75, appeared in court Wednesday for the first time since being released after posting his $2 million bond.

The Connecticut Post reports Taylor’s lawyer said at Wednesday’s hearing that he has filed a notice that he intends to argue Taylor suffered from a “mental disease or defect” and “extreme emotional disturbance” when he fatally shot his ex-wife and assaulted his stepson in February.

Police responded to a 911 call from a home on Catamount Road at about 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 3 and Catherine Taylor, 70, of Redding Road in Fairfield, was found dead at the scene. James Taylor, of Redding Road in Fairfield, was charged with murder, attempted murder, home invasion, first-degree burglary, third-degree assault and illegal discharge of a firearm.

James Taylor and Catherine Taylor had been divorced for 20 years but started seeing each other again and had a dispute in which the victim accused Taylor of stealing her car, the Hartford Courant previously reported. Police found the car at a mutual friend's house and didn't make an arrest, saying there appeared to be a disagreement about who the car belonged to, the Courant reported.

As a result of the argument, Catherine Taylor moved into her son's home, which was nearby on Catamount Road, according to the Connecticut Post. James Taylor is accused of breaking into the Catamount Road home and fatally shooting Catherine Taylor with a rifle. The stepson then fought with Taylor and struck him several times in self-defense while calling 911.

A Superior Court judge allowed Taylor to post the $2 million bond earlier this month on the condition that he live at his son's Bronson Road home under house arrest. The case has been continued to June 18, according to state judicial records.

Read more about Wednesday’s court appearance at the Connecticut Post here.

James Taylor / Fairfield Police Department