Summit Woman's Drug-Induced Homicide Conviction Will Stand In Death Of Wheaton Woman

WHEATON, IL — The Second District Appellate Court has affirmed a conviction of drug-induced homicide for a woman who provided a Wheaton woman with a lethal dose of heroin in 2012. Jennifer Nere, 37, formerly of Summit, was initially found guilty in 2014 of supplying Augustina Taylor, 31, of Wheaton, with heroin that caused her to overdose and die.

According to police, Taylor had contacted Nere to obtain heroin in the late night hours of June 27, 2012. After Nere arrived at Taylor's home, Nere reportedly used the heroin in her bathroom. Nere's son later found her dead on the bathroom floor. An investigation later showed that she died from a heroin overdose.

Nere appealed the 2014 guilty verdict on the grounds that she believed improper jury instructions were given during the trial. She also asserted that she was not found guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office said. In its decision, the appellate court said that Nere's argument lacked "any legal basis," adding that she "forfeited her claim by relying on a summary assertion without citing pertinent authority." In response to Nere's assertion that she was not proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, the court said, "Taylor’s request for heroin on the day of her death meant that she was out of heroin at the time"and that "the jury’s verdict was supported by proof beyond a reasonable doubt."

DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said the following, "I would like to thank the Appellate Court for their extremely thoughtful and in-depth review of this case. Slightly more than five years ago, Augustina Taylor died from a heroin overdose. We proved in court, and the Appellate Court agrees, that Jennifer Nere supplied that fatal dose of heroin to Augustina Taylor. The judgement of the Appellate Court emphasizes the fact that if you supply a fatal dose of any drug you will be held responsible and will find yourself facing a significant amount of time behind bars. I would like to thank the Office’s Appellate Division, particularly Assistant State’s Attorneys Lisa Hoffman and Sean Kinsella for their work in holding Jennifer Nere responsible for the overdose death of Augustina Taylor.”

The appellate court decision was delivered by Justice McLaren with the agreement of Justices Zenoff and Shostok.

>>Image via DuPage County State's Attorney's Office