(Mobile, Ala.) July 8th -Everyday Sara Dinkins thinks of what she misses most about her daughter Tarmarla Taldon. “There’s not a day that doesn’t go by I don’t think of her,” said Taldon. I miss her playful spirit and her smile.
Playful and loving memories cut short by a bullet from an ex-boyfriend prosecutors say was a jealous and filled with rage. “I’ve really been disgusted by all of this because he was locked up, arrested for probation violation on Sunday with an outstanding warrant and they let him go and he killed her on Monday.
Garret Dotch had a history of abusing Tamarla Taldon, but her mother says he finally made good on a promise to kill her when he ambushed her outside the Subway Restaurant where she worked in July 2006. “His friends used to talk about how he would brag about how he would gladly serve 20 years for her. “You think you'll kill my daughter and do 20 years...the devil is a lie. He must have forgotten who her mother was. If you take her life, you're going to pay with yours,” promised this grieving mother.
A Mobile County jury agreed, taking 90 minutes to reach a guilty verdict in this case....and even less time in recommending the death penalty. Even though a jury of her peers stood up for her, tonight this victim’s family is afraid they may not get as much justice as they want. June 26th the judge who has the ultimate say of whether he lives or dies didn’t impose a final sentence. Instead Judge Roderick Stout suddenly announced he needs more time to make a final decision.
Tarmarla’s mother responded by saying, “instead of sitting there debating weather he should be given life or death, the jury recommended the death penalty and that's what he should do."
NBC15 News put in a call into Judge Stout this week. He told us his docket is full. In addition to the capital murder case, he also had a civil case and quite a few others. He says he has an important decision to make and he’s committed to doing it in a timely manner.
NBC15 News also checked with the Mobile County clerk's office late during the week of July 4th and so far, Judge Stout has not set a new date for imposing sentence for Garrett Dotch.
