Both sides agree on affair

[thedrifter]

Both sides agree on affair
January 12,2006
BY ROSELEE PAPANDREA
DAILY NEWS STAFF

In opening statements Wednesday afternoon in the first-degree murder trial of Ruben Wright, the prosecution and defense agreed on one point: The retired Marine Corps warrant officer 4 was having an affair with the victim's wife.

Assistant District Attorney Mike Maultsby said that it was Wright's affair with Zenaida "Zene" Taulbee that ultimately led to the shooting death of her husband, retired Marine Master Sgt. James Taulbee, 47, who was killed Jan. 5, 2004.

Ruben Wright's attorney, Ernie Wright, argued that Zene Taulbee was allegedly having several affairs and the prosecution has no physical evidence linking Ruben Wright, 49, to the crime.

Just before both sides made their statements, Zene Taulbee, 37, who was also charged with first-degree murder, pleaded guilty to a lesser charge. In exchange for the guilty plea to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder, Zene Taulbee agreed to testify against her former lover. She'll be sentenced at a later date.

Prosecutors painted a portrait of Ruben Wright as the one who came up with the idea to kill James Taulbee.

"(Zene Taulbee) will tell you she did not shoot her husband," Maultsby said. "She will tell you it was (Ruben Wright's) idea to kill her husband, and the defendant was the one who killed her husband."

Ruben Wright was the one calling the shots, Maultsby said.

"It was his lust, jealousy and the need to control others that furnished the motive for this crime," Maultsby said.

Ruben Wright and Zenaida Taulbee were having an affair since 2003, Maultsby said.

"The defendant wasn't satisfied sharing Zene with her husband," Maultsby said. "He wanted her all to himself and decided to do something about it."

Ruben Wright and retired Marine Gunnery Sgt. Randy Linniman, 40, who was also charged with James Taulbee's murder and is accused of making the weapon used in the killing, went to the Taulbee residence at about 4:20 a.m. Jan. 5, 2004, Maultsby said. Ruben Wright and Linniman were active-duty Marines serving in 6th Marine Regiment at the time.

After Zenaida Taulbee left the residence to go the gym and then to her job at Burger King on Camp Lejeune, both Ruben Wright and Randy Linniman went into the residence on Chestnut Court where James Taulbee was asleep in bed. Ruben Wright shot James Taulbee once. Linniman reloaded the gun. Ruben Wright shot James Taulbee a second time, Maultsby said.

Following the incident, Ruben Wright left Zene Taulbee several messages on her cell phone, Maultsby said.

"The messages will show that (Ruben Wright) knew about the murders before they were reported to the public," Maultsby said.

Maultsby contends that when Ruben Wright was questioned by Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown, Ruben Wright blurted out, "I did not pull the trigger. Zene shot him. I only helped her reload the gun. Zene planned the whole thing."

Defense attorney Ernie Wright of Jacksonville, who is not related to his client, told the jury that there were about 20 tests done by the SBI lab connected to this case from forensic examinations of computers to DNA tests and firearms ballistics. None of those test results link Ruben Wright to the crime, he said.

"None of those objective tests came with Ruben Wright being identified," Ernie Wright said. "On the contrary, those tests link Randy Linniman's fingerprints as the only ones on the weapons."

In his opening statement, Ernie Wright also questioned James Taulbee's time of death. A neighbor told authorities that she saw James Taulbee speaking with a white man at his mailbox at about 3:45 p.m. on the day of his death, Ernie Wright said. Ruben Wright is black.

"It was established that the time of death was 4:30 p.m.," Ernie Wright said. "That's the time the coroner established as the time of death."

Maultsby said that Ruben Wright killed James Taulbee at about 4:30 a.m.

"After all the evidence was collected, there was not one piece that tied Ruben Wright to the killing of James Taulbee," Ernie Wright said.

Assistant District Attorney Ernie Lee is prosecuting the case along with Maultsby. Attorney Sue Berry of Wilmington is assisting Ernie Wright. Superior Court Judge Charles Henry is hearing the case. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.

It took attorneys all day Tuesday and Wednesday morning to select the six-man, six-woman jury.

After the jury was seated, a hearing was held for Zene Taulbee outside of the jury's presence. Ruben Wright was not in the courtroom at that time, but his wife, Deborah Wright, who has supported him since he was charged Jan. 20, 2004, was there along with one of their daughters who is in the Air Force. Several of James Taulbee's family members sat in the gallery behind the prosecution.

Ruben Wright's trial started after Zene Taulbee's hearing. Ruben Wright, who was dressed in a dark green suit and was carrying a worn Bible when he was escorted in the courtroom, showed little expression during the opening statements.

There was brief testimony Wednesday from two witnesses. Onslow County sheriff's detective Tom Robinson, who investigated the homicide, and Jennifer Sears, a retail supervisor with U.S. Cellular, both testified.

Robinson said that when he was searching Zene Taulbee's car just before midnight on Jan. 5, 2004, he found her cell phone. As he was holding the phone, it vibrated in his hand and the name "Gunner" and a phone number appeared on the screen. That number matched Ruben Wright's cell phone number. Ruben Wright was known as a gunner in the Marine Corps.

The trial continues today at 9 a.m.

Contact staff writer Roselee Papandrea at rpapandrea@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 238.

[thedrifter]

Jury hears messages to victim's wife
January 13,2006
BY ROSELEE PAPANDREA
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Ruben Wright's voice echoed in an Onslow County courtroom Thursday afternoon.

Wright wasn't testifying on the second day of his first-degree murder trial. But his voice was heard on messages that he left on his former lover's cell phone just hours after her husband, James Taulbee, was found dead in their Aragona Village home in January 2004.

Despite objections from the defense, those messages were played after the jury heard testimony from eight of the prosecution's witnesses. The case is being heard by Superior Court Judge Charles Henry. The state is not seeking the death penalty.

The exact dates and times of each of the 14 messages were unclear. About five of the messages that Wright, 49, a retired Marine chief warrant officer 4 at Camp Lejeune, left for Zenaida "Zene" Taulbee in January 2004 were quick and spoken in a foreign language.

But nine of those messages, which were left between 10:31 p.m. Jan. 5, 2004, and 5:49 a.m. Jan. 6, 2004, included statements of Wright's love for Zenaida Taulbee and concern about her well-being following her husband's death on Jan. 5, 2004. James Taulbee, 47, a retired Marine master sergeant, was found dead in his bed at about 7:46 p.m. He was shot twice in the face.

Zene Taulbee, 37, who also was charged with first-degree murder in her husband's slaying, pleaded guilty Wednesday to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. In exchange for the lesser charge, Zene Taulbee agreed to testify for the state. She will be sentenced at a later date.

The cell phone messages were first played for Wright during an interview with the Onslow County Sheriff's Department on Jan. 12, 2004. Wright became a suspect in James Taulbee's homicide investigation after authorities found a cell phone in Zene Taulbee's car with several messages from Wright left on it, according to testimony.

Wright heard them again Thursday along with the jury, James Taulbee's family and several members of Wright's family, including his daughter and wife, Deborah Wright, who has supported him since he was arrested Jan. 20, 2004.

"I was calling to check on you," Wright said on a message left at 10:31 p.m. Jan. 5, 2004. "I just need to know how you are doing. I love you."

Three minutes later, he left another message.

"I know you are probably too upset right now. Hey, I understand," Wright said. "I love you with all my heart."

At 11:06 p.m., he called Zene Taulbee again.

"I'm on my way back home. I will keep my phone on," Wright said. "I'm there for you. (I) always have been. (I) always will be."

On the night of Jan. 5, 2004, Wright packed to leave Camp Lejeune for a combined arms exercise in Twentynine Palms, Calif., on Jan. 6, 2004. Early on Jan. 6, 2004, Wright continued to leave Zene Taulbee messages.

At 12:20 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2004, the message from Wright said: "I'm going back to work. â?¦ I wanted so badly to come by and know it's better if I didn't. I'm sorry for everything. I love you. â?¦ I'm going to go through this in two or three months myself. I love you."

Court was recessed for the day shortly after the messages were played. When Wright rose to leave with the bailiffs, his family crowded up to the bar. Several of them said they loved him.

Earlier in the day, Col. Mark Shivers with the Onslow County Sheriff's Department testified regarding his interview with Wright on Jan. 13, 2004. Wright was flown back from Twentynine Palms on Jan. 12, 2004, and he arrived at Craven Regional Airport late that night.

Sheriff's detective Tom Robinson picked Wright up from the airport shortly before midnight and brought him back to the Sheriff's Department. Wright was read his Miranda rights and was questioned from early in the morning Jan. 13, 2004, until late in the day, according to testimony.

Shivers testified that he asked Wright if he wanted to assist the district attorney's office with its investigation of James Taulbee's death.

"If I was smart, I would give up Taulbee and the other person," Shivers said Wright told him. Shivers read the information from a report he wrote after compiling notes that he took during his interview with Wright. Shivers said that Wright, who is black, agreed that a white person killed James Taulbee.

Shivers played the cell phone messages to Wright during that interview. After the messages were played, Wright told Shivers that Randy Linniman, a Marine gunnery sergeant who was in 6th Marine Regiment with him, was involved in the homicide, Shivers said.

"I guess I'm going down, but I didn't pull the trigger," Shivers said Wright told him.

Linniman, 40, who is white and accused of making the gun and the silencer for the .22 caliber gun used to kill James Taulbee, is also charged with first-degree murder. He is awaiting trial, but no date has been set.

During cross-examination, attorney Ernie Wright, who is representing Ruben Wright, asked Shivers why he didn't tape record his interview with Ruben Wright.

"You had the capability of taping the whole interview?" Ernie Wright asked Shivers.

Shivers agreed.

"From the time you started at 12:35 a.m. until the time you ended it, you could have been taping it for the benefit of the jury to hear," Ernie Wright said.

Shivers said he could have taped the interview, but he didn't.

Shivers was also questioned about his interview with a woman who lived across the street from the Taulbee residence. The neighbor told Shivers that she saw James Taulbee speaking with a white man in front of his house on Jan. 5, 2004. Authorities have testified that James Taulbee was killed at about 4:30 a.m. that day.

When Assistant District Attorney Ernie Lee, who is prosecuting the case with Assistant District Attorney Mike Maultsby, questioned Shivers he asked if that neighbor changed her story several times. Shivers testified that she first said she saw the white man in the morning and later changed it to the afternoon.

When Darlene Anderson, who was a deputy with the Sheriff's Department in 2004, testified, she indicated the neighbor changed her story several times.

Court continues at 9 a.m. today.

Contact staff writer Roselee Papandrea at rpapandrea@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 238.

[thedrifter]

Wright said he just reloaded gun
January 14,2006
BY ROSELEE PAPANDREA
DAILY NEWS STAFF

Accused killer Ruben Wright told Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown that he didn't kill James Taulbee in January 2004. He just reloaded the gun, Brown testified Friday in Onslow County Superior Court.

Brown's testimony during the third day of the former Marine chief warrant officer 4's first-degree murder trial centered on a spontaneous statement Ruben Wright made during a meeting with Brown prior to his arrest Jan. 20, 2004. Defense attorney Ernie Wright questioned why the sheriff didn't record the conversation.

Brown insisted that when he met with Ruben Wright, 49, it wasn't to solicit information. The sheriff said he went to the Camp Lejeune brig, where Ruben Wright was being held by the Marine Corps on Jan. 16, 2004, to fulfill a promise.

"I didn't go there to question Mr. Wright at all," Brown said.

Brown was one of nine witnesses who testified Friday for assistant district attorneys Ernie Lee and Mike Maultsby, who are prosecuting the case for the state. Superior Court Judge Charles Henry is hearing the case. Prosecutors are not seeking the death penalty.

Brown testified that three days prior, when Ruben Wright was interviewed at the Sheriff's Department, he asked if the sheriff would speak to him at a later date. Brown and detective T.J. Cavanagh decided to meet with him on Jan. 16, 2004.

During that meeting, Ruben Wright jumped up unexpectedly and made a statement, Brown testified.

"Just out of nowhere - it happened so fast it almost scared me - Mr. (Ruben) Wright jumped straight up and made the statement to this effect: 'I did not shoot him. Zene shot him. All I did was reload the gun,'" Brown said. " Then after he did that he came back it seemed from where he was at and said, 'I shouldn't have said that.'"

Zenaida "Zene" Taulbee, 37, James Taulbee's wife, was also charged with first-degree murder. She and Ruben Wright were having an affair. Earlier this week, she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder. In exchange for the lesser charge, Zene Taulbee agree to testify for the state. She will be sentenced at a later date. James Taulbee, who was a retired Marine master sergeant, was killed Jan. 5, 2004.

While Brown testified, Ruben Wright's daughter, who was sitting in the gallery, was clearly impacted. Throughout his testimony, she shook her head no and one time mouthed words that appeared to be "It's ridiculous." Deborah Wright, Ruben Wright's wife, who has sat through all other testimony, was not present in the courtroom while Brown was on the witness stand.

Ernie Wright questioned Brown about the purpose of his meeting with Ruben Wright. He asked if the sheriff didn't go to the brig to question Ruben Wright, why an interview sheet was filled out after the meeting.

"Not by me," Brown said. "I didn't reduce anything to writing."

Cavanagh testified after Brown and gave similar testimony. When Ernie Wright questioned Cavanagh, he asked about the notes the detective took during that meeting with Ruben Wright and the sheriff.

Ernie Wright had Cavanagh read a portion of his notes.

"Zene is leading him along and put the whole thing together," Cavanagh read from his notes. "Zene masterminded the plan. â?¦ Zene told him she wants her husband dead. I did not pull the trigger. If anybody pulled the trigger, Zene did."

Ernie Wright wanted to know why all of that information wasn't included on the interview sheet Cavanagh filled out after the meeting. Cavanagh only included: "I did not shoot him. Zene shot him. I just reloaded the gun."

Cavanagh said he included that portion of the notes on the interview sheet because he considered that statement to be significant.

Ernie Wright also asked Cavanagh if they had the capability to tape the interview at the brig. Cavanagh said they weren't set up to tape an interview there.

"Was there anything stopping you from bringing a tape recorder and taping the interview?" Ernie Wright asked.

"No," Cavanagh responded.

Diana Leduc of Charlotte, who worked at the Burger King on Camp Lejeune from August 2003 to March 2004 when Zene Taulbee was general manager of the restaurant, testified that Ruben Wright and James Taulbee came to Burger King every day during that time. She said that frequently Zenaida Taulbee would go to the back of the restaurant and eat lunch with Ruben Wright. She saw them kissing at the back door a few times.

She remembered that James Taulbee would frequently show up for lunch about 15 minutes after Ruben Wright left the restaurant. James Taulbee stuck out in her memory because he always ordered the same sandwich.

"It was always a double cheeseburger. He didn't like pickles," said Leduc, who testified that she didn't see Ruben Wright or James Taulbee on Jan. 5, 2004.

Ronnie Hancock, who had an affair with Zene Taulbee prior to her relationship with Ruben Wright, testified that she ended the relationship he described as "purely sexual" because she found someone to take care of her and love her. Hancock said Zene Taulbee was married to James Taulbee during their six-month affair, but he wasn't married.

During their relationship, Zene Taulbee told him she was having problems with her husband. But he didn't want to know anything about her life.

"I told her, 'I don't want to know anything about your family life and you don't need to know anything about mine,'" Hancock said.

Maultsby asked him if he killed James Taulbee.

He said he didn't, but he was questioned about it by the Sheriff's Department.

Contact staff writer Roselee Papandrea at rpapandrea@freedomenc.com or at 353-1171, Ext. 238.