MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ — Two of the Preston Lord defendants were back in court Friday, arguing for their own separate trials. There are six remaining defendants in the case, and two have already been granted separation.
Judge Sam Myers granted Talan Renner and Jacob Meisner's requests to sever their cases earlier this month.
He said he would hear oral arguments for the other defendants who filed a motion to sever, Talyn Vigil and Taylor Sherman.
Prosecutors filed a response saying they believe Vigil and Sherman can be tried together.
"After review, the State concedes that these two particular defendants should be severed from Defendants Meisner, Renner and Billey," read the prosecutors' response. "The State also concedes that there are grounds for severance of Taylor Sherman from codefendant Dominic Turner."
Their filings detail multiple reasons Vigil and Sherman could proceed to trial together, including that their defenses are not in opposition.
In court on Friday, their team showed surveillance video and text messages from the 2023 Halloween party where Preston Lord was attacked.
The 16-year-old died days later.
"We believe, and we understand that it will be naturally some antagonism towards each other, but not the such that requires severance," said Deputy County Attorney Jon Eliason.
Messages revealed in court records
Both Vigil and Sherman's attorneys pushed back in court, insisting their clients need their own trial.
Vigil's attorney, Jason Gronski, included text messages in his court filing. He said they show other co-defendants, including Sherman, tried to delete evidence and were prepared to lie.
"Jacob Meisner agrees and starts the misinformation campaign to protect themselves and shift the blame, likely to Talyn Vigil to protect Talan Renner," wrote Vigil's attorney Jason Gronski in his filing.
A text chain between Meisner and his father also included in those court records.
"So we are all on the same page, the plan is to cover this up and say it was a little fight?" said Meisner's dad, according to records. "Also, didn't hear or see anything? Got it."
Meisner allegedly responds saying he wasn't in the, "fight, so it's not my problem."
Sherman's counsel said, should the two co-defendants be tried together, he's concerned his client would be getting attacked from both sides.
"This is definitely a situation where Mr. Vigil's defense would be attacking us, would be putting us in the group," said Joseph Tobler. "Would be putting us, as they did it, as the group of they that did it. The people that were in the cars. The people that were at the after party."
What's next?
Judge Myers asked questions throughout the oral arguments and said he would take everything under consideration.
Prosecutors hoped to discuss an updated timeline and an order for the trials next week.
All the co-defendants are due back in court on February 3.
Court records show Meisner's attorney believes it is unrealistic for their case to go to trial before the end of 2026.
Prosecutors said, at least with Meisner's case, they will be asking for a trial date in October 2026.
Earlier this month, the trial date was pushed back to April 8, 2026. During that hearing, it was acknowledged that decisions still had to be made in regard to severance requests.
