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CNN Live Event/Special

Woman Accused of Trying to Poison Husband With Perfume

Aired May 22, 2003 - 19:52   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN HOST: David Taylor says that when his wife put on perfume and lit candles around the house, the last thing on her mind was love.
He claims he is chemically sensitive, and his wife, Linda, was using the sense to hurt him. Before we talk to David and to his attorney, Cynthia Grooms Marvin, we want you to know we did invite Linda and her attorney to appear on the program tonight or give us a statement. They have denied our invitation.

So with that we welcome David and Cynthia to our program. David, good evening.

DAVID TAYLOR: Good evening.

KAGAN: First, let's start off by explaining to us what this chemical sensitivity is and how'd you get it.

D. TAYLOR: Well, it's a neurological disorder with an enzyme deficiency, which leads to an immune and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) problem. And I got it by working in a sick building with toxic mold. and they were trying to clean the building up with toxic chemicals while we were in it.

KAGAN: Basically, you can't have any perfume or scent or anything that smells around you. That's going to be too aggravating.

D. TAYLOR: Yes. I have heightened sensitivity to such things.

KAGAN: So tell me exactly what you accuse your wife of doing.

D. TAYLOR: Well, she knows my condition, and she set about exposing me to a list of toxic substances which she knew would adversely affect my health.

KAGAN: And, in fact, I think we have the 9-1-1 call from when you were trying to call police. Let's go ahead and listen to that.

(BEGIN AUDIOTAPE)

D. TAYLOR: Spraying perfume around the house and what not and hurt me.

(END AUDIOTAPE)

KAGAN: Let's bring in your attorney now -- Cynthia Grooms Marvin. Cynthia, as I understand it -- when police first heard about this, they didn't take it seriously, but eventually they did and now his wife, Linda, faces very serious criminal charges.

CYNTHIA GROOMS MARVIN, DAVID TAYLOR'S ATTORNEY: Yes. She's facing an aggravated battery here in Martin County.

KAGAN: What can that mean potentially?

MARVIN: Well, potentially, it could mean a prison sentence. It's more likely, in the case of battery like this, to probably result in some kind of probation and perhaps counseling but it could also involve incarceration.

KAGAN: As we said, we did invite Linda and her attorney to come on with us tonight. They declined the invitation, but in the interest of making this a fair conversation, we'd play you some tape from when she talked to one of our CNN affiliates. So let's listen in to what she said in a previous interview.

(BEGIN AUDIOTAPE)

LINDA TAYLOR: In the criminal report, it showed that he said that I sprayed Lysol in his face when, in fact, I didn't spray anything in his face. I wasn't even near him. He was on one side of the kitchen. Me and my daughter were on the other side of the kitchen.

(END AUDIOTAPE)

KAGAN: David, how much of this is more of a marriage gone bad -- of trying to split up a war that you're going to get for your worker's compensation case?

D. TAYLOR: Well, our relationship was deteriorating over several months. It was like a locomotive out of control. I did what I could, but I just could not change anything.

The mystery is that none of these problems were ever discussed. No issues were ever brought to my attention, as much as I -- I really don't know what was in her mind other than the fact that she became very dissatisfied, depressed, and disillusioned.

KAGAN: Are you still married at this point?

D. TAYLOR: Oh, yes. Yes. No divorce is filed yet because I'm -- well, my health has been so adversely affected and it's like a mourning process to come to terms with this -- the loss of the marriage and the children and so forth.

KAGAN: But that's where this is headed, I would imagine. It would be kind of hard to patch up.

D. TAYLOR: Yes. Obviously, it's going to be coming as soon as we get ourselves together. No doubt about it. KAGAN: I understand that. We wish you well in dealing with your predicament with the chemical sensitivity. David Taylor, Cynthia Marvin, thank you for being on with us tonight. Appreciate your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com








Aired May 22, 2003 - 19:52   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN HOST: David Taylor says that when his wife put on perfume and lit candles around the house, the last thing on her mind was love.
He claims he is chemically sensitive, and his wife, Linda, was using the sense to hurt him. Before we talk to David and to his attorney, Cynthia Grooms Marvin, we want you to know we did invite Linda and her attorney to appear on the program tonight or give us a statement. They have denied our invitation.

So with that we welcome David and Cynthia to our program. David, good evening.

DAVID TAYLOR: Good evening.

KAGAN: First, let's start off by explaining to us what this chemical sensitivity is and how'd you get it.

D. TAYLOR: Well, it's a neurological disorder with an enzyme deficiency, which leads to an immune and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) problem. And I got it by working in a sick building with toxic mold. and they were trying to clean the building up with toxic chemicals while we were in it.

KAGAN: Basically, you can't have any perfume or scent or anything that smells around you. That's going to be too aggravating.

D. TAYLOR: Yes. I have heightened sensitivity to such things.

KAGAN: So tell me exactly what you accuse your wife of doing.

D. TAYLOR: Well, she knows my condition, and she set about exposing me to a list of toxic substances which she knew would adversely affect my health.

KAGAN: And, in fact, I think we have the 9-1-1 call from when you were trying to call police. Let's go ahead and listen to that.

(BEGIN AUDIOTAPE)

D. TAYLOR: Spraying perfume around the house and what not and hurt me.

(END AUDIOTAPE)

KAGAN: Let's bring in your attorney now -- Cynthia Grooms Marvin. Cynthia, as I understand it -- when police first heard about this, they didn't take it seriously, but eventually they did and now his wife, Linda, faces very serious criminal charges.

CYNTHIA GROOMS MARVIN, DAVID TAYLOR'S ATTORNEY: Yes. She's facing an aggravated battery here in Martin County.

KAGAN: What can that mean potentially?

MARVIN: Well, potentially, it could mean a prison sentence. It's more likely, in the case of battery like this, to probably result in some kind of probation and perhaps counseling but it could also involve incarceration.

KAGAN: As we said, we did invite Linda and her attorney to come on with us tonight. They declined the invitation, but in the interest of making this a fair conversation, we'd play you some tape from when she talked to one of our CNN affiliates. So let's listen in to what she said in a previous interview.

(BEGIN AUDIOTAPE)

LINDA TAYLOR: In the criminal report, it showed that he said that I sprayed Lysol in his face when, in fact, I didn't spray anything in his face. I wasn't even near him. He was on one side of the kitchen. Me and my daughter were on the other side of the kitchen.

(END AUDIOTAPE)

KAGAN: David, how much of this is more of a marriage gone bad -- of trying to split up a war that you're going to get for your worker's compensation case?

D. TAYLOR: Well, our relationship was deteriorating over several months. It was like a locomotive out of control. I did what I could, but I just could not change anything.

The mystery is that none of these problems were ever discussed. No issues were ever brought to my attention, as much as I -- I really don't know what was in her mind other than the fact that she became very dissatisfied, depressed, and disillusioned.

KAGAN: Are you still married at this point?

D. TAYLOR: Oh, yes. Yes. No divorce is filed yet because I'm -- well, my health has been so adversely affected and it's like a mourning process to come to terms with this -- the loss of the marriage and the children and so forth.

KAGAN: But that's where this is headed, I would imagine. It would be kind of hard to patch up.

D. TAYLOR: Yes. Obviously, it's going to be coming as soon as we get ourselves together. No doubt about it. KAGAN: I understand that. We wish you well in dealing with your predicament with the chemical sensitivity. David Taylor, Cynthia Marvin, thank you for being on with us tonight. Appreciate your time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com