Judge sentences man convicted of murdering 2 adults, child in 2020 to life in prison

WARREN — For murdering two adults and a child, a man was sentenced to life in prison in front of a courtroom filled with his victims’ friends and family members, many of them wearing T-shirts proclaiming that justice had been served.

Nicholas Raad Bahri, 39, of Bloomfield Township, was sentenced to life in prison on June 29 for murdering Tukoyo Moore, Moore’s fiancee, Isis Rimson, and Moore’s son, Tai’Raz Moore, 6, in the fall of 2020.

Bahri was found guilty of 15 charges by a jury in April. The charges include multiple counts of first-degree murder and felony weapons offenses, in addition to a fourth-degree arson charge and one count of disinterment and mutilation of a dead body for setting Tukoyo Moore’s body on fire.

The hearing was originally scheduled to take place June 15. But because Bahri, who was confined to the jail’s COVID unit at the time, requested to be present, Macomb County Circuit Court Judge Edward Servitto Jr. agreed to a two-week adjournment, stating it was Bahri’s right to be present and there was nothing he could do.

However, Bahri, through Zoom at the June 15 hearing, told Servitto that the footage from his parents’ security system that allegedly showed him loading Tukoyo Moore’s body into his vehicle was doctored by authorities. He also filed a legal motion to fire his retained attorney, Lee O’Brien.

Servitto granted the motion and said the court would appoint a new attorney; however, he demanded O’Brien be present for the rescheduled sentencing. But at the start of the June 29 hearing, Bahri told his new attorney, Adil Haradhvala, that he wished to represent himself.

“As far as today’s consent, your honor, Mr. Bahri informed me a few seconds ago that he is discharging me and that he will bind to represent himself,” Haradhvala said.

Servitto said the court would not discharge Haradhvala; however, Bahri asked that his attorney not speak during the hearing.

 

Family members address Bahri

Before sentencing was imposed at the rescheduled hearing, several of the family members who filled the courtroom were given an opportunity to address the court and Bahri. As they stood at the podium, printed photographs of Tai’Raz Moore smiling and playing on the beach were displayed.

Several family members spoke about how Bahri’s actions had affected them and Tai’Raz Moore’s siblings and cousins, stating that many of them had lost count of their sleepless nights and nightmares. They called Bahri a coward, and said justice wouldn’t be served until Bahri’s mother received a call that he would not return home, like they had.

As they spoke, sobs and cries of anger and frustration could be heard from the audience.

Geraldine Bell, Tukoyo Moore’s grandmother, spoke of the loss her family had endured after his death.

“He did not just destroy one family, he destroyed six families,” Bell said.

While Tukoyo Moore wasn’t perfect, she said, he was a good person who would reach out to help anybody he could.

“We have no one to help us,” Bell said.

Derlanda Farmer-Jordan, Rimson’s mother, asked Bahri how he could do something like this to a child and his “so-called friend,” referring to Tukoyo Moore, whom Bahri had met in prison previously.

“We can’t get our family back, but we can see that nobody else has to suffer at the fate of (Bahri’s) hands,” she said.

“When do you think it’s OK for you to be the judge and jury of someone’s life?” she added.

Once all family members had spoken, Servitto addressed the family members.

“I wish there were something I could do to just alleviate your pain, but you have each other. You’re going to have to be together,” he said. “Together, maybe you can assist each other through this period.”

 

Bahri, Servitto argue

When Bahri was given the opportunity to speak, the podium was turned to face the audience. Macomb County Assistant Prosecutor Dana Chiamp asked that Bahri be turned to face the court.

“I actually think it’s up to the family,” Bahri said.

Servitto said Bahri could face the wall during his allocution for all it mattered, and allowed him to face the family.

“I will be getting into great detail of Sept. 30, 2020,” Bahri said to begin his remarks. “Your honor, judge, I will not disrespect your courtroom. More importantly, I will not disrespect the victims and the victims’ family. … They deserve the truth; so does my family.”

Bahri began by accusing the court and law enforcement that handled the case of hiding the truth. He started reading from his discovery packet, but was cut off by Servitto.

“We’re not going to retry this case,” Servitto said, speaking over Bahri. “During the course of the trial, you had your opportunity to present your evidence and perspective of that evidence. We are not doing that here today.”

Bahri maintained that the family of the victims deserved to know the truth. Servitto said he would not allow Bahri to reference any reports or evidence during his allocution.

“Your right to allocute is limited,” Servitto said. “I am not going through this whole trial.”

Exchanges between Bahri and Servitto continued to escalate as Bahri continued to argue evidence and reference reports. Audience members interjected periodically and were quickly hushed by one of the nine bailiffs who monitored the courtroom.

“So you’re going to sit here and say I did it when there’s lies going on in this courtroom?” Bahri asked.

“The jury determined you did it,” Servitto replied.

“The jury got bamboozled,” Bahri said.

Servitto continued to interject as Bahri tried to explain his version of the events of the night he killed Tukoyo and Tai’Raz Moore and Rimson. At one point, Servitto stopped Bahri, stating it sounded like he was confessing to other crimes, which was met by laughter and applause from the audience.

Bahri accused several witnesses of lying while under oath. He made a move to introduce more evidence, but Servitto said they were not there to hear a motion.

“You are not filing a motion today,” Servitto said. “You are concluding your sentencing. You will have post-conviction opportunity to file any motion you want.”

As the conversation continued to escalate, with Bahri at one point quoting Eminem’s “Lose Yourself” and saying he has no faith in the judicial system, Servitto told Bahri he was done speaking.

“We’re done, we’re done, done,” Servitto said, speaking over Bahri.

When Servitto began to read the charges and sentencing, Bahri again began talking. He was removed from the podium and seated in the jury box, where he sat silent for several minutes before continuing to argue his innocence.

When Servitto ended the hearing, he was met with cheers and applause from the audience as people began exiting the courtroom.

Outside the courtroom, Farmer-Jordan said that there were questions for which her family would never get answers. But while she didn’t feel that justice was served, she was glad nobody else would have to suffer because of Bahri.

“This was for everybody else’s family, and to keep their kids safe and alive,” she said.

Contact Staff Writer Brian Wells at (248) 291-7637 or bwells@candgnews.com.