R.I.P. Sean Taylor... - Madden Tips, Madden 2009 Tips, Madden 09 Tips, Madden Strategy Guides, & Cheats

flight · 05-12-2008, 02:04 PM

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Death penalty off the table for suspects in killing of Redskins' Taylor

ESPN.com news services

Updated: May 12, 2008, 2:21 PM ET

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MIAMI -- Prosecutors said Monday they will not seek the death penalty against four people charged with murdering Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor because the accused shooter was a minor when the crime was committed.

SeanTaylor

Taylor

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that people cannot be executed for crimes committed when they're under 18, and it's a well established legal principle that others involved in the same case as a minor cannot face the ultimate penalty if they are less directly responsible.

Assistant State Attorney Reid Rubin filed notice Friday that the death penalty will be waived. That means the four suspects -- Jason Scott Mitchell, Eric Rivera Jr., Venjah Hunte and Charles Wardlow -- could get a maximum of life in prison if convicted of first-degree murder after a trial scheduled to begin Aug. 25.

Rivera, who turned 18 last month, was 17 at the time police say he shot Taylor during a botched robbery at the Pro Bowl safety's Miami-area home in November. Taylor, 24, died of massive blood loss a day after he was shot in the upper leg.

Hunte's lawyer Michael Hornung said he learned of the decision by prosecutors late Friday.

"They would have had to show it was premeditated," Hornung said. "I believe that it's appropriate that they waive the death penalty."

The story was first reported by the Fort Myers News Press and the Naples Daily News on Sunday night.

The Taylor family accepted the prosecutor's explanation for the move, a family spokesman said.

"All the co-defendants can't be subject to the death penalty if the [alleged] shooter is not," said Richard Sharpstein, a lawyer who has acted as spokesman for the Taylor family. "There are no issues of discretion here. There's no choice."

Prosecutors and defense attorneys are barred from discussing the case with reporters under a gag order.

Taylor was an All-American at the University of Miami and was a member of the Hurricanes' national championship team in 2001. He was selected with the fifth overall pick of the 2004 draft by the Redskins and made the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007.

BiteKrime · 05-12-2008, 03:12 PM

That's retarded...

flight · 05-12-2008, 03:16 PM

^^^

whats retarded ??

BiteKrime · 05-13-2008, 03:04 PM

Those kids should be killed.

28.5 · 05-13-2008, 03:07 PM

I don't think they should be killed...

the shooters gonna end up with like 15 years am i right??? b/c it wasnt a premeditated murder is was like spurr of the moment i was robbing you now im gonna shoot you in the leg.

BiteKrime · 05-13-2008, 03:29 PM

I don't know I just hate murderer's i'm also a COP so i'm probably bias.

28.5 · 05-13-2008, 03:36 PM

i hate murderers too man

BiteKrime · 05-13-2008, 03:38 PM

I just hope those gets regret what they did, Sean Taylor was a cool dude.