4 Charged With Murder In Taylor's Death

Cops: Shooting Was Not Planned, Suspects Thought NFL Star's House Was Empty

(AP)  All four off the suspects in the shooting death of NFL star Sean Taylor are now charged with unpremeditated murder. Three of the suspects charged in the killing of the Washington Redskins star appeared in court by videoconference Saturday, with authorities and two of their lawyers saying that at least some of them have confessed.

A lawyer for one of the suspect tells The News-Press of Fort Myers that he doesn't expect the case to be long or drawn out because of confessions. And he says his client is remorseful about the situation.

Three of the four suspects - Charles Wardlow, Eric Rivera and Venjah Hunte - have been denied bond. All four suspects are charged with unpremeditated murder in Taylor's death, a killing police said was unplanned and arose out of a burglary at the player's home. The fourth suspect, Jason Mitchell, has yet to make a court appearance.

Miami-Dade County police Director Robert Parker said the suspects didn't expect Taylor to be home when they broke in early Monday, but the Redskins safety was recuperating from a knee injury and had returned from Washington. When Taylor surprised them, he was shot.

"They were certainly not looking to go there and kill anyone," Parker said. "They were expecting a residence that was not occupied. So murder or shooting someone was not their initial motive."

Authorities said they had more than one confession, but Parker would not elaborate.

The four were arrested Friday in southwest Florida, about 100 miles from Miami.

Wilbur Smith, the attorney representing Rivera, said Saturday he expected a speedy resolution.

"Don't expect this to be a long, drawn-out thing," he told The News-Press of Fort Myers. "Because there are confessions, I believe this will be quickly resolved."

Smith said while some media reports have pegged his client as the one who pulled the trigger, he had not yet spoken extensively with the suspect to determine if that's true. He said his client was remorseful.

"It's an indescribable tragedy for the Taylor family, and it's a tragedy for the families of these other young men because their lives are down the tube," Smith said.

John Evans, the attorney representing Wardlow, said it's likely all four suspects will be transported to Miami on Sunday. He said his client was reflecting on the gravity of the charges he faces.

"My client has not, I don't think, come to terms with what is being alleged," Evans told the AP on Saturday. "He's in a position, dressed in the orange jumpsuit over there in the county jail, thinking about his life and thinking about his future. You can only imagine the things going through his mind now."

The four suspects all have prior arrests, according to Lee County Sheriff's Office records.

Wardlow, 18, was arrested twice for selling marijuana and once for grand theft of a vehicle. Rivera, 17, has been arrested in October for trafficking cocaine and methamphetamine, and he previously was behind bars for altering the identification number on a firearm.

Hunte, 20, was arrested previously this year on drug and trespassing charges. And Mitchell, 19, has been arrested twice, most recently in October on charges of driving with a suspended license and violation of probation.

[junogoose]

kailumego1,
Spend a couple of months in a genuine American ghetto, then get back to us. I''d like to see what ''false'' impressions of crime demographics you come back with.

[sanonpad]

Hungry1968 Thank You! Why did they bring a gun if they didn''t intend to shoot anyone. I could see a crowbar. I am sick of these lawyers. These young guys brought the gun to use as a threat or to quiet anyone who may stand in the way.

[tashx001]

all this banter about race''s importance is moot. the color of your skin has nothing to do with anything you do. it''s the culture you were raised in that influences your actions. rap and all the subgenres associated with it that glorify crime and deviance happen to have statistically black audiences, and it''s fact that the music you listen to has a profound effect upon your psyche.

[gunownerdan]

hungry1968,
Jesse Jackson is blaming the gun, it''s a lot easier than holding the killers responsible for their own actions.

[hungry1968]

I wonder if Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are on their way to Florida to organize rallies and protest the arrests of these "poor unfortunate individuals". I''m sure that they''ll scream that the police are doing something wrong like, racial profiling.

[hungry1968]

"Cops: Shooting Was Not Planned, Suspects Thought NFL Star''s House Was Empty"



Then why did they bring a gun?

[edward1975-2009]

And no one can put together that Taylor was affiliated with less than lawful people before the birth of his daughter and had been trying to get away from them. And that his house had been targeted 8 days prior. A close friend of Taylors plays for the Arizona Cardinals, his last name is Rolles, said earlier in the week that these people had been targeting Taylor for the last three years, because he was trying to get out of the "life". And still people think this was a random act of violence. May he rest in peace, and may his family and friends find strength in their faith.

[gunownerdan]

If only Sean had a shotgun and not a machete.
He would have had a much better chance.
When confronting intruders or other dangerous criminals, you are going to need more than a big knife.
Killers will always prefer unarmed victims.
Get trained and get prepared.
Today there are many new options to safely store a loaded firearm in the home.
Self defense is the most basic of human rights.
www.a-human-right.com

[down-ndirty]

Clearly CBS doesn''''t want you to know the race of the suspects as CBS is just oh so "sensitive.".
You have a right to know.
Posted by MichaelT302 at 10:10 AM : Dec 01, 2007
------------

CBS didn''t write this story...the Associated Press wrote it. Don''t let your bias control your ability to reason.

[johnshaft4]

Premeditated or not, murder is murder. Swiftly execute these home invading vermin.

[whatithink-2009]

Keithle1,

The only possible reason to need to show a picture of the suspect is so you can decide whether to have sympathy or contempt with the suspect. As many suspects end up being innocent of a crime, this also doesn''t make any sense. Only in the warped brain of the racially challenged would this make any sense.

What value does posting a picture of the suspect provide?

[prinzowhales]

The Alex Jones Show on KLBJ--At prisonplanet.com and on youtube there is video of Romney supporters being allowed to vote up to 15 times when Dr. Paul was ahead 2 to 1 in St Petersburg Florida. Even a five year old was allowed to vote multiple times...Even the ST PETERSBURG TIMES noted it. This kind of thievery was allowed for Nit Romney--Frack him, Frack his supporters!

[keithle1]

Should be standard procedure for all media outlets to show photos of the suspects.

[keithle1]

nameverify makes a good point.

How many black men did the KKK kill at the peak of its power? Compare that to the staggering number of black men that have been killed by other black men.
Day after day after day.

Black men don''t need to worry about the KKK/nazis/skinheads or even the police killing them.

The enemy of the black man IS the black man.

[cutebig]

We are discussing this at the forum of largeplace.com. Let him rest in peace. Hope this could be resolved soon.

[chitown639]

I can''t believe that you guys are filled with so much hatred for blacks that you would celebrate every moment of their suffering. You seem to relish in the fact that there''s a high percent of black on black crime. You seem to be filled with pride when there''e another example of a black crimmal in the news to support your degrading theory of African-Americans. I don''t understand your hatred. Why do you hate the black man so much? What has he done to you and your people? Did he refuse to fight in any of America''s wars? No, the black man''s blood has been shed in every American war!!! Did the black man not play a role in transforming this country from a obsure backwater outpost to the most powerful and influencial government in the history of mankind? No, the black man help build this great nation!!! This country has reaped the benefits of free labor off the backs of the black man for hundreds of years. Often doing the most back breaking, dirtious and dangerous work. Perhaps the black man was responsible for the deaths of millions whites? No, black on white crime is very low. Although, the slave trade killed a extimated 20 million blacks. And in the years after slavery, thousands of blacks were lynched, many times just for fun. No, blacks don''t usually kill whites. So tell me, why are you the one''s filled with so much hatred.

[bhappy2-2]

The same re/**** said, "I sleep lightly and there is a gun within reach even when I am asleep."

I do hope that you don''''t have kids. If you do, I feel sorry for them. Maybe they''''ll have the classic "short but happy life". At least that''''s SOME consolation.

Posted by GladImNotOJ at 11:16 PM : Nov 30, 2007
+ report abuse
bhappy2-2: "Well, if that''''s the case ... but I will also be ALIVE!"

Wrong! Next contestant. (See my previous post.)

Posted by GladImNotOJ

Why are you so worried about MY guns? Are you one of those CRIMINALS who want to attack UNARMED CITIZENS? If you aren''t a CRIMINAL you have nothing to fear from MY GUNS! So, STOP YOUR ******** and QUIT TELLING ME WHAT I NEED TO DO. Yes, I have kids. They ALL know how to properly and safely handle firearms.

If you are packing, you are NOT invited to my home. Your kids may NOT play with my kids. Stay out of my church, school, grocery store, doctors office, etc. Post signs on your home warning everyone to stay away, for their own safety. Let the mailman and the meter reader know that you''''re a dangerous paranoid lunatic, so they don''''t get "accidently" shot.

See you in the newspapers.

Posted by GladImNotOJ

WHO THE ******* YOU TO TELL ME WHERE I CAN AND CANNOT GO? IF YOU DON''T WANT TO BE AROUND MY GUNS DON''T GO WHERE I GO.

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by nameverify at 06:29 PM : Dec 01, 2007


with all ''due'' respect, you need to "put a sock in it" and go back to read the posts from the beginning. Don''t make me sorry that I spoke up for you.

[toolmangler-2009]

Posted by kailumego1 at 06:21 PM : Dec 01, 2007


I will take your words at face value but it did appear that you were "Jumping his case for daring to criticise Blacks" which prompted my response. I will watch him in the future and see what the long term devulges. You have a nice evening.

[kailumego1]

ToolMangler, I''m not disputing that, I think you''re missing the point of my argument, which states his reasoning for posting what the black sports writer stated was not benign, but apart of the malignant racist ideology a lot of white folks have garnered.

I''m quite sure this black sports writer intended it to be a "stern message" to black communities, e.g. black folks everywhere, that it isn''t white folks brining black communities down but blacks themselves, which is 100% CORRECT..

Spike Lee vehemently stated it in his movie "Tales from the Hood", which couldn''t have been more poignant, but nameverify''s reason for including this comment is purely circumspect and egomanical, and not with the best intentions..

There are some white folks that love to take "out of context" statements made by blacks to serve as there own "weapon" or tool of degradation..

I agree totally with this black writer, because I know his heart is in the right place, but nameverify, never, his only intention was to wrench the knife a little deeper and celebrate black self-degradation.