17-Year-Old Accused Of Being Taylor Gunman

(CBS/AP)  A lawyer for the 17-year-old accused gunman in the killing of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor wants to reach a plea deal with prosecutors.

Sawyer Smith, who along with his father Wilbur is representing Eric Rivera, said Wednesday his client was admitting no wrongdoing yet.

"When the State Attorney's Office is ready, we would like to sit down and begin discussion with them so we can move towards a resolution in the case that has the best interest of all parties in mind," Smith said. "We want to minimize the impact of case resolution on the Taylor family and find a result that's in the best interest of justice."

Circuit Judge John Thornton Jr. denied Rivera bail Wednesday in his brief appearance via videoconference in a Miami-Dade County courtroom. His three co-defendants were denied bail a day earlier.

All four — Rivera; Charles Wardlow, 18; Jason Mitchell, 19; and Venjah Hunte, 20 — have been charged with first-degree felony murder and armed burglary. Their arraignments are this month.

Taylor died Nov. 27, a day after he was shot in the bedroom of his home. Police have said the 24-year-old player was a victim of a botched burglary.

Smith said he was happy Rivera had been moved to Miami and had his first appearance in court. He said he understood it most likely would be some time before prosecutors would speak with him.

"When they're ready and in a position to discuss this case with us we're looking forward to that day," Smith said.

Wardlow's attorney, David Brener, distanced his client's actions from those of Rivera and said he expected to go to trial.

"I believe that the acts of Mr. Rivera, who was the shooter of this case, constitute an independent act," Brener said Wednesday. "My client never contemplated that Mr. Rivera was going to arm himself or use lethal force against Mr. Taylor."

Smith said the defense attorneys in the case have a history of working together, but he said he understood the grand jury's identification of his client as the alleged gunman puts him in a unique position.

"The other boys may be in a position to separate themselves somewhat from our client," he said. "However, under the felony murder rule, if it can be shown that they're involved in it, if they're involved in the burglary, then it's not a defense that they were not the one that pulled the trigger.

"He's very distraught," said Hunte's attorney, Michael Hornung. "He's scared."

Hunte is cooperating with police, his attorney said, and would tell them everything he knows.

"My client had no knowledge whatsoever where they were going," Hornburg told CBS News station WFOR-TV news partner The Miami Herald. ''When you're at a place and you hear two gunshots and you didn't even know anyone brought a gun, you're going to be scared.''

"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, according to WFOR.

Richard Sharpstein, Taylor's former attorney, said the athlete's family was grateful for police and prosecutors' work, but that it did little to lessen their loss.

"They're still grieving and no amount of justice could ever replace Sean to them," Sharpstein said. "However, they'll support this prosecution and wish the state attorney best in achieving the most severe punishment to these people."

[kindrox]

* Sure if Taylor had owned a gun then possibly four criminals would have died, in this tragedy, instead of him. *

A few dozen instances like this, and the thugs terrorizing the area would be dead. End of thug problem. Instead, many of these thugs will get out and go back to committing crimes.

Dead thugs don''t commit more crimes. Its a fact.

[kailumego1]

Owning a gun isn''t going to alleviate the problem within black communities. Sure if Taylor had owned a gun then possibly four criminals would have died, in this tragedy, instead of him.

But does that really bring solution to the violence plaguing black communities?

No!

And please white folks, stop seeing this as an opportunity to "throw" mud or pour alcohol into a gapping wound.

When are some black folks going to learn from the mistakes of their ancestors, e.g. Africans, and become better human potential

[kailumego1]

Black leaders, clergy, etc. have done absolutely nothing to address this problem; they have been totally useless in their endeavors to deal with this longstanding and ongoing malignancy.
And the violent escapade continues!

Four black youth, all had prior criminal records, but nobody has/had addressed this issue, not the family, people within the community, nor prominent black leaders like Sharpton or Jackson, not even the black clergy, those that keep reaping millions of parishioners money.

What is wrong with this picture?

Headline after headline of senseless black on black crime, when are members of black communities going to get off their A [SS] and remove their heads from being buried in the sand, and aggressively deal with this problem.



Are black Americans doomed to the actions of their African predecessors, e.g. the civil unrest in DRC Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Somalia, Liberia, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, etc.?


Why do black folks have such a difficult time "self-policing" themselves?

Leaders like Sharpton and Jackson can jump on the "black on white" bandwagon whenever a negative incident between the races occur, but shrink at the black on black crime.

[kailumego1]

Now Taylor wasn''t a "model" citizen either, according to many who had known him personally, so what is wrong with this picture?


Where is the black male leadership in America, and really, where have all the positive black male role models gone, the Martin Luther Kings, Malcolm X''s, W.E.D. Dubois, etc., to replaced with egocentric deadbeat thugeracious criminals, e.g. certain athletes, musicians, etc.?


And why are black folks relentlessly defending these "garbage specimens" of human beings, instead of being vehemently outraged at their behavior.

And for God''s sake stop blaming poverty, unemployment, and racism, when black males willingly and knowingly drop out of school, fail to go to college or vocational trade school, or venture into entrepreneurship.

Black communities are plagued with foreign businesses, while black folks complain about being mistreated, however, they do absolutely nothing to alleviate the problem, by becoming entrepreneurs themselves.

Licensed auto-mechanics, plumbers, electricians, masonries, etc. there are numerous other opportunities for those that don''t wish to go to college.

Why are black women allowing or enabling this "deadbeat" mentality and not speaking up vociferously against it?

And why are accomplished black males not stepping up to the plate and vehemently criticizing this aversive behavior?

[gliderguy52]

To: gunownerdan

As per your request: I''m calling you crazy.

[gunownerdan]

When handguns are outlawed, only outlaws will have handguns.

[kindrox]

And that is what I said. You said *ever wake up to put sensible restrictions on guns and their sale* and I pointed out that several restrictions are already there, so obviously he DID NOT AQUIRE HIS GUN LEGALLY.

Therefore, what additional laws could you pass that would have affected his illegally having a handgun???

[bombadil4]

Kindrox--The fact that drunken drivers don''t care about drunk driving laws doesn''t mean it''s futile to have them. In a sane society, you do what you can to protect and promote life--not death and senseless violence.4

[kindrox]

* I suppose it''''s futile to inquire where the 17 year old got the gun *

Earth to stupid: You have to be 18 to legally purchase a gun, and 21 to purchase a handgun. So clearly this murderer did not care about gun laws anymore than he cared about human life.

Go be stupid somewhere else.

[bombadil4]

I suppose it''s futile to inquire where the 17 year old got the gun (anywhere and everywhere) and whether we will ever wake up to put sensible restrictions on guns and their sale. But the good ol'' boys at the NRA are probably proud to have all these young punks in their "Well regulated Militia."