Defendant in Sean Taylor murder case must wait to change guilty plea

One of five defendants charged in the slaying of former University of Miami and Washington Redskins football star Sean Taylor was in Miami-Dade court Friday wanting to change his guilty plea to murder charges.

But Venjah Hunte, 21, will have to wait until June 19 for another hearing to consider the matter. Last May, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for a 29-year prison sentence.

Meanwhile, Hunte's attorney, Michael Hornung, has asked the court to appoint a new attorney for Hunte because of what he cited as a ``serious breakdown in attorney-client communications.''

Hunte has said he never entered Taylor's Palmetto Bay home on the night he was killed. The other defendants all face life imprisonment.

Prosecutors took the death penalty off the table to speed up the trial process.

The four other defendants: accused gunman Eric Rivera, 18; Jason Mitchell, 21; Charles Wardlow, 19; and Timmy Lee Brown, 17, are all from the Fort Myers area and are currently jailed in Miami-Dade County. All have pleaded not guilty and are being held without bail.

After being awakened by loud noises about 1 a.m. Nov. 27, 2007, the 24-year-old Taylor grabbed a machete kept in his bedroom for protection.

What began as a simple burglary turned into a homicide when a gunman shot Taylor in the leg -- causing significant blood loss.

The death of the former UM football star has left a mark on his family, fans and the Washington Redskins. During the first play of the first game after Taylor died, the Redskins defense came out with only 10 players instead of the usual 11.

The trial for the four other defendants is scheduled for Jan. 18. Originally scheduled for last August, the trial has been postponed three times so defense attorneys can interview more witnesses.



(miamiherald.com)