From “The U” to the Washington Redskins, the trio of Clinton Portis, Sean Taylor and Santana Moss hold a special place in a lot of fans’ hearts.

For this person in particular, though, they are also memorialized in a tattoo of the three during their days at Miami.

"You hear people say how much you impact their lives but to see this was RESPECT! It's often forgotten as time passes & memories fade that we made an impact that will last forever! @eighttodanine took me under his wing as a freshman, I took S.Dot under mine his rookie year & together we caused #HELLONEARTH #THEUCREATEDSOMEMONSTERS #THEU," Portis captioned the photo. 

The first to go through the five-time National Championship program was Moss, a walk-on turned No. 1 receiver.

Next was Clinton Portis, who rushed for more than 2,500 yards and 12 touchdowns in three seasons.

Sean Taylor was the last of the group to play college ball, as the hard-hitting safety nabbed 10 interceptions and scored three touchdowns during his last season in 2003.

They all also played together with the Washington Redskins for three and ½ seasons before Taylor’s death in 2007. 

@markey_marc17 you hear people say how much you impact their lives but to see this was RESPECT! It's often forgotten as time passes & memories fade that we made an impact that will last forever! @eighttodanine took me under his wing as a freshman, I took S.Dot under mine his rookie year & together we caused #HELLONEARTH #THEUCREATEDSOMEMONSTERS #THEU

A photo posted by CP (@clintonportis) on Aug 19, 2015 at 10:56am PDT

(redskins.com)

My #Idol gets his own wall in the crib.. #GameWornJersey Wish I could of gotten it signed. Changed the game for big safeties.. #TheMoreYouCanDo #R.I.P. 🙏🙏🙏

A photo posted by Kameron Chancellor (@bambamkam) on Aug 4, 2015 at 11:20am PDT

Sometimes Twitter throws out a hashtag and sees what happens.

#TodaysKidsWillNeverKnow how real Sean Taylor was. http://t.co/yt0p2c1YNA

— DC Maryland Virginia (@DMVFollowers) July 15, 2015

Yesterday, #TodaysKidsWillNeverKnow became a worldwide trending topic, which gave people an excuse to get nostalgic about the past and cynical about the future.

There was also some sad remembrance, like when this was tweeted out, to memorialize Sean Taylor and demonstrate a player nobody will ever be able to witness first hand again.

“I want the people of D.C. to know that he was really a good kid, a hard worker and he never shied away from performing at his best,” Taylor’s father Pedro said at this year’s Redskins Draft Day Party. “We always talk about treating people right and doing what’s right and this is the honor to show that he was truly treating people right.”

On the football field, Taylor treated players to his physical, hard-hitting tackles. It’s what made him such a special, highlight-reel performer.

It’s why you can just get lost in this six second loop from the 2007 Pro Bowl, watching him pound punter Brian Moorman to the ground over and over and over...and over.

Moorman, who was apparently OK after this hit, jogged over to shake Taylor’s hand. Even he had to respect landing on his back.

Today’s kids will only have this – and his many other grainy videotapes -- to really know. 


(redskins.com)

The first man to plead guilty in the 2007 slaying of NFL star Sean Taylor in Palmetto Bay was the last to be officially sentenced on Friday, getting 29 years in prison.

Venjah Hunte, who drove a band of young men to the ill-fated burglary that ended in the football player’s slaying, begged Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy to reduce a sentence he had agreed to long ago.

“I truly believe I should be punished,” Hunte said, his voice cracking. “I’m just asking for a second chance.”

But Murphy said he saw no reason to change the terms of a plea agreement in which Hunte, 27, agreed to cooperate with the state. Friday’s hearing capped years of agonizing for Hunte, who pleaded guilty early on but proved to be a problematic witness for prosecutors and was never called to testify.

Hunte was one of five young men from Fort Myers who drove to Miami in November 2007 to burglarize the home of Taylor. The homegrown football legend starred at the University of Miami, then as a safety for the Washington Redskins.

The burglars did not realize Taylor was home. Prosecutors say 17-year-old Eric Rivera shot and killed Taylor. The others were all charged with felony murder for participating in the burglary that led to Taylor’s demise.

Rivera was convicted of murder in 2013 trial and was sentenced to just over 57 years in prison. Mastermind Jason Mitchell is doing life in prison after his conviction at trial.

Timmy Lee Brown, who was 16 at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty and is doing 18 years behind bars. Charles Wardlow accepted a 30-year prison term.

Hunte pleaded guilty just eight months after the crime and was to be sentenced only after everyone else had closed their cases. But Hunte later sought to withdraw his plea, claiming that his defense attorney did not fully explain it to him. He ultimately backed down.

Then in 2010, from jail, Hunte sent a letter to the mother of Wardlow, saying that her son was innocent. Though Hunte later admitted the letter was a lie — it served “to muck up” the remaining cases, prosecutor Reid Rubin told the court.

Prosecutors declined to violate his plea agreement, but they could have asked he be sent to prison for life.


(miamiherald.com)

#tbt 2007.. Me and @clintonportis made sure we held it down for our Boi until they road us out Tht bih!!! #4eva21

A video posted by Santana Moss (@eighttodanine) on Jun 11, 2015 at 3:28pm PDT

New York Giants rookie safety Landon Collins wore No. 26 in college to honor the late Sean Taylor, who wore the number during his career at the University of Miami. Collins, who has called Taylor his idol, wants to keep honoring the former safety as he begins NFL career.

The Giants and Collins announced Tuesday on Twitter that Collins has changed his number to 21, the number Taylor wore during his NFL career with the Washington Redskins.

In honor of his role model, the late Sean Taylor, Safety Landon Collins has changed his jersey from No. 27 to No. 21 pic.twitter.com/h12yv7Awzq

— New York Giants (@Giants) June 2, 2015

To allow Collins to wear No. 21, cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie switched his jersey number from No. 21 to No. 41.“Want to give a big thanks to my big bro DRC for blessing me with the number of my idol Sean Taylor,” Collins wrote on Twitter. “Means the world!”

Collins, an Alabama product, was picked by the Giants in the second round (No. 33 overall) in the 2015 draft. He’s expected to earn a starting role. 


(yahoo.com)

The first time Steven Rosenberg met Pedro “Pete” Taylor — on the field before a 2011 Redskins-Dolphins game — he asked whether Taylor knew how much Redskins fans still thought about his son. When Taylor hesitated, Rosenberg brought over a friend.

“He starts going bananas,” Rosenberg recalled. “He’s wearing an RIP Sean bracelet, saying you’re the father of my hero, throwing ’21s’ to the heavens, screaming and carrying on.”

Next, Rosenberg approached a stranger in a Taylor jersey, and brought that man, too, over to the player’s dad.

“The guy is going nuts, absolutely going crazy,” Rosenberg said.

He did this a third time, and then rested his case: that Redskins fans still care about the former safety more than just about any D.C. athlete.

That first conversation eventually led to a collaboration between Rosenberg and Taylor. Their self-published book, “Going Full Speed, the Sean Taylor Stories,” was officially announced on Thursday, a few hours before Taylor was to be inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame. The book is scheduled to be released next week, and will be supplemented with signings and appearances around the District and Virginia this spring and summer.

Why write this book, more than seven years after Sean Taylor’s tragic death?

“Sometimes you hear one side of a story, and sometimes it’s good to hear the other side,” Pete Taylor said this week. “This is a way to hear both sides. Read the book, and you’ll understand who he was.”

This project, of course, is not the first with that mission. Just last year, NFL Network aired a Taylor film; the producers told me their goal was to provide “a full picture of Sean’s life.”

And while Pete Taylor was quoted in that film, he’s the co-author of this project with Rosenberg, a former advertising and PR man with homes in both Northern Virginia and Florida. The book was crafted over nearly two years of meetings held in South Florida coffee shops and restaurants. There were also interviews with about 40 Taylor friends and associates, including Redskins owner Dan Snyder, former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, former Washington teammates Santana Moss, Clinton Portis, Renaldo Wynn and Lorenzo Alexander, University of Miami figures like Larry Coker and Jonathan Vilma, and a host of family members.

The book includes both memories of Taylor as a child and stories from his playing days; it recounts his murder and the days following that tragedy, when Pete Taylor addressed the Redskins in Ashburn.

“Pete Taylor is the best producer I’ve worked with in my life,” Rosenberg said. “He’s got a Rolodex from here to the moon, and every single person we talked to said the same thing, almost identically: anything for Sean. Every one of them said the same thing. They all wanted to be part of it, they all wanted their stories told, nobody said no.”

The book, which runs more than 300 pages, also has also training tips and life lessons from Taylor, who told me he wanted to encourage readers “to reach out and try to do the best you can to be a part of a child’s life.”

Will Redskins fans be interested in this project? Almost assuredly. When Rosenberg and Taylor announced they were launching this project at an Alexandria restaurant in 2012, more than 100 fans came to the event. And when they offered 100 signed copies of their still-unfinished book for $55 during an online fundraiser, it took less than a week to sell out. Fans have been chattering about this on social media sites for months, and the fact that it’s self-published isn’t likely to discourage the diehards.

“The way I see it, Sean represented the Redskins of his era. And when he died so suddenly, he became much more than a player: he became a cult hero,” Rosenberg said. “We’re just talking about a really, really loyal fanbase, and they’re still in shock. They say they miss him every day.”

Pete Taylor said he doesn’t quite know why so many fans feel that way, and he said he has no idea how the book will be received. But he clearly knows that his son remains relevant in this market.

“I’m so appreciative of [Washington fans], of all the thoughts and all the prayers,” he said. “I always say that I’ll always be a Redskins supporter. They’ve got some of the biggest and most loyal fans out there. It’s like going to a college with so many great alumni, to find out the Redskins nation supports the Redskins the way they do.”

It’s a phenomenon that Rosenberg knows well. A few days before his first chance meeting with Taylor at that Dolphins game, Rosenberg took his then-high school-aged son to a Miami sporting goods store. After looking around, his son found something he couldn’t leave without: a University of Miami Sean Taylor jersey.

“Going Full Speed” is scheduled to be available on Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and AuthorHouse.com on April 16. Updates on book signings and appearances will be posted on this Facebook page.


(washingtonpost.com)

MIAMI -- The final suspect has pleaded guilty in the 2007 killing of Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor during a botched burglary.

Timmy Lee Brown will serve 18 years in prison under his plea agreement Wednesday. The 23-year-old Brown was one of five men from the Fort Myers area who drove to Taylor's home intending to burglarize it. Taylor confronted the group with a machete and was fatally shot.

All five suspects were convicted and sent to prison. Triggerman Eric Rivera Jr. got the longest sentence at 60 years.

Taylor's father, Florida City Police Chief Pete Taylor, told The Miami Herald that Brown's conviction brings the family closure.

Taylor was a star at the University of Miami and was a first-round pick of the Redskins in the 2004 NFL draft.


(nfl.com)

The fourth man involved in the slaying of former University of Miami football star Sean Taylor will serve 30 years in prison.

Charles Wardlow pleaded guilty Wednesday, eight years after he and four other young men from Fort Myers broke into Taylor’s Palmetto Bay home, fatally shooting the pro safety during a botched burglary that stunned the sports world.

Wednesday’s plea deal means only one defendant, Timmy Brown, who is Wardlow’s cousin, still awaits trial.

“Four down, one to go,” said Taylor’s father, Pedro Taylor, the Florida City Police Chief.

His son would have celebrated his 32rd birthday on Wednesday.

Considered a homegrown sports hero, Taylor starred at the University of Miami and played for the Washington Redskins at the time of his death. Taylor’s unexpected killing shook the team and the National Football League – over 3,000 attended people attended his memorial.

Prosecutors say Wardlow was one of the five young men who believed that Taylor kept a sizable stash of money inside his home. The group believed Taylor was with the team – but he was actually home rehabbing an injured knee.

Using a crowbar, Wardlow broke into a door and the group eventually made its way to the master bedroom. They kicked in the door only to met by Taylor wielding a machete. His girlfriend and their young daughter were inside the room too.

Prosecutors said Eric Rivera, then 17, shot and mortally wounded Taylor with a single bullet to the leg.

Rivera went to trial, lost and last year was sentenced to nearly 60 years behind bars.

The burglary mastermind, Jason Mitchell, also opted for trial and lost. Last year, Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy sentenced him to life in prison. Several years ago, Venjah Hunte pleaded guilty and agreed to testify against the others. Prosecutors, however, never called him to testify. He will serve 29 years in prison.

Wardlow confessed to police. On Tuesday, he gave a formal statement to prosecutors outlining what happened. One day later, he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder.

Under Florida law, anyone who participates in certain felonies – in this case, armed burglary – that results in a death can be charged with murder. Had he gone to trial and lost, the 25-year-old faced a mandatory term of life in prison.

“This case highlights the Draconian penalties associated with Florida’s felony murder statute,” said his attorney, Phil Reizenstein. “An 18-year-old young man man was facing life in prison even though everyone knew he never had a gun or fired the gun. My criticism of the law should not diminish the tragedy of Sean Taylor’s death and the pain his family feels.”


(miamiherald.com)

The graffiti mural honoring former Redskins safety Sean Taylor at the Brookland Metro station has been restored.

The original piece, painted by a D.C. graffiti artist who goes by the name Cert after Taylor was killed in a home invasion in November 2007, was defaced earlier this week.

WHOEVER DID THIS, I STRONGLY DISLIKE YOU. PERIOD. --> via @davidpoms pic.twitter.com/pPW9Qpm0DB

— Clinton Yates (@clintonyates) March 25, 2015

Brookland resident David Poms noticed the restored mural while out for a walk on Saturday morning and tweeted the following photos:

And just like that, order is restored #SeanTaylorLives pic.twitter.com/ZjgH3UB8gO

— david poms (@davidpoms) March 28, 2015

The updated piece looks virtually similar to the original, with a new yellow background and the message “D.C. Loves You” beneath the No. 21. The artist(s) responsible for restoring the piece tagged it with the names Ser, Nehi, Kuthe and Cert. Someone left a bouquet of flowers along the wall.

Clarity for those who don't know pic.twitter.com/GrzQ3x3dJw

— david poms (@davidpoms) March 28, 2015

Shouts to the crew pic.twitter.com/HDmP0wB64m

— david poms (@davidpoms) March 28, 2015

(washingtonpost.com)

"Landon, why do you wear number 26?" "Sean Taylor, favorite player of all time." -Landon Collins #LIVEonSC pic.twitter.com/0XpUXmEjTK

— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) March 11, 2015

Today was Alabama’s Pro Day, a second chance for players to showcase their skills in a more familiar environment in front of scouts and NFL personnel.

Because of Alabama’s reputation and large crop of draft-ready prospects, Sportscenter was on-site there today interviewing players about their workouts and goals with just more than a month before teams make their picks.

Safety Landon Collins, who many project will be a first-round pick, naturally made it to the desk after pumping some bench presses.

He was asked why he wore No. 26 for the Crimson Tide.

“Sean Taylor, favorite player of all time," he said.

If you’ve followed Collins (or even Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor for that matter) throughout this last season, you know Taylor, who wore No. 26 playing collegiatly in Miami, has long been his inspiration.

A native of New Orleans, Collins has said he was a Peyton Manning fan growing up but explained his closer affinity for the Redskins as a kid.

“My favorite team was the Redskins because I grew up a Clinton Portis and Sean Taylor fan,” Collins told Alabama.com several months ago. “So it’s always been the Redskins.”

In his only full season as a starter, Collins led the team in tackles (87) and was a unanimous All-American.

He was named a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Award (the nation’s best defensive player) and was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award (the nation’s best defensive back).


(redskins.com)

It’s safe–and at first, counterintuitive– to assume that this week, Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor will be preparing for a playoff matchup with the Carolina Panthers by watching tape of the Washington Redskins.

Of course, as detailed most recently in an article on the Seahawks team website, there’s a method to Chancellor’s habits.

Specifically, he studies highlights of Sean Taylor, the legendary Redskins safety who played nearly four years before his untimely death in 2007.

“Before every game I’ve got to watch him,” Chancellor said before their matchup with the Redskins this past October. “It just puts more aggression into me, man. Just like, ‘Boom’ – this is what I’ve got to do. I watch it and say, ‘This is what I’ve got to do every game.’ “

Just talked to @Kam_Chancellor who said he doesn't listen to music before games. Instead he watches hilites of Sean Taylor.

— Dan Hellie (@DanHellie) January 7, 2015

Chancellor, who, like Taylor, has gone to the Pro Bowl twice, grew up in Norfolk, Va., and eventually went to college at Virginia Tech. It was easy to follow and become inspired by Taylor; it was equally devastating to hear about his tragic death playing in just his second collegiate season.

“It was tough because I knew I wasn’t going to get a chance to meet him,” Chancellor said. “That was one of the guys I wanted a chance to meet and try to get some insight from, think like he thinks, pick his brain a little bit. But unfortunately I didn’t get a chance to.”



It’s motivated the hard-hitting safety, who stands at 6-foot-2 and 232 pounds, to make sure his legacy mimics Taylor’s. He’s more willing to connect with other players, to teach them and give back as much of his experience and knowledge as he can.

“The way he showed his passion for the game and the way that he used his God-given ability,” Chancellor said of Taylor’s memory. “He was blessed to be tall, blessed to be strong, blessed to run fast, and he used every bit of his body in his game.”

As this illustrated Instagram picture demonstrates, Taylor remains inside Chancellor in every game he plays.

Meast!!! Gone but NEVER forgotten. #Meast #21 #SeanT

A photo posted by Kameron Chancellor (@bambamkam) on Sep 9, 2014 at 7:23pm PDT

Lawrence Thomas let his heart speak when drawing the above picture of former Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor.

“My inspiration for this drawing was truly from sadness and from the heart. It took about a week to do and get Sean’s stats and past info,” he said in an accompanying letter.

Thomas continued by saying Taylor’s memories will always be remembered.

“Wanted to give the organization and the fans a copy. One of the team’s greatest players. He will never be forgotten. #21.”




(redskins.com)

Ten former Hurricanes will be inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame's Class of 2015, the school announced Monday.

Six -- Rusty Medearis (1990-92, '94), Winston Moss (1983-86), Kevin Patrick (1990-93), Sean Taylor (2001-03), Jonathan Vilma (2000-03) and Rob Chudzinsk (1986-90) -- played for the football program. Chudzinski also coached from 1996-03.

Medearis was a Freshman All-American in 1990 and a defensive lineman for the 1991 national title team. He recorded 22 sacks in his first two seasons before sustaining an injury in 1992 that kept him out until 1994.

Moss, currently the associate head coach of the Green Bay Packers, was on the 1983 national championship squad. Prior to a 10-year NFL career, he finished fourth in total tackles and second in solo tackles and tackles for a loss in 1986 despite missing two games.

A First-Team All-American in 1993, Patrick was also named Big East Defensive Player of the Year as a lineman. In his career, he recorded 23 sacks -- fifth in program history. Patrick serves as the defensive line coach at the University of North Texas.

Taylor was a consensus First-Team All-American and the Big East Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 as well as a finalist for the Thorpe Award given to the nation's top safety. Taylor, who will be honored posthumously, ranks second in career picks returned for a score (three), second in return yards (306) and fifth in total interceptions (14). He was on the 2001 national championship team.

Vilma, an All-American in 2003, manned the middle linebacker position for two straight national title games. He led the Hurricanes in total tackles from 2001-03. His 377 tackles rank seventh in program history. Vilma, a three-time Pro Bowler, was a two-time Academic All-American and three-time All-Big East Academic Team in college.

Chudzinski began as the tight ends coach in 1996 and worked his way up to offensive coordinator by 2001. He developed All-American tight ends Bubba Franks, Jeremy Shockey and Kellen Winslow Jr. His schemes set UM records for most points (527), total yards (6,074) and rushing touchdowns (33) during the 2001 campaign. As a player, he won a pair of titles in 1987 and 1989.

Other athletes in the Class of 2015 include Lauryn Williams, who has medaled in both the winter and summer Olympics. Pitcher Alex Fernandez, a member of the Florida Marlins' 1997 World Series team, was an All-American as a freshman. Women's basketball player Kym Hope still ranks in the top 10 for career scoring, free-throw percentage, field-goal percentage, rebounds and blocks. Diver Chris Mantilla, an 11-time All-American, captured the 3-meter title at the 1996 NCAA Championships.

This year's class will be introduced at halftime of Saturday's Cincinnati-Miami football game. Inductees will be honored at the 47th Annual Induction Banquet in April 2015.

"This is an impressive class that reflects the highest level of athletic talent representative of The U," K.C. Jones, president of the UMSHoF and member of the 2008 class, said in a statement. "We look forward to introducing the class at the upcoming Cincinnati game and hosting our induction ceremony at the banquet in the spring."


(foxpsports.com)

No matter the opponent, you can find Kam Chancellor dissecting film of the Washington Redskins before every game.

The Seahawks strong safety isn't reliving his team’s 2012 wild-card playoff win over the NFC East foe, no. He's watching highlights of former Redskins safety Sean Taylor, the team's 2004 first-round draft pick who Chancellor says he has tried to model his game after.

"Just the tenacity of it," Chancellor admired of Taylor''s play from his locker this week ahead of Seattle's Monday Night Football matchup with the Redskins in Washington, D.C. "The way he showed his passion for the game and the way that he used his God-given ability. He was blessed to be tall, blessed to be strong, blessed to run fast, and he used every bit of his body in his game.

"That's something I was definitely inspired by about him - just using his God-given ability and taking advantage of it."

Chancellor, a Norfolk, Va. native who grew up a fan of the nearby Redskins, refers to Taylor's on-field efforts in the past-tense because the Washington safety died on Nov. 27, 2007. Injuries from a gunshot he sustained by intruders to his Miami-area home brought a far-too-early end to the 24-year-old's life and promising NFL career.

"Before every game I've got to watch him," Chancellor said. "It just puts more aggression into me, man. Just like, 'Boom' - this is what I've got to do. I watch it and say, 'This is what I've got to do every game.' "

At 6-foot-3 and 232 pounds, Chancellor has even more size than the 6-foot-2, 212-pound Taylor did. To accentuate their intimidating stature, the pair has showcased a rare combination of speed, strength, and agility while demonstrating a hard-hitting mentality that made each a true game-changing force.

In his nearly four seasons with the Redskins (2004-07), Taylor racked up 344 tackles, 12 interceptions, 41 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, and was named to the Pro Bowl twice.



After four seasons with the Seahawks (2010-13), Chancellor's numbers looked eerily similar to Taylor's - 290 tackles, seven interceptions, 25 passes defensed, three forced fumbles, two Pro Bowl honors, and one second-team All-Pro mention. And it's worth noting the Seahawks' 2010 fifth-round pick spent his rookie year as a reserve behind veteran Lawyer Milloy.

Chancellor was in his second season at Virginia Tech when Taylor died. He took the news of his hero's passing particularly hard.

"It was tough because I knew I wasn't going to get a chance to meet him," Chancellor said. "That was one of the guys I wanted a chance to meet and try to get some insight from, think like he thinks, pick his brain a little bit. But unfortunately I didn't get a chance to."

If given a chance, Chancellor said he'd ask Taylor what drove him to play the way he did. Then, he'd ask Taylor if he could train alongside him to catch a glimpse of the things Taylor did to keep his game sharp.

Missing that opportunity to meet Taylor has motivated Chancellor to go out of his way to make sure he connects with up-and-coming athletes who admire his own play.

"I kind of want to finish out the legacy myself," Chancellor said. "I'm always there trying to reach out to the guys who say they look up to me now. I try to reach back and not let them miss their opportunity to talk to me."

And despite missing a chance to meet his role model, the Seahawks' defensive captain is adamant Taylor's presence is there with every hit he delivers.
"He's still with me forever," Chancellor said of his link to Taylor.  “He's with me in the game, on my shoulder every week."


(seahawks.com)

Legendary Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor’s impact on Redskins Nation and the game of football continues to be felt to this day.

In 53 games with the Redskins, No. 21 recorded 299 tackles, 12 interceptions, eight fumbles forced and a lifetime of memories.

NFL Flims this Friday at 9 p.m. will remember the life of Sean Taylor in the latest edition of ‘A Football Life’ on NFL Network.

Be sure to check Redskins.com each day leading up to the documentary’s airing on Friday for a story featuring Taylor, and video previews.


(redskins.com)

Former Redskins safety Sean Taylor, who died in 2007 after being shot by intruders at his Miami area home, will be featured in NFL Network’s “A Football Life” documentary series this fall, a network spokesman confirmed. The hour-long program about Taylor is tentatively scheduled to air on Sept. 26; the network typically follows up such documentaries with additional programming, including further interviews and discussion.

This is the third straight year the series will include a prominent former Redskins star. In 2012, the network aired a John Riggins documentary, and last year’s topics included former tight end Jerry Smith.

The series, a production of NFL Films, “examines the untold stories of the most influential NFL icons with unprecedented access,” the network says in its promotional materials. “Each film tells the story of how their legacy is forever intertwined in the fabric of NFL history.”

Fans began speculating about a Taylor documentary in recent days, after NFL Network started airing “A Football Life” promos that included famous footage of the safety leaping into the end zone.

Taylor, of course, remains beloved in Washington, with fans frequently wearing his jersey and otherwise celebrating his career. The return of Ryan Clark this season has also meant more stories about Taylor, with Clark wearing Taylor’s No. 21 jersey during practice, as he has for years.

“People in Pittsburgh knew about it, and if you hear a fan ask me why I had a different number on, people who were there, who were at camp a lot, would explain to them, ‘Well, Sean Taylor, he was his friend, he played for Washington,’ ” Clark told reporters during training camp. “And so it always made people talk about him, it always struck up conversation about the player he was, about the man he was becoming. And so that’s exciting.

“Wearing it here is difficult,” Clark said. “There are some fans who never met Sean who say I shouldn’t wear it to practice. But I understand. That’s why they call them fans; they’re fanatics and they’re not always right in certain situations, so I don’t mind that. I just try to wear it and honor him. I know I’m not the player he was or the athlete he was, but he was my friend and I want people to remember him.”

Clark also often wears towels that pay homage to Taylor’s name and number.

“I’ve done it since he passed,”  Clark said. “I know a lot of people may think it’s something new that I do now because I’m a part of the Redskins organization, but nah, this is for me. And this is an opportunity for me to remember a friend, an opportunity to get other people to remember a friend, and that’s why I do it. I’ve got about seven of these towels actually, different colors, and it’s part of me. I made a vow that as long as I was playing, he’d be playing somewhere, too.”


(washintgonpost.com)

MIAMI — A Florida jury has convicted a man prosecutors called the ringleader of a botched 2007 Miami-area burglary that ended with the fatal shooting of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor.

The 12-person jury deliberated nearly four hours Tuesday before finding 25-year-old Jason Mitchell guilty of first-degree felony murder and armed burglary. Trial testimony indicated that Mitchell hatched the plot for five Fort Myers-area men to burglarize Taylor’s home near Miami after previously seeing large amounts of cash there.

The judge immediately imposed the mandatory life sentence for murder, plus 40 more years for the burglary conviction.

The man who authorities say fired the fatal shot, Eric Rivera Jr., was convicted last fall of second-degree murder and sentenced to 57 years behind bars.
Two other men await trial. A third has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and burglary.


(washingtontimes.com)

Sean Taylor was one of the fastest rising stars in the NFL during his four-year career with the Washington Redskins. The safety garnished a reputation as being one the hardest hitting safeties in league history before his life was tragically cut short nearly seven years ago. While he may no longer be with us, his exploits continue to be reminisced by Redskins Nation and his family. Wide receiver Santana Moss pays homage to his college and professional teammate each game and you can still see numerous No. 21 jerseys in the stands at FedExField on Sundays. In the fifth round of the NFL Draft this past May, Taylor’s cousin, Keith Reaser, was selected by the San Francisco 49ers. Taylor’s style of play still has a profound impact on Reaser both on and off the field. As explained in an article by ESPN’s Bill Williamson, Reaser said he watched every game of Taylor’s and that the two would train together where the two-time Pro Bowler played a mentor role.

“I watched every game he ever played,” Reaser said, “from him being at Miami in college to the NFL. We used to run and train together. What I learned most from him was his passion and work ethic. He taught me that, and I will never forget it.”

Reaser was joined by his family on Sundays in front of the television or somewhere in the stadium Taylor was playing in and said that him just playing professional football was a bonding experience. When they received news that he had been shot and passed shortly after, Reaser said it was a “tough time” on the family. At the time, he was only 16-years-old.

“He was our focal point. So much was about Sean. For it to happen like that and being in the spotlight, it was very difficult to handle.”

Now, seven years after Taylor’s death, Reaser is trying to make a similar impact to Taylor when he caused opposing players to fear lining up in his path.

“He would have been the best safety ever to play,” Reaser said of Taylor. “I want to make his memory proud.”


(redskins.com)

MIAMI (AP) - Trial has begun in South Florida for a second man accused of taking part in a botched 2007 burglary that ended with the fatal shooting of Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor.

Opening statements were set for Tuesday for 25-year-old Jason Mitchell, one of five men from the Fort Myers area charged with murder in the case. The alleged shooter, Eric Rivera Jr., was convicted last fall of second-degree murder and sentenced to 57 years behind bars.

Evidence in Rivera's trial showed Taylor was fatally shot after confronting the would-be burglars in his home. Investigators say the group thought Taylor was out of town.

Two other men await trial. One has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and burglary.

Taylor was Pro Bowl safety who also starred at the University of Miami.


(wjla.com)

Redskins safety Ryan Clark will wear jersey No. 25 on Sundays. But he’ll wear No. 21 the rest of the week to, in his words, keep alive the memory of the late Sean Taylor.

“I like starting the conversation,” Clark said this week. “It’s a good reminder for me, which I really don’t need, because I think of him every day.”

Clark played with Taylor in 2004 and 2005, making 22 starts alongside him during their time together in the Redskins’ secondary. The two developed a tight bond on and off the field.

After Taylor died from a gunshot wound he suffered during a home invasion in 2007, Clark, then a member of the Steelers, began wearing Taylor’s No. 21 to practice in Pittsburgh. He decided to continue honoring his good friend upon returning to Washington this offseason—but only after receiving permission from, Jackie, Taylor's longtime girlfriend and mother of his daughter, and team owner Dan Snyder.

“It starts conversations,” Clark continued. “People ask me why do you wear it? And how you feel about wearing it? So I get to talk about Sean and then it starts more conversations about him. It’s my way of keeping his name in the consciousness. It’s my way of making people have reason to talk about him.”

In practice, Taylor also wears a black and gold towel that hangs from his waist. The towel is emblazoned with Taylor’s nickname and jersey number.

“I got it the year he passed and I just kept it,” Clark said. “Since we do have gold in our colors, I can wear it until I can get a new one. It’s something that matters to me.”


(csnwashington.com)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Jury selection got underway Tuesday for Jason Mitchell, the man accused of taking part in a 2007 burglary which led to the murder of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor in his South Florida home.

Mitchell, along with suspects Charles Wardlow and Timothy Brown, are all charged with first-degree murder and face possible life in prison.

The three are accused of taking part in the burglary along with the convicted shooter, Eric Rivera Jr., and a fifth man who pleaded guilty.

Prosecutors said they tried to burglarize the Pro Bowl player’s house in an effort to make off with tens of thousands of dollars in cash they believed they would find there.

The group also mistakenly believed that no one would be home, because Taylor had a football game that Thanksgiving weekend. An injury, however, kept him away from the game.

Rivera was sentenced to 57 years in prison after he was convicted at trial of second-degree murder and armed burglary, although he denied shooting Taylor.
Taylor was an all-pro safety with the Redskins who also starred at the University of Miami.


(cbs4.com)

Last Wednesday, newly signed Redskins safety Ryan Clark posed a question on Twitter.

@Realrclark25: “Redskins fans I've worn #21 to practice for 6 years now. Would it be disrespectful to wear it in Washington?”

The reaction from fans was mixed, while former teammate Clinton Portis seemed to indicate that he’d prefer the late Sean Taylor’s number remain off limits, even in practice.

Clinton Portis, @TheRealC_Portis: “ @Lizzs_Lockeroom @Realrclark25 one of my favorite players & has a lot of respect for ST21 but no need to give a glimpse of hope let 21RIP

During an appearance on 106.7 The Fan’s LaVar and Dukes show later that day, Clark explained his close relationship with Taylor, with whom he played for two seasons in Washington.

“The day that Sean passed, I had just got out of the hospital, battling for my life,” Clark said, referring to the emergency operation he underwent after the combination of his carrying the sickle-cell trait and playing in the high altitude of Denver deprived his major organs of oxygen. “The day I got the opportunity to fly down for the funeral, I had just gotten the tubes taken out of my side in order for me to get on the plane. So that’s what he means to me.”

Clark, who signed with the Steelers as a free agent in 2006, began wearing No. 21 in practice to honor Taylor in 2008 after the NFL denied his request to change his number from 25.

“Every time somebody asks me why I wear a different number to practice, I get to tell Sean’s story,” Clark continued. “I get to tell people about the guy I love. I get to tell people about the guy who was possibly on his way to being the greatest safety to ever play the game. And that got cut short. He never got to realize his full potential. But it gives me the opportunity to remind people of him. And maybe people in Washington don’t need that. Maybe that’s the thing.”

Clark, who will wear No. 25 in games, said he would have tried to switch to No. 21 if he signed with any team but the Redskins. A few days later, he tweeted that he received the go-ahead to wear No. 21 in practice from Jackie Garcia Haley, the mother of Taylor’s daughter.

@Realrclark25:” Spoke to Jackie whom was engaged to Sean before he passed and she gave her blessing to wear #21 to practice. All I needed!!”


(washingtonpost.com)

WASHINGTON (CBSDC) - Redskins safety Ryan Clark, who signed on to return to the organization after 9 years of playing elsewhere, questioned on Twitter Wednesday, the appropriateness of him wearing Sean Taylor’s jersey number upon his return to D.C.

Clark mentioned he’d been wearing No. 21 in Pittsburgh, but only in practice (he wore No. 25 in games), for the last six seasons in tribute to his former Redskins teammate.

“@Realrclark25 Redskins fans I've worn #21 to practice for 6 years now. Would it be disrespectful to wear it in Washington”

Perhaps it was what would have been Taylor’s 31st birthday fresh in their minds, but the reaction Clark received ranged from visceral outrage to non-aggressive pushback from Redskins fans who think wearing Taylor’s number would be disrespectful of Clark, even if only in practice.

It’s worth noting, some fans were accepting of the idea.

However, in an interview with 106.7 The Fan’s Lavar Arrington and Chad Dukes, Clark decided to further clarify he only wishes to continue wearing the number in practice, and has no intentions of wearing No. 21 during Redskins games. He also seems to be going about it in all the right ways, asking the fans and team officials.

“They were just like ‘nobody should ever wear it,’ and ‘it should be retired,’ and it should be this and that,” Clark explained the resistance he was subject to. “And I understand those things. That’s why I would never ask to wear it in-game.”

“Even after this, I would have to ask Mr. Snyder, could I even wear it to practice, which is something I had planned on doing,” he said. “I talked about it today, inside the building, and they said I had to go get permission to do it.”

“More than likely, had I went to any other team, I was going to try to wear 21 anyway, or at least try,” he said. “I was actually going to try to wear it in the game. I was going to leave 25 where it was and try to wear 21, and so that was my plan, but I ended up coming to a place where I felt like that wouldn’t be cool.”
“It just shows the passion they have,” he said of those unruly fans.

Lavar, also a former teammate of Clark and Taylor — and one who is generally impassioned regarding issues of his late friend — took umbrage with those fans giving Clark grief about wearing No. 21, taking the stance that if anyone was qualified to do it, it was Clark.

Another of their former teammates, Fred Smoot, also agreed that if anyone could wear No. 21 in D.C., it would be Clark, but stopped short of defending Clark’s right to do so.

“I probably would have a problem with it, because sometimes I just think you should leave things alone,” Smoot told Lavar and Dukes. “I think it’s one of those subjects where you leave this alone.

“I think [Taylor's] the greatest 21 to ever put on a uniform as a Washington Redskins, and you can go to the games today and it’s still packed with 21s with ‘Taylor’ on the back, and I think we should just let it stay like that.”


(cbslocal.com)

So today I traveled down a Sean Taylor YouTube binge-watching rabbit hole, and it was glorious. But it got me thinking about all that this Redskins team really lacks.

Here's a LONG (30-minute) video that will make you miss the guy. Just watch a play or two and you'll miss him. Instantly.

MIAMI — Trial dates could be set for three remaining suspects in the 2007 slaying of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor, who was fatally shot during a burglary at his South Florida home.

A judge set a Thursday hearing for 26-year-old Jason Mitchell, 24-year-old Charles Wardlow and 22-year-old Timothy Brown. They are each charged with first-degree murder and face possible life in prison.

The three are accused of taking part in the burglary along with the alleged shooter, 23-year-old Eric Rivera Jr., and a fifth man who pleaded guilty. Rivera was sentenced last month to 57 years in prison after he was convicted at trial of second-degree murder and armed burglary, although he denied shooting Taylor.

Taylor was an all-pro safety with the Redskins who also starred at the University of Miami.


(kansascity.com)

There’s something very fitting about this story.

Last week, it was announced that the Ultimate Indoor Football League would be returning to Miami, Fla. under the direction of Pedro “Pete” Taylor, father of the late, great Sean Taylor.

Fittingly, games will be played on the campus of the University of Miami at the BankUnited Center, the indoor arena currently used primarily for basketball games and other assorted concerts, wrestling matches, etc. (Noted Redskins superfan Wale will also be playing “Lovefest Miami 2014″ there on Valentine’s Day…so y’know…there is that).

For those of you unfamiliar with the UIFL, here are the specs: the field is 50 x 28 yards of indoor, artificial turf; the end zones must be five-eight yards deep and may have rounded corners to allow for hockey rink usage; walls must be at least four feet tall and padded, goal posts must be 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide with 20-feet uprights.

The games are four 15-minute quarters with a 15-minute halftime, similar to the NFL and NCAA. The game is eight-on-eight with 19 gameday actives for each team with five inactives. Two players may be in forward motion at any given time, with only three defensive linemen and one free blitzer allowed. No punts, no fakes on special teams, no touchbacks, and a point is awarded if the kickoff goes through the opposing uprights.

That’s the basic rundown of the sport, with a few other creative twists and turns that really put the “Ultimate” in the UIFL.

It should also be noted that Pedro Taylor is also the chief of police in nearby Florida City, so fans can expect players to be on their best behavior. Here is what Coach Taylor had to say at his introductory press conference:

“I am excited at the opportunity to bring indoor football to the Miami area. I am looking forward to working with my staff to find the best possible talent we can find from this football rich area in hopes of bringing the UIFL Championship to Miami.”

An interesting note: former Arena Football League defensive lineman Luther Johnson IV will join Taylor’s coachign staff as the defensive coordinator. Why should we care? Because from 1991-1992, Johnson IV squared off against Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden (of the Tampa Bay Storm) as a member of the Columbus Thunderbolts and Cleveland Thunderbolts.

For the record, Gruden torched both iterations of the Thunderbolts, winning 53-12 and 35-24, respectively. I told you this story was fitting.

But, two losses at the hand of Jay Gruden notwithstanding, Coach Taylor maintains confidence in Luther Johnson IV to slow down the high-flying passing attacks of the UIFL.

“I feel Coach Johnson will be able to guide the defense and teach the players the ins and outs of indoor football. He will be able pass on the knowledge he has gained from his time playing the game.”

Now, the real kicker for fans is that you can buy $75 season tickets to watch the Miami Inferno play, or you can quickly get yourself in shape and go tryout to be part of the team in 15 days. The three open tryout dates for you to realize your dream of playing professional indoor football are on Feb. 22, March 8 and March 22.

Best of luck to everyone who tries out, and may Coach Taylor bring the UIFL Championship to Miami. Redskins Nation will be watching.


(blog.redskins.com)

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – Most pregame rituals are more or less the same: music and meditation. Seattle Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor's routine is a little different. It's a window into who he wants to be as a player, and a part of NFL lore that's been sadly lost.

Before every game, the Seahawks cornerback watches videos of the late Sean Taylor.

"The passion he showed," Chancellor said here Wednesday. "You can tell by the way he played. I wish I could have met him."

Taylor was a rare power player in the secondary – a 6-foot-2, 212-pound hitting machine at the University of Miami and then with the Washington Redskins. His hit on Buffalo punter Brian Moorman in 2007 is one of the most memorable plays in Pro Bowl history.

"He was the best athlete I ever came across in football," said former Redskin Chris Cooley.  "He was also one of the most intelligent. The way he studied -- he would stay after practice to get in reps with the scout team."

Taylor was slain in his home by burglars in 2007 at age 24, and players and coaches still speak of him with reverence. There was a lot to remember about Taylor, and a lot to emulate. Chancellor is trying to do both.

"I've seen everything of his on YouTube," Chancellor said. "I got two or three full games from the Seahawks on iPad."

Chancellor is about as close as it gets to Taylor in today's NFL. Like Taylor, he's huge for the safety position (6-3, 232 pounds) and he might be the most feared hitter in the league – just like Taylor, who was named one of the game's hardest-hitting player by Sports Illustrated in 2007, the year he died. "I've modeled my game after him," Chancellor said. "He's a vicious hitter."

Chancellor's admiration for Taylor isn't just because of the thrill of impact, though. The Seahawk watches the late Redskin for form and technique. There's a science behind how Taylor hit, and it might be more relevant in today's NFL than it was when he played.

"It's how to keep your feet under you," Chancellor said. "Especially being a big safety."

The problem with being a big safety is it increases the likelihood of a helmet-to-helmet hit – and a penalty or fine. Taller tacklers often lunge at runners instead of tackling from a solid foundation. The "Legion of Boom" makes tackling form even more important, as referees know the Seahawks' reputation for heavy hitting. Along with the rugby and steer wrestling highlights, Chancellor looks to Taylor's videos as a model for leading with the shoulder and aiming for the torso: the "Region of Boom." He prides himself on tackling properly and (unlike many players and pundits) he embraces the new NFL rules.

"I've been doing pretty good with it," he said. "It protects the guy's brain. I have an opportunity to show people how to tackle."

Taylor probably never imagined the imprint he made on a player he never met – a player who is taking him to the Super Bowl in spirit. As much as Kam Chancellor is a tribute to the past, Sean Taylor is becoming a model for the game's future.


(yahoo.com)

MIAMI -- The man who prosecutors say fired the shot that killed Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor during a botched 2007 burglary was sentenced Thursday to more than 57 years in state prison.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy imposed the sentence on Eric Rivera, 23, one of five Fort Myers-area men charged with Taylor's death after they broke into his house looking to steal cash. One has pleaded guilty and three others are still awaiting trial.

Rivera confessed to police on videotape that he shot Taylor after the NFL player confronted them at his bedroom door with a machete. In the confession, Rivera also said the group didn't realize Taylor would be home with a knee injury instead of playing a Redskins game against Tampa Bay.

"He lost his life defending and protecting his family," said Assistant State Attorney Reid Rubin in a closing statement. "They kicked the door in and they shot him and killed him, for no good reason."

Testifying in his own defense last fall, Rivera claimed the confession was false and improperly coerced, and that someone else in the group shot Taylor with a 9mm handgun. A jury convicted him of second-degree murder and armed burglary. He was originally charged with first-degree murder but was ineligible for the death penalty because he was 17 at the time of the killing.

In a brief statement, Rivera told members of Taylor's family he was sorry for the killing and that Taylor was "a good man."

"I live with his death every day. I'm going to have to deal with the consequences," he said.

Several Rivera family members pleaded for leniency, noting that Rivera was still a minor at the time and that he had never been in trouble with the law before. But Rubin said Rivera had committed perjury in his testimony and tried to influence the testimony of others in his case.

"He's a sophisticated, manipulative criminal. There's no good reason to believe he will change," Rubin said.

Rivera could have gotten life behind bars. His lawyers are planning to appeal his conviction.

Taylor, a first-round pick by the Redskins in the 2004 draft, was a hard-hitting Pro Bowl safety who had previously starred at the University of Miami. He was shot during the November 2007 confrontation in the upper thigh, damaging his femoral artery and leading to massive blood loss. Taylor was 24 when he died.

His girlfriend at the time, Jackie Garcia Haley, and their then-18-month old daughter were in the room with Taylor when the confrontation occurred. Garcia Haley, in a statement read by Rubin, said Taylor's death was difficult to bear -- particularly for their daughter, also named Jackie.

"You only get one dad and hers is gone. It breaks my heart to pieces to go through each day and each milestone without him," she said.

The gun was never found. Police said it was stuffed in a sock and thrown into the Everglades.

Several witnesses at Rivera's trial testified that Taylor often kept large sums of cash in the house. One of the other men charged in the slaying, 25-year-old Jason Mitchell, attended a birthday party a few weeks earlier for Taylor's half-sister, who testified Taylor gave her a purse containing $10,000.

The half-sister, Sasha Johnson, lived in Fort Myers and knew Rivera. In his testimony, Rivera said the group thought they could steal between $100,000 and $200,000 in cash by burglarizing Taylor's house.


(espn.com)

MIAMI — A man prosecutors say fired the fatal shots in the 2007 killing of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor is about to learn the length of his prison sentence.

A judge is scheduled Thursday afternoon to sentence 23-year-old Eric Rivera Jr., who was convicted in November of second-degree murder and armed burglary. Rivera faces a maximum life sentence but could get less.

Rivera told police in a videotaped confession that he and other young men from the Fort Myers area broke into Taylor’s Miami-area house hoping to steal cash the NFL player kept there. Taylor surprised them because he was home instead of with the Redskins and was shot after confronting them with a machete.

Rivera testified someone else fired the fatal shot. Three others are awaiting trial in the case.


(ap.com)

He could play the ball in the air with the best, but Sean Taylor made a career out of dropping the boom.

In the NFC Championship Sunday night in Seattle, Seahawks safety and Norfolk, Va., native Kam Chancellor did his best Taylor impression. The safety made 11 tackles, put a hurting on Vernon Davis and intercepted Colin Kaepernick to help send Seattle to Super Bowl XLVIII.

Earlier in the week, Chancellor told the Seattle Times he watches Taylor highlights before every game.

“I watch Sean Taylor. That’s a guy that I always watch. Before every game I always watch his highlights, just the way that he approaches the game. the physicality that he brings to the game. He’s a big safety, he can run, cover, unfortunately we don’t have him now may he rest in peace, but that’s a guy that I always try to simulate my game after.”

Former Redskins and Seahawks defensive back Shawn Springs told Elizabeth Merrill of ESPN.com that Seattle’s super secondary reminds him of a position group in Washington that included LaRon Landry, Carlos Rogers and Taylor.

“We used to have a competition amongst ourselves because we all felt like we were the best,” Springs said. “And I have to feel like those guys feel the same way. Nobody wants to be the weak link. You feed off that energy.”

Taylor made his own mark on the postseason, tallying six tackles and returning a fumble 51 yards for a touchdown in a 17-10 win over Tampa Bay on Jan. 7, 2006.


(redskins.com)

A Jan. 23 sentencing date has been set for a Florida man convicted of murder in the 2007 shooting death of Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor during a botched burglary at the player's home.

A Miami jury last month convicted 23-year-old Eric Rivera Jr. of second-degree murder and armed burglary. Rivera faces a maximum of life in prison but could get less.

In a recorded statement to investigators, Rivera confessed in detail to plotting the burglary with others and shooting Taylor when the Pro Bowl safety surprised the group with a machete. But on the witness stand, Rivera claimed police coerced a false confession and blamed the shooting on someone else.

Four others were charged. One has pleaded guilty, and the others will stand trial later.

Taylor also starred at the University of Miami.


(ap.com)

The trial of his shooter is over (four other men were charged in the case and three await trial), which can’t bring a whole lot of joy and relief to anyone who was close to late Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor. Closure, maybe, but even that will be tough. Taylor is still gone. His daughter will still grow up without her dad and a son will never return to see his parents.

That’s the saddest part, of course. That won’t be forgotten.

The media did not get to know Taylor that well during his time in Washington; he allowed some people in, but rarely revealed much of himself. You had to earn his trust, something even the coaches discovered. Then-defensive coordinator Gregg Williams spoke of this often, before and after Taylor’s death.

Was there real growth in Taylor during his four seasons there? Teammates I spoke to at the time said yes. One of them said his opinion of Taylor changed because he saw a young kid maturing. No players are 100-percent beloved, and everyone has critics. Still, players I trust recalled a kid they saw evolving. They knew him better.

For myself, I didn't know Taylor all that well. In all honesty, for most of us, he was the moody, young kid we were trying to get to know, but every time a corner was turned, another obstacle emerged. In time, I thought, he’ll come around. He was getting closer. It takes time for some.

But from a football perspective, I knew him well. And his death still haunts the franchise at the safety position. They've had plenty of time to recover, from a football point of view; it’s hard to find a similar talent, but that doesn't mean they've done a good job in doing so. They've made too many poor decisions here, and that haunts them as well. You can only blame his death for so long. But had Taylor lived, he would have been in his 10th season, probably with a handful of Pro Bowls on his resume and, assuming good health, several more years to go.

Taylor was playing at an elite level in 2007, prior to his knee injury and murder. He could move like few other safeties, allowing the Redskins to disguise coverages longer. For example, he would be over a slot receiver on the left side only to drop to a Cover 2 on the other side. I haven’t seen that since.

He would have been the perfect safety for how the NFL has evolved, too. When offenses go to empty sets, if you have a safety who can run like Taylor and cover like a corner, then you can stay with your base defense and not limit your calls. His speed and aggressiveness would have been a good foil to help defend the read option, too. A corner blitz from the numbers? Go ahead; Taylor could get to the receiver in a hurry. After Taylor died, they had to move rookie LaRon Landry to free safety; he's better at strong but could get away playing free.

It’s too bad NFL.com did not offer the All-22 coaches film when Taylor played, to see how much ground he covered and to see the multitude of ways the Redskins used him to disguise coverages. It would have been revealing.

Taylor played with a passion few have for the sport. He left behind a legacy with his play. He also left behind a lifetime of what-ifs for anyone who watched him.


(espn.com)

The man accused of killing for Redskins safety Sean Taylor took the stand Tuesday and denied he was in the home at the time of the shooting.

According to David Ovalle of the Miami Herald, accused murderer Eric Rivera told jurors he did not know he and a group of four men were going to burglarize Taylor’s home, and that he was in the car at the time shots were fired.

“Did I know we were going to Sean Taylor’s house? No,” Rivera said.

Rivera claimed he stayed inside the SUV as the others went inside Taylor’s home, and that he didn’t know anyone had been shot until the others raced back to the car.

He also said the shooter was Venjah Hunte, the only one of the five defendants to have pleaded guilty so far.

Rivera will face cross-examination this afternoon, which will be interesting since police contend he has already confessed.

Rivera also claimed today that Miami-Dade police coerced him into confessing, and didn’t allow him a chance to call his parents.


(profootballtalk.com)

MIAMI (AP) - The prosecution has rested its main case against the man accused of shooting and killing Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor in 2007.

Defense lawyers for 23-year-old Eric Rivera Jr. will have their chance later Monday. It's unclear yet if Rivera himself will testify.

Rivera was among five people from the Fort Myers area that authorities say wanted to burglarize Taylor's home because they thought he kept large amounts of cash there. Taylor was shot after confronting the group with a machete.

A medical examiner testified Monday that Taylor died of massive blood loss after he was shot in the upper thigh.

Rivera faces life in prison if convicted.

Taylor was a Pro Bowl safety who also starred at the University of Miami.


(wusa9.com)

Police coerced a videotaped confession from the man accused of killing Washington Redskins star Sean Taylor, defense attorneys told a Miami court Monday.

Eric Rivera, 23, is charged with first-degree murder and armed burglary in the November 2007 killing of Taylor, 24, who was a Pro Bowl safety for the Redskins and a standout college player at the University of Miami.

Defense attorney Janese Caruther said his client was "ambushed" by a team of investigators who had little evidence and needed someone to take the fall in the high-profile case.

"The detectives were under such pressure to close this investigation, that they forced my client to confess to this crime," Caruther said.

But Assistant State Attorney Ray Araujo told the 12 jurors and four alternates during opening statements that Rivera voluntarily spoke with detectives without an attorney about how he shot Taylor while he and four friends attempted to burglarize the football star's Miami-area home.

Araujo said Rivera, who has pleaded not guilty, drew diagrams of the house for investigators and told them he tossed the gun into the Florida Everglades. Araujo showed the jury casts of what he said are Rivera's footprints from the crime scene.

"He describes in detail the plan, how they carried it out, who was involved, everything," Araujo said. "This defendant confessed to the murder of Sean Taylor, that he committed it."

Taylor's girlfriend, Jackie Garcia, testified Monday in Miami to describe the night Taylor was shot in their home, feet away from their infant daughter.

Garcia, the niece of actor Andy Garcia, recounted the night of the shooting, testifying that Taylor woke her up and told her to call police because he heard a noise. Taylor grabbed a machete by the bed when an intruder kicked open the bedroom door, according to Garcia.

"I heard a really loud noise, very similar to a gunshot, and I screamed. I got up and I saw Sean laying faced down, surrounded by blood," she testified.

Taylor was shot in the upper thigh, which severed his femoral artery. He died the next day from blood lose. Garcia said she never saw the shooter.

Prosecutor Araujo told jurors, "Sean Taylor, defending himself, defending his family, defending his home, is shot by this defendant."

In addition to the alleged confession, Araujo said trial evidence will show cellphones belonging to the suspects were tracked near Taylor's house.

Araujo said investigators zeroed in on Rivera and the others because some in the group had been to Taylor's home before, once for a birthday party for his sister in which Taylor was seen giving her $10,000 cash. The suspects, Araujo said, thought there was a great deal of cash in Taylor's house.

One of the other four suspects has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and burglary charges and could testify against Rivera. The other three are scheduled to go on trial at a later date.

Because Rivera was 17 at the time of the crime, his maximum possible sentence if convicted is life in prison rather than the death penalty.


(abcnews.com)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – A videotaped confession by the alleged trigger man in the murder of former University of Miami and NFL star Sean Taylor six years was focus point Monday morning during opening arguments of his trial.

During his opening statement Assistant State Attorney Ray Araujo told the 12 jurors and four alternates that Eric Rivera Jr., 23, voluntarily spoke with detectives without an attorney present about how he shot Taylor while he and four friends attempted to burglarize the football star’s Palmetto Bay home.
Rivera even drew diagrams of the rooms and where everyone was at the time, Araujo said.

“He describes in detail the plan, how they carried it out, who was involved, everything,” Araujo said. “This defendant confessed to the murder of Sean Taylor, that he committed it.”

Rivera’s attorney, Janese Caruthers, countered that Rivera was coerced into the confession. Caruthers said he was “ambushed” by a team of investigators who had little evidence and was looking for someone to take the fall in a high-pressure case.

“They forced him to confess to a crime that he did not commit,” Caruthers said.

Taylor, who was 24 when he died, was a Pro Bowl safety for the Redskins.

Prosecutors say Rivera and four others, all from the Fort Myers area, thought Taylor would be with the Redskins at a game at Tampa Bay the night they broke into his house — but instead he was home with a knee injury.

The prosecution detailed how the hard-hitting 6’2″, 230 pound safety grabbed a machete to try and defend his girlfriend and baby.

“He (Taylor) grabs a machete and tells her to stay in bed,” prosecutor Reid Ruben said. “He walks towards his bedroom door; not knowing who or what was waiting on him on the other side. It’s at that moment, that this defendant, Eric Rivera, gun in his hand, kicks the door open.”

Ruben continued, “and when that happens, Sean Taylor, machete in his hand is standing there and is shot.”

“I heard a really loud noise, gun shots, scream like ‘Ahhhh.’,” testified Taylor’s girlfriend Jackie Garcia who was in the master bedroom with the couple’s child.  “I hid under the covers.”

“Where was your daughter,” asked the prosecutor.

“Next to me,” replied Garcia.

Garcia said she didn’t see Rivera the night of the shooting and tried to get help.

“I ran outside screanming, told them someone was dying, to please hurry,” said Garcia.

Taylor was shot in the upper thigh, which severed his femoral artery. He died the next day from massive blood loss.

Members of Taylor’s family, including his father, Florida City Police Chief Pedro Taylor, took up nearly an entire row in the packed Miami-Dade County courtroom.

In addition to the confession, Araujo said trial evidence will show cellphones belonging to the suspects were tracked near Taylor’s house and along Alligator Alley, the route they allegedly took to and from the crime. Police also found a footprint at Taylor’s home that matched the sneakers Rivera was wearing that night, the prosecutor said.

Araujo said investigators zeroed in on Rivera and the others because some in the group had been to Taylor’s home before, once for a birthday party for his sister in which Taylor was seen giving her $10,000 cash. The Fort Myers group, Araujo said, thought there was a great deal of cash in Taylor’s house.

“They had a plan and they carried it out. This was a burglary that turned into a murder,” the prosecutor said.

One of the other four suspects, Venjah Hunte, has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and burglary charges and could testify against Rivera. The other three are scheduled to go on trial later.

Because Rivera was 17 at the time of the crime, his maximum possible sentence if convicted is life in prison rather than the death penalty.


(cbslocal.com)

MIAMI — Nearly six years ago, All-Pro safety Sean Taylor was at home nursing an injury instead of taking the field with his Washington Redskins teammates for a road game at Tampa. Unfortunately, a group of young men from southwest Florida apparently didn't know that.

Prosecutors say the suspects drove across the state intending to burglarize Taylor's Miami-area home, confident he wouldn't be there. When the 6-foot-2, 230-pound player — well known as a ferocious hitter — confronted them with a machete early on Nov. 26, 2007, Eric Rivera Jr. allegedly fired two shots. One missed. The other hit Taylor in the upper leg, causing massive blood loss that led to his death a day later at age 24.

Finally, after numerous delays, jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday for Rivera's first-degree murder trial. Because Rivera, now 23, was only 17 at the time of the crime, he faces life in prison instead of the death penalty if convicted. Jury selection is expected to take about four days.

Four other people were also charged in the case. One of them, Venjah Hunte, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and burglary charges and is expected to testify against Rivera. The other three are scheduled to go to trial later on lesser charges. Hunte's plea deal calls for a 29-year prison term instead of life.

Although Taylor had some run-ins with the law and been fined several times by the NFL for various rules violations, his future seemed extremely bright before he was killed. The son of Florida City Police Chief Pedro Taylor and an All-American player at the University of Miami, the Redskins drafted Taylor with the fifth overall pick in the 2004 draft and he signed an $18 million contract.

Taylor quickly became a starter and was nicknamed "Meast" by teammates — a combination of man and beast — because of his hard-hitting style. He was named to the Pro Bowl after the 2006 season and was also very popular among Redskins players and fans. One of his best friends, wide receiver Santana Moss, said he still says "a little prayer" for Taylor every time he takes the field.

"I have a few people that have passed away in my life as friends that have meant something to me, and I'm always constantly speaking to them. That's just something I do. He's one of those guys," Moss said.

The Redskins contributed $500,000 to a fund for Taylor's young daughter after he died and, in the first game after his slaying, the team's defense took the field against Buffalo with only 10 players on the first play — leaving Taylor's free safety position vacant to honor him. Fans at that game got towels bearing his number, 21.

To many fans, players and others connected with both the Redskins and the "U" at Miami, it was heartbreaking to see such a talented player's life and career cut short so brutally.

"He was a young man who was learning quickly how to be a great human being, and, to me, he was the best football player I've ever seen in person," said former Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, a nine-year veteran who now does broadcasts for the team. "He was the most physical, the most gifted, the hardest-working guy that I've been around, and it was such an unfortunate thing."

Former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, now a NASCAR racing team owner, said Taylor began to mature and take a leadership role on the team after the birth of his daughter.

"It wound up being a true tragedy and it had a huge effect on all of us," Gibbs said of Taylor's killing. "He was one of those guys that with the way he played and his persona the way he was, he was a natural leader. You could see guys look to him from a leadership standpoint."

The fatal attempted burglary was not the first time there was a break-in at Taylor's home.

Police say someone pried open a window a few days earlier, on Nov. 17, and rifled through a desk and other belongings. No one was home that time, and it's not clear exactly what, if anything, was taken.

Then came the weekend after Thanksgiving with the Redskins playing the Buccaneers that Sunday. Taylor was given permission to stay home with a knee injury, along with his girlfriend, Jackie Garcia, and their 18-month-old daughter, also named Jackie.

Police say two of the men charged had connections to Taylor: Jason Scott Mitchell had cut Taylor's lawn and an older cousin of suspect Charles Wardlow had dated Taylor's sister. Family members also said Mitchell had recently been at a birthday party at Taylor's house, where Taylor was known to keep large amounts of cash.

Miami-Dade County's former police director, Robert Parker, said the defendants were surprised to find Taylor home early that Monday morning.

"They were certainly not looking to go there and kill anyone," Parker said. "They were expecting a residence that was not occupied."

Authorities say they have obtained confessions from at least some of the suspects, all from the Fort Myers area, but pretrial hearings on whether those statements will be allowed in Rivera's trial were closed by Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy. The judge also imposed a gag order on prosecutors and defense attorneys in hopes of limiting pretrial news media coverage that could make jury selection difficult.

The murder weapon has never been found. Prosecutors say it was thrown into the Everglades after the slaying while the group drove home across Alligator Alley.

There have already been at least seven previous trial dates set for Rivera. Cooley, for one, said it's time for justice to be done.

"Breaking into someone's home, into their personal safety blanket and shooting them in that environment is the most heinous, unthinkable crime that could have happened to a guy like Sean. It's despicable," Cooley said.


(kentucky.com)

MIAMI (AP) -- Nearly six years ago, All-Pro safety Sean Taylor was at home nursing an injury instead of taking the field with his Washington Redskins teammates for a road game at Tampa. Unfortunately, a group of young men from southwest Florida apparently didn't know that.

Prosecutors say the suspects drove across the state intending to burglarize Taylor's Miami-area home, confident he wouldn't be there. When the 6-foot-2, 230-pound player - well known as a ferocious hitter - confronted them with a machete early on Nov. 26, 2007, Eric Rivera Jr. allegedly fired two shots. One missed. The other hit Taylor in the upper leg, causing massive blood loss that led to his death a day later at age 24.

Finally, after numerous delays, jury selection is scheduled to begin Tuesday for Rivera's first-degree murder trial. Because Rivera, now 23, was only 17 at the time of the crime, he faces life in prison instead of the death penalty if convicted. Jury selection is expected to take about four days.

Four other people were also charged in the case. One of them, Venjah Hunte, pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and burglary charges and is expected to testify against Rivera. The other three are scheduled to go to trial later on lesser charges. Hunte's plea deal calls for a 29-year prison term instead of life.

Although Taylor had some run-ins with the law and been fined several times by the NFL for various rules violations, his future seemed extremely bright before he was killed. The son of Florida City Police Chief Pedro Taylor and an All-American player at the University of Miami, the Redskins drafted Taylor with the fifth overall pick in the 2004 draft and he signed an $18 million contract.

Taylor quickly became a starter and was nicknamed ''Meast'' by teammates - a combination of man and beast - because of his hard-hitting style. He was named to the Pro Bowl after the 2006 season and was also very popular among Redskins players and fans. One of his best friends, wide receiver Santana Moss, said he still says ''a little prayer'' for Taylor every time he takes the field.

''I have a few people that have passed away in my life as friends that have meant something to me, and I'm always constantly speaking to them. That's just something I do. He's one of those guys,'' Moss said.

The Redskins contributed $500,000 to a fund for Taylor's young daughter after he died and, in the first game after his slaying, the team's defense took the field against Buffalo with only 10 players on the first play - leaving Taylor's free safety position vacant to honor him. Fans at that game got towels bearing his number, 21.

To many fans, players and others connected with both the Redskins and the ''U'' at Miami, it was heartbreaking to see such a talented player's life and career cut short so brutally.

''He was a young man who was learning quickly how to be a great human being, and, to me, he was the best football player I've ever seen in person,'' said former Redskins tight end Chris Cooley, a nine-year veteran who now does broadcasts for the team. ''He was the most physical, the most gifted, the hardest-working guy that I've been around, and it was such an unfortunate thing.''

Former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, now a NASCAR racing team owner, said Taylor began to mature and take a leadership role on the team after the birth of his daughter.

''It wound up being a true tragedy and it had a huge effect on all of us,'' Gibbs said of Taylor's killing. ''He was one of those guys that with the way he played and his persona the way he was, he was a natural leader. You could see guys look to him from a leadership standpoint.''

The fatal attempted burglary was not the first time there was a break-in at Taylor's home.

Police say someone pried open a window a few days earlier, on Nov. 17, and rifled through a desk and other belongings. No one was home that time, and it's not clear exactly what, if anything, was taken.

Then came the weekend after Thanksgiving with the Redskins playing the Buccaneers that Sunday. Taylor was given permission to stay home with a knee injury, along with his girlfriend, Jackie Garcia, and their 18-month-old daughter, also named Jackie.

Police say two of the men charged had connections to Taylor: Jason Scott Mitchell had cut Taylor's lawn and an older cousin of suspect Charles Wardlow had dated Taylor's sister. Family members also said Mitchell had recently been at a birthday party at Taylor's house, where Taylor was known to keep large amounts of cash.

Miami-Dade County's former police director, Robert Parker, said the defendants were surprised to find Taylor home early that Monday morning.

''They were certainly not looking to go there and kill anyone,'' Parker said. ''They were expecting a residence that was not occupied.''

Authorities say they have obtained confessions from at least some of the suspects, all from the Fort Myers area, but pretrial hearings on whether those statements will be allowed in Rivera's trial were closed by Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy. The judge also imposed a gag order on prosecutors and defense attorneys in hopes of limiting pretrial news media coverage that could make jury selection difficult.

The murder weapon has never been found. Prosecutors say it was thrown into the Everglades after the slaying while the group drove home across Alligator Alley.

There have already been at least seven previous trial dates set for Rivera. Cooley, for one, said it's time for justice to be done.

''Breaking into someone's home, into their personal safety blanket and shooting them in that environment is the most heinous, unthinkable crime that could have happened to a guy like Sean. It's despicable,'' Cooley said.


(yahoo.com)

A judge has set a trial date for one of the men charged in the 2007 murder of NFL star Sean Taylor in Miami.

Eric Rivera, 23, is charged with first-degree murder and burglary with assault or battery in the death of Taylor, who was killed during what prosecutors say was a botched robbery at his Miami-area home.

On Monday, a judge scheduled his trial date for Oct. 15. It had been scheduled to begin Monday and has been delayed several times.

Taylor, a two-time Pro Bowl safety for the Washington Redskins, had starred at the University of Miami, helping the Hurricanes to the national championship in 2001.

Rivera and three others, all from the Fort Myers area, have pleaded not guilty and are being tried separately. Each faces a possible life sentence if convicted.

A fifth man previously pleaded guilty to murder and burglary charges and is likely to testify against the others.


(nbcmiami.com)

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The trial of the alleged shooter of Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor has been delayed again.

Miami-Dade County Courts said the trial of 23-year-old Eric Rivera, Junior will not begin on Monday as was previously scheduled.

The delay was due to scheduling conflicts and availability of witnesses.

Taylor was murdered six years during a botched robbery of his home. Rivera and four other suspects from the Ft. Myers area have been charged with the killing.

A fifth suspect pleaded guilty to murder and burglary charges.

Rivera and the other four defendants pleaded not guilty and will be tried in separate trials. All face a possible life sentence if they’re convicted.


(cbslocal.com)

MIAMI, Fl. (WJLA) - The trial of Eric Rivera, the man who prosecutors say killed former Redskins safety Sean Taylor, will not start Monday.

The Washington Times reports a Florida court delayed Rivera's trial until September 16th. Taylor died in November 2007 after being shot during a robbery at his Miami home.

Four men, including Rivera, are charged in Taylor's death. A fifth man accepted a plea deal in exchange for his testimony.


(wjla.com)

Each day seems the same to Venjah Hunte. Up at 5:30 a.m. Breakfast. Back to sleep. Cell check. Cut hair, play basketball or cards for an hour or two in the recreation yard at the Metro West Detention Center in Miami. Shower. Locked down again.

Time is measured by the two or three tear-choked times each month he sees family through thick glass separating visitors. By reading and working out and watching television and praying. By repeating the solitary routine since he was booked at 8:30 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2007, and became inmate No. 070106122. By waiting.

“I’m always doing or trying to do something to keep busy,” Hunte wrote in one of multiple letters to The Washington Times describing jail life. “It makes the day go by faster.”

Blood and regret cover the November night 5 1/2 years ago that locked him up and left Sean Taylor dead. The night lingers, something even time can’t push away as the case’s quiet drama continues. The lone resolution is the grave of the Washington Redskins‘ star safety. The first verse of Psalm 23 is etched near the base: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Two verses from the same chapter were tattooed on Taylor’s left shoulder, the autopsy report noted.

Hunte took a plea bargain in 2008 that landed him a 29-year sentence for second-degree murder in exchange for testimony against the four other defendants: Timmy Lee Brown, Jason Scott Mitchell, Eric Rivera and Charles K. Wardlow. Hunte initially tried to back out of the agreement, but faced two life sentences if he did so and dropped the effort in 2009. Trials for the four others, charged with first-degree murder in Miami-Dade Circuit Court, have been relentlessly delayed since the first attempt in April 2008. Last year, for instance, a trial date of April 16 became Nov. 5, then April 5 of this year. The latest try is set for August.
The four defendants, all jailed, didn’t respond to letters seeking comment.

“This is not unusual … when you have so many co-defendants and a high-profile case,” said Landon Miller, who represented Mitchell in the case’s early stages but is no longer associated with the proceedings. “High profile makes courts more cautious. You only want to try a case once. You don’t want it to come back on appeal.”

Another attorney knowledgeable about the case attributed the delays, in part, to defendants expending every effort to draw out the proceedings in hopes of discovering a path, however unlikely, out of jail. They face life in prison if convicted.

Earlier this month, Wardlow asked the court to be removed from the Pre-Trial Detention Center in Miami because of medical concerns. That continued his long-running correspondence with the court over such matters — including, at one point, requesting a “full-body scan” and to be “checked for everything.” In one letter to 11th Judicial Circuit Judge Dennis J. Murphy, Wardlow claimed problems ranging from a “tingly feeling” in his extremities to pain in his chest and back to coughing up “white things.” He asked that his kidneys be examined, wanted to be re-tested for “siffless” diagnosed in 2011 and wondered if he had cancer.
“I need help before it’s too late,” wrote the inmate, whose father, Vince E. Wardlow, is serving a life sentence at South Bay (Fla.) Correctional Facility for second-degree murder, “please, please.”

A scrawled heading to the note insisted it was Wardlow’s last communication on the matter. Time drags on. So do the requests.
• • •

The long list of aborted trial dates is rivaled only by continued turnover among the defense attorneys. Rivera, identified as the alleged shooter in the original indictment, filed a motion earlier this month to represent himself. Last year, he dropped attorney Clinton Pitts a month before one of the trial dates. A former attorney for Wardlow, John E. Evans III, was disbarred in 2011. He was released from federal prison last month after serving an 18-month sentence after pleading guilty to wire fraud.

Numerous attorneys and others connected to the case in the present or past, including Evans, declined to comment or didn’t respond to requests.

A wide-ranging gag order in place since 2008 from Judge Murphy shrouds much of the case and postponements in secrecy. Key documents, like Hunte’s deposition last year, have been sealed and hearings closed to media. Prosecutor Reid Rubin, attorneys, police and others connected to the case aren’t permitted to speak publicly about it.

“The cumulative effect of the media coverage and statements made by various persons if allowed to continue would deprive the defendants of their right to a fair trial,” the order said.

The order’s four pages are why Taylor’s father, Pedro, hasn’t said much in recent years. Interview requests are politely declined until the trials finish. His most extensive public comments in recent years came during a brief conversation last fall with reporters on the sideline at FedEx Field.

“There’s never going to be any closure,” said Pedro, who is police chief in Florida City, Fla. “It’s hard to lose a child. It’s hard to even fathom me burying a kid. I respect the fact that God makes no mistakes. But at the same time, there won’t ever be closure because it’s so big and my heart’s too big. When you lose something that big, it really leaves a pit inside you. It’s hard. Very hard. But he’ll always live long in my life. He’ll always live forever in my life.”
Could the trial, any trial, really, be a relief?

“It will,” he said. “It will.”
• • •

So, lives push forward without Taylor. A 15-minute drive from the cemetery where he’s buried, if traffic is smooth, sits his former home on Old Cutler Road. Taylor bought the four-bedroom property surrounded by a white wall in 2005. Owed $820,132.91 from the remaining principal by 2010, in addition to interest, taxes and fees, Wachovia Mortgage Co. foreclosed. The property became overgrown, drawing a warning letter from Palmetto Bay’s code compliance officer to clean up within five days or face a $250 sanction and other penalties.

Eventually the home sold in 2011 for $460,000, just over half of what Taylor paid. The real estate listing, complete with pictures of the empty, spotless home, didn’t hint at the horror that swept through on that November night.

“Paved patio, excellent for entertainment,” the listing read. “Shade trees. Beautiful grounds. Foyer entrance. Fireplace in living room. Open floor plan.”
That’s where the five men arrived at 1:40 a.m. The break-in seems as distant to Hunte as freedom. Taylor’s bedroom door was kicked down. Two gunshots. One bullet plunged into Taylor’s right thigh, cut the femoral artery and, 27 hours later, ended his life at age 24.

Hunte has insisted he never ventured inside. The night isn’t something he thinks about much. In one letter to The Times, he apologized to Taylor’s family,
admitted the words were inadequate, but sought forgiveness anyway. The consequences, though, stalk him day after isolated day.

“I wish I would’ve had better judgement of the people I surrounded myself with that night,” he wrote. “Last, I just wish [Taylor] hadn’t passed away. It was an unfortunate situation, but there was no malice on my behalf.”

He writes about change, big and small. Not cursing as much. Doing life the right way. Not ending up back in jail. Thinking through decisions before he makes them, like the three drug-related charges he faced in Lee County, Fla., in the months before the drive across the state to Taylor’s home. Not chasing money. Not living the fast life.

There’s a book he wants to write to make sense of what happened and, in his mind, honor Taylor’s family.

“Most of all,” he wrote, “to give young men all across the country an alternative to the things there [sic] going through, no matter the race or bringing up. … I can’t change the world, but that one person can go a long way.”

There’s plenty of time to think after the night that won’t end.


(washingtontimes.com)

LANHAM, Md. (CBSDC) — Four men will stand trial for the shooting death of former Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor beginning in August.

Taylor was shot in the leg during by armed intruders during an attempted robbery of his Florida home in 2007. He underwent surgery to repair damage to his femoral artery, but would eventually succumb to his injuries.

Timothy Lee Brown, Jason Scott Mitchell, Eric Rivera, and Charles K. Wardlow face first-degree murder and armed burglary charges in connection to the shooting. The defendants could be sentenced to life in prison if convicted.

Venjah Hunte, who pleaded guilty to degree murder in 2009, is expected to testify against the defendants. He is currently serving a 29 year prison sentence.
The Redskins selected Taylor with the fifth overall pick in the 2004 draft. He was elected to the Pro Bowl in 2006 and posthumously in 2007.

He was 24 at the time of his death.


(cbslocal.com)

The day after what would have been Sean Taylor’s 30th birthday, a new trial date was set in Miami for the man who allegedly shot him to death in November 2007.

After a number of postponements, Eric Rivera Jr., 22, will stand trial Aug. 12, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy said Tuesday (via the Associated Press).

The Washington Redskins’ safety, who grew up and lived in the Miami area, died Nov. 27, 2007, the day after he was shot during what is believed to have been a robbery at his Miami-area home. Taylor was recovering from a knee injury at his Palmetto Bay home and was not with the team.

Three other men, who are, like Rivera, from the Fort Myers area, have entered not-guilty pleas and are being tried separately. A fifth man, Venjah Hunte, previously pleaded guilty to murder and burglary charges in 2008. He is expected to testify against the other men. In a letter to Nathan Fenno of the Washington Times earlier this year, he wrote:

“To begin, I would like to send my deepest apology to the family of Sean Taylor. I know an apology won’t bring him back, but I hope one day they could find it in their hearts to forgive me. …

“My thought or intentions weren’t to hurt him or noone [sic] else, let alone murder, it was something I thought would never happen. Even though I didn’t pull the trigger I still have to take responsibility for my actions. Period.”

Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin III, like many Redskins fans, paused to remember Taylor on Monday. “Happy Birthday Sean Taylor…,” RGIII tweeted, “1 of the Greatest Redskins I never got the chance to meet in this life but will in the next.”


(washingtonpost.com)

Former Redskins safety Sean Taylor was murdered five years ago last Nov. 27. He was shot during a botched robbery in his home and died the next day. He was 24.

"I was thinking to myself, it's kind of like winning the lotto to have a guy like Sean Taylor, to be able to say, ‘That's a friend,"' former teammate Clinton Portis said on the anniversary of Taylor's death. "And many people don't get that opportunity."

Authorities arrested five suspects. Four pleaded not guilty and have yet to go to trial. The fifth, Venjah Hunte, pleaded guilty in 2008 to second-degree murder and burglary while armed in exchange for a 29-year sentence that was part of a plea deal. Hunte was also the only defendant among the five to respond to the Washington Times' Nathan Fenno.

In a letter to the paper written last month, Hunte apologized for what happened in Palmetto Bay, Fla., on Nov. 26, 2007.

"To begin, I would like to send my deepest apology to the family of Sean Taylor,” Hunte wrote in a letter to the Times in response to several questions. “I know an apology won't bring him back, but I hope one day they could find it in their hearts to forgive me. …

“My thought or intentions weren't to hurt him or noone [sic] else, let alone murder, it was something I thought would never happen,” Hunte continued. “Even though I didn't pull the trigger I still have to take responsibility for my actions. Period.”

Taylor was shot in his right leg and the bullet hit his femoral artery. He died the next day. Hunte maintains that he wasn't in the house when the gun went off.

“Back then, I was just existing, I wasn't living life at all,” Hunte wrote, “I was just living the fast life, chasing fast money, doing things my way which would be the wrong way in the end.

“In the last five years, I've had to grow up and mature a lot. I no longer think about or want to indulge in the things I used to, it's just not worth it to me anymore. …

“At this point I feel like if I ever want to be back in society, the change starts now,” Hunte wrote, “and that's how I live from now on by surrounding myself with positive things at all times.”

READ THE ENTIRE LETTER HERE.


(cbssports.com)