MIAMI -- One of the four men charged in the shooting death of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor heard noises during their burglary attempt, but the alleged gunman pushed them forward, saying he was the one making the noises, according to Taylor's attorney.
Jason Scott Mitchell -- who allegedly entered Taylor's home early on Nov. 26, along with Eric Rivera Jr. -- said in his statement to police that he left the house when he heard noises, but Rivera had him go back in, saying, "that was me you heard," attorney Richard Sharpstein said.
When informed of Sharpstein's account to The Washington Post, Mitchell's attorney, Landon Miller, said, "That sounds consistent with what I know."
Sharpstein told The Post he got the information from statements made by the four defendants prior to their arrest Nov. 30 and provided by law enforcement sources.
Mitchell, 19, and Rivera, 17, were picked to burglarize Taylor's house because they were familiar with the layout after allegedly being in there for a burglary eight days prior to the shooting, according to reports. Two of the other accused, Venjah K. Hunte, 20, and Charles Kendrick Lee Wardlow, 18 -- apparently remained in the car, Sharpstein said.
But another attorney close to the case, who requested anonymity, said "there's additional information out there that maybe all four men were in the house at one time or another" the night of the robbery, according to The Post's report.
A report in The New York Times cited sources confirming the connection between the first burglary and the attempt made eight days later. Cash and football memorabilia belonging to Taylor were discovered in the house of at least one of the defendants, the sources said. Sharpstein told The Times he knew of the connection before Wednesday.
"This wasn't a random burglary," he said. "This was a dime-a-dozen wannabe criminals who had been to the house before. They stole his life thinking they were going to steal a few dollars from him."
A Miami-Dade grand jury indicted all four on charges of first-degree felony murder and armed burglary in Taylor's death. Rivera, identified in the indictment as the shooter, will be tried as an adult; their arraignments are scheduled for Dec. 21.
The grand jury alleged that Rivera shot Taylor, who died a day later after taking a bullet in the thigh, when he was startled to find the Redskins' Pro Bowl safety in the house. The grand jury also alleged that Mitchell had worn a hood over his head to disguise his identity during the burglary attempt.
At least one of the defendants had been to Taylor's house last month, Sharpstein said. A relative of Charles Wardlow had dated Taylor's sister, Sasha, and was at the house for her birthday party. Jason Mitchell's twin brother, Scottie, said Jason mowed the lawn at Taylor's house, according to The Miami Herald.
Hunte's lawyer, Michael Hornung, said that his client had never been to the house before the night Taylor was shot, and that he had no idea why the other defendants had gone to the house in the first place.
Source: ESPN.com
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