Trial Postponed Until August in Taylor Murder Case

Mar/30/08 08:56 PM Filed in: Sean Taylor
SeanTaylor
MIAMI, March 28 -- The murder trial of three of the four men accused of killing Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor was moved from early April to late August during a hearing Friday morning in Miami-Dade County state court.

Attorneys for Charles Wardlow, 19; Jason Scott Mitchell, 20; and Venjah Hunte, 20, told Circuit Court Judge Dennis J. Murphy they were not prepared to go to trial as scheduled April 7 because of delays in receiving information about the case from the prosecution.

Murphy reset the trial date for Aug. 25. He also signed and distributed copies of a gag order preventing comment on the case and scheduled a status hearing for Aug. 15.

The trial of the fourth defendant, Eric Rivera, 18, is also expected to be rescheduled when he appears in court Wednesday. Rivera's attorney, Clinton J. Pitts, had a conflict and could not appear Friday morning, according to Murphy.

The four men have been charged with first-degree felony murder and armed robbery in connection with the shooting of Taylor, who died Nov. 27 after surprising intruders in his Miami home the day before.

None of Taylor's family or close friends appeared in court Friday morning. Mitchell and Hunte appeared wearing red jumpsuits and handcuffs. Wardlow wore a maroon jumpsuit and handcuffs. All spoke only to affirm their attorneys' requests for the continuance.

Murphy set an April 25 bond hearing for Mitchell in response to a motion two weeks ago filed by Mitchell's attorney, Landon Miller, and he appointed a public defender to represent Wardlow, whose attorney, David Brener, resigned from the case after the appearance Friday because he had not been paid by Wardlow.

Murphy also set an April 28 deadline for the lead detective on the case, Juan Segovia, to file his report.

(ap.com)