UPDATE: Four Arrested in Taylor's Death

Each state has the right to define "capital murder," within the limits of the 8th Amendment. Florida does not mess around with criminals. Like many states, Florida has pretty strict murder statutes when it comes to murders committed during the course of the commission of a felony.

First off you are right about Florida and that is most likely why three of the four can forward about the killing. They don't wanted to be the gun man in this killing. ESPN also said that there could be others that could be arrested as well.

No arguments with any of this. I could be entirely wrong about those 4 kids, but my guess is that based on the fact that they turned themselves in, rather than, say, leading police on a wild chase while shooting at anybody who crossed them, these kids were less hardened criminals and more stupid knuckleheads who thought they could "get paid".

They must still deal with the consequences, though. Some mistakes simply can't be smoothed over.

Dgack - are you sure these guys turned themselves in? From what I hear they fled to Ft. Myers which is something like 150 miles away and that only through questioning and civilian tips that the police were able to catch these guys and that it was only after they caught them that the confessions came out.

Bill, I thought I had read that 3 of them had turned themselves in, but you may be right that that they did not. The coverage of this entire thing has been pretty spotty.

I expect nothing less than a written apology from Wilbon, Shapiro, Cowherd, etc. that automatically linked the murder to Sean's past discretions. His generosity and giving spirit is what got him ultimately killed, not anything from his past. Of course I'm better off waiting for Santa Clause to show up than expecting an apology from a mediot.

THE WSHINGTON POST REPORTED THIS ABOUT THE FOUR MAN....Looks like they didn't turn themselfs in!

"Four men have criminal histories, according to public records. Rivera was charged in August with felony possession of a firearm and removing a serial number from a firearm and in October with felony cocaine and amphetamines trafficking. Wardlow was arrested three times in 2005-06, twice on drug charges and once for felony grand theft. Mitchell was charged with disturbing the peace in 2004. Hunte was arrested on drug possession and trespassing charges in August.

The Miami-Dade police announced the arrests after picking up three of the men in Lee County early Friday and questioning them throughout the day at the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in Fort Myers. A person carrying a court reporter's typewriter could be seen coming and going. Police later picked up a fourth, and Parker said other arrests could be made".

I expect nothing less than a written apology from Wilbon, Shapiro, Cowherd, etc. that automatically linked the murder to Sean's past discretions. His generosity and giving spirit is what got him ultimately killed, not anything from his past. Of course I'm better off waiting for Santa Clause to show up than expecting an apology from a mediot.

Sean's attorney put it best..."Sharpstein said the arrests proved that Taylor had no involvement in incidents that led to his death. Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antrel Rolle, a childhood friend of Taylor's, and others had speculated that Taylor had been hunted down by enemies.

"People always said Sean's life led him to this, saying he was violent," Sharpstein said. "But if anything here his openness and generosity led to this crime, which is shocking and horrific. I said all along it was a burglary and it was planned. There are 17-, 19-, 21-year-old pathetic criminal wannabes and they carry a gun like every other dime-a-dozen jerk in the streets, and they happen to come upon someone they don't expect to be there and they fire the gun and run like cowards.

"This is a shame, but it's not over and this will be of no solace to the family. If anything it will only make it harder to swallow"

We will never get to see what this young man could have done for his fellow man off the field. Yes he had a good begaining but what I have read about Sean he was just getting started! As a Redskin fan and a football fan we also lost what could have been a great player. This is real hard to swallow!!!!

Its great that the Taylor family can put Sean's body to rest knowing that some boys have confessed to the crime, however, this is a lose- lose situation. Firstly we have lost a man who was sincerely turning his life around and who died honorably: protecting his family. We also have a situation where four young boys, and I do mean boys, have committed their first felony over some money. I realize that people are angry, and hope to see these young men thoroughly punished for their actions, but at the same time we must look at the devastating fact that we will also possibly be losing 4 more lives. 4 lives that were full of potential. 4 boys who were idolizing the wrong things, but had they been steered in the right direction, could have changed, much like Sean, and made a difference in their own community.

I'm happy that justice should prevail, I'm just deeply saddened that at the end of the day, 5 people's lives would be lost over some green pieces of paper.

I'm happy that justice should prevail, I'm just deeply saddened that at the end of the day, 5 people's lives would be lost over some green pieces of paper.

These kids wasted their lives. Is that tragic in some sense? Yes, they might have been something different. They might have walked down a different path. But the simple fact is that they did not walk down a different path. They didn't make the right decisions and made some horrible ones. They embraced the wrong values and hung out with the wrong friends. And now, because they wanted to steal from a man who they indirectly received money from, one of my personal heroes is dead and a little girl will never know her father.

I know the rest of us are going to think about Sean and wonder what might have been. So, sorry but these kids deserve to spend the rest of their lives in prison and contemplate what they might have been had they not committed murder. And I don't think sending them away to prison for the rest of their lives is a tragedy. The word tragedy should be reserved for things like a baby losing her father.

And I don't think sending them away to prison for the rest of their lives is a tragedy. The word tragedy should be reserved for things like a baby losing her father.

At least one of those guys WAS a father. A father that made some really horrible decisions and ended the life of another human being. That, too, is a tragedy.

I don't think anyone here thinks these guys shouldn't be punished.

All of these guys are screwed. They are going to live horrible lives and learn the true meaning of pain. Being convicted of murdering a local legend in a high profile case will doom them. They thought they were street hardened gangsters, but they will receive an education quickly.