Sean Taylor Charged with Aggravated Assault

Just curious, by law, Taylor can't leave the state of Florida while on bond can he?

I can't believe all this for a dumb ATV. He could have mine if i knew he was going to do this. anyway at first i heard he shot the house but all the new reports just say he aimed a gun at someone. I am sure he aimed the gun, don't get me wrong, but don't you think that he will get off if it is just the word of those who stole his atvs and those peoples friends, against Taylor's, who is having a first offense( i think) and his top of the line lawyer. To me the worst is the embarrassment that the team must face. He really needs to come back now and show the fans that he isn't a lost cause. If he did shoot the gun then he deserves to go to jail but if not i am glad he didn't do anything stupid or he would be facing some real time. He restrained himself, i am happy that he did, his friend is the one who chased some guy with a bat. and truly i don't care if he did punch anyone. Many of us have had disagreements in the past and it has gotten physical, he punched someone, big deal. The gun is the issue and if he didn't shoot the house i am not to worried. He is charged with a felony but a plee agreement with lessen those charges and a big fine and communittee service will result.

The people he assulted better have stolen his ATVs!!

The facts, from an updated WPost article:

Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor posted bond and was released from police custody at 11:32 Saturday night after surrendering to authorities and being charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a firearm, a felony, and one count of simple battery, a misdemeanor, according to police and detention center reports. Accompanied by his lawyer, Fred Maldovan, Taylor paid a bond of $16,500 at the Turner, Gilford and Knight Correctional Facility, a source said, and no arraignment date has been set yet.

Taylor, 22, the fifth overall pick in the 2004 draft, was arrested in connection with an incident that occurred Wednesday night in Miami, where he resides. According to a police report, Taylor and a co-defendant, Charles Caughman, 19, of Baltimore, drove up to a residence in a blue 2005 GMC Yukon Denali truck and Taylor pointed a gun at two individuals he believed had stolen two all-terrain vehicles from him and demanded they be returned. No shots were fired and Taylor and Caughman left the scene before returning 10 minutes later.

At this point, police say Taylor, whom the team lists as 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, exited the vehicle and began assaulting one victim, swinging and missing with a closed fist before a fight ensued. Caughman, who was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on the night of the incident, chased the other victim with a baseball bat before he and Taylor fled the scene, according to the police report. The incident took place less than two miles from Taylor's residence in Miami. Police have not been able to determine if the victims were involved in the theft of Taylor's vehicles.


I wonder if his "friend" is the main source of this incident report--maybe he's trying to save his ass by giving them Sean. But still, my guess is Sean pointed the gun. But given the nature of proof, the cost of trials, and Taylor's celebrity staus (and high-paid lawyer), he'll probably plead down to something more minor. But whether it will be a felony or not, we'll see. What a friggin mess. Sean, buddy, you're a millionaire. If someone steals your ATV, have them arrested. And then buy a new one (or five). Now your life may be over... :Flush:

Redskins' Taylor Posts Bond After Arrest (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/06/05/AR2005060500742.html)

The jury doesn't decide FACT. They decide if a person could be guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Ray, O.J. and Blake know those facts, not the jury; AND not guilty does not mean they didn't do it.
So then how can you state the details of Taylors case as 'fact'? Jury acquital also means that they are free, which is all as fans we really care about, right? Let's be honest, we don't care about how this impacts Taylor or the victim, we care about how it impacts the Redskins.

After reading that, goodluck proving he flashed a gun. That's going to be nearly impossible to prove. From the sound of it he swung and missed... yeah. He'll be at camp.

The jury doesn't decide FACT. They decide if a person could be guilty beyond reasonable doubt. Ray, O.J. and Blake know those facts, not the jury; AND not guilty does not mean they didn't do it.

Actually, the jury does decide fact - for purposes of the law. That is why they are referred to as the "factfinder." Not guilty doesn't mean they didn't do it, but again, as far as the law is concerned it does mean innocence.

PROOF THAT WE SHOULDN'T REACH ANY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE INCIDENT OR TAYLOR'S FUTURE WITH THE TEAM:

We heard he fired a gun at a house. Then we heard he fired a gun at a car. Now we are hearing he didn't fire the weapon at all.

Honestly, I really don't care what the Skins do with this kid. If he is here great. If he is gone great. Doesn't bother me. He has shown zero passion for this team in my opinion. Everyone is busting there ass at mini camps and ota's. But he has to bicker bout a rookie contract. So he is working out at the U of Miami. Give me a break. You know these guys say they are working out down there. But probally work out there one or two times a week. Then just go and party and do whatever else it is that they do. Like wave guns around, shoot at houses, or whatever else they have done in the past. Literally like the only player from Miami that has been drafted in the first round the past few years not to get in troublr or do something stupid, is Vince Wilfork of New England.

Here is what the Florida Statutes say about assault and aggravated assault:

784.011 Assault
(1) An "assault" is an intentional, unlawful threat by word or act to do violence to the person of another, coupled with an apparent ability to do so, and doing some act which creates a well-founded fear in such other person that such violence is imminent.

(2) Whoever commits an assault shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.


784.021 Aggravated assault (What Taylor has been charged with):

(1) An "aggravated assault" is an assault:

(a) With a deadly weapon without intent to kill; or

(b) With an intent to commit a felony.

Based on the "facts" known to us at this time, Taylor is being charged under 784.021 (1)(a). To prove that Taylor is guilty, the State would need to show:
(1) that Taylor brandished a firearm
(2) that Taylor threatened (by word or act) to do harm to the victim
(3) that the victim saw, or knew of, the firearm and reasonably percieved a threat to his person.

The hurdles in convicting Taylor of the above-referenced charge are (1) proving that Taylor brandished a weapon and (2) that Taylor brandished the weapon in connection with threatening acts or words. If the only witnesses to the "incident" are Taylor, his friend, and the victim(s), it comes down to "he said," "she said." It's hard to get a conviction based solely on the testimony of the alleged victim - especially IF that victim is a "shady character" who might have recently taken part in another crime.

A jury MIGHT be sympathetic to Taylor - who just had possessions taken from him and used a firearm when confronting the people who had just stolen property from Taylor.

Moreover, Taylor's "self-defense" claim could be that he was looking for his stolen property, he knew that he might run into the people who stole it, and oftentimes such criminals are armed - so he took along a weapon.

Based on what I currently know, my guess is this that due to the aforementioned hurdles the DA will need to jump to get a felony conviction, the parties will be plead down to Assault (as opposed to Aggravated Assault) - which is a misdemeanor. But, it's too early to tell.

PROOF THAT WE SHOULDN'T REACH ANY CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE INCIDENT OR TAYLOR'S FUTURE WITH THE TEAM:

We heard he fired a gun at a house. Then we heard he fired a gun at a car. Now we are hearing he didn't fire the weapon at all.

Agreed. Once again we should learn a valuable lesson here, and that's not to jump to conclusions until all the facts are known.

He could be guilty of something... looks like right now it's still not clear what that may be.

Until we know more we should hold off on the "cut/trade Taylor" comments.