Prosecutors Will Not Get Death Penalty in Sean Taylor Case

Prosecutors in the case dealing with the murder of former Washington Redskins star safety Sean Taylor claimed on Monday that they would not seek the death penalty for any of the four people who have been charged in the assassination. The age of the killers could have something to do with it, as reported by ESPN.com: The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that people cannot be executed for crimes committed when they're under 18, and it's a well established legal principle that others involved in the same case as a minor cannot face the ultimate penalty if they are less directly responsible.Prosecutors and defense attorneys are barred from discussing the case with reporters under a gag order. But Hunte's attorney, Michael Hornung, said in a telephone interview that prosecutors would have had to prove a conspiracy aimed at killing Taylor in order to seek death for the three adults.Taylor was an All-American at the University of Miami and was a member of the Hurricanes' national championship team in 2001. He was selected with the fifth overall pick of the 2004 draft by the Redskins and made the Pro Bowl in 2006 and 2007.According to Assistant State Attorney Reid Rubin, all four involved do have a chance to receive life in jail for their crime. Eric Rivera Jr., the person who actually shot Taylor, was 17 at the time of the shooting and just turned 18 last month.According to Richard Sharpstein, a lawyer for the Taylor family, the family has no choice in whether they want to pursue the death penalty because they are not allowed.For more news on the Redskins reported by the Biz of Football check here.  More recent news from around the league can be found here. Posted by Business of Sports staff member and Biz of Football Editor of Content Bill Jordan. (Visit the Biz of Football Author's Page for contact details) more...