"It doesn't matter whether they planned to kill him (Taylor) or intended to kill him, he died as a result of that burglary and they are all responsible for it," Rubin told the 12-person jury in closing arguments. "At the center of it all was Jason Mitchell."
"He had everything to live for," Rubin said. "Sean Taylor was on top of the world."
A 12-person jury deliberated nearly four hours before finding Jason Mitchell, 25,
NFL Jerseys China, guilty of first-degree felony murder and armed burglary. Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Dennis Murphy swiftly imposed the mandatory life sentence for murder, plus 40 more years for the burglary conviction.
Mitchell did not testify in his own defense but he did confess to police in a sworn,
cheap nfl jerseys online, videotaped statement. The man blamed for shooting Taylor, Eric Rivera Jr.,
jerseys cheap nfl, was convicted last year of second-degree murder and sentenced to 57 years behind bars. Mitchell's lawyer, Robert Barrar, said Mitchell should be held responsible only for burglary, not for Rivera's actions.
Taylor was a Pro Bowl safety who had starred at the University of Miami. A first-round Redskins draft pick in 2004,
Cheap NFL Jerseys, Taylor signed an $18 million contract with the team and was becoming one of the NFL's top defensive players when he was slain.
Police say the burglars thought Taylor would be out of town at a Redskins game, but he was home nursing a knee injury.
Although trial testimony showed Mitchell did not fire the fatal shot,
Jerseys From China, prosecutors say he is equally responsible for the slaying under the law.
MIAMI (AP)