Sean Taylor Prosecutor accused of MORE misconduct (1 Viewer)

[redman]

Posted on Wed, Apr. 12, 2006

Misconduct charges surface in Taylor case

CURT ANDERSON

Associated Press

MIAMI - The trial of Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor on assault charges was delayed again Wednesday as defense lawyers raised misconduct allegations, charging the lead prosecutor with using the case to promote his moonlighting work as a nightclub disc jockey.

Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mary Barzee agreed to delay the trial for a sixth time, this time from Monday until May 8. Taylor faces a minimum of three years in prison on each of three aggravated assault charges stemming from a June 1 armed confrontation in a Miami neighborhood.

Taylor's attorney, Richard Sharpstein, said outside the courtroom that he will file a motion this week seeking to dismiss the charges because of alleged "inappropriate and unethical" prosecutorial conduct by Michael Grieco, the assistant state attorney handling the case.

Sharpstein said Grieco had improperly posted news articles about the Taylor case on a Web site that promotes his side business as a DJ in Miami Beach clubs. Although the articles could not be found on the site Wednesday, Sharpstein provided copies to reporters as well as the page - titled "links to my press coverage" - showing where the link had been located.

Grieco did not immediately respond to telephone and e-mail messages seeking comment. A spokesman for Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle, who is Grieco's boss, also did not immediately return a call seeking comment.

Taylor is charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a firearm and one misdemeanor battery charge stemming from a dispute with a group of people over all-terrain vehicles that Taylor owns. Taylor, a former University of Miami star, is free on $16,500 bail.

Taylor has refused a plea deal in which he would receive probation in return for a guilty plea to a felony, Sharpstein said.

Link to articleHere's a link to his Myspace page.

 

[Chitown Mole]

A DA with a myspace account and works as a DJ? Only in America.

 

[DaWidowMaker]

I swear everyday that something new comes about in this case that this trial will end in a dismissal of some sort.

 

[kupcho1]

I wondering about the DA/DJ's thought process: hmm, maybe I can get more gigs if I put up clippings of my prosecutorial work.

 

[redman]

Link to interview with Taylor's attorney at Extremeskins.com. That transcript contains details as to what was on the prosecutor's site, and has since been removed.

 

[redman]

And here's what his site looked like before he took it down, courtesy of Google cache.

 

[cstu]

A DA with a myspace account and works as a DJ? Only in America.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Well then, he must be a fine upstanding citizen and not guilty of this at all.

I think he did it. I think he's being treated differently (perhaps both good and bad) because of who he is. I think Sean Taylor is a great football player. I also think Sean Taylor is a punk.

Do I have a point?

 

[fatness]

This case has been miserably handled from the beginning by the prosecutor. When they couldn't scare a guilty plea out of Taylor with big charges at the beginning, they filed even more charges later to try to scare him into pleading guilty. His attorney wisely told Taylor not to do so, and he didn't. Then the prosecutors offered a plea bargain that would involve a felony conviction but no jail time. On his attorney's advice Taylor turned it down, not wanting to plead guilty to a felony.

Now they have to assign a new prosecutor, who will have to see what charges are really warranted (as opposed to what charges might have been filed to further the reputation and career of the dismissed prosecutor), and whose main witnesses against Taylor are the guys who stole his vehicle and shot up his house.

I'd bet heavily on a plea bargain to a misdemeanor at this point, to acquittal, or to dismissal of charges. Because the prosecutors did not have much to go on in the first place, and have mishandled things since then.

 

[redman]

Here's what Sean Taylor thinks of this prosecutor.

 

[Slinger]

I wonder how much Danny Boy is paying this guy to cough up this case.

 

[fatness]

I wonder how much Danny Boy is paying this guy to cough up this case.

I think the prosecutor is screwing it up for free. Or for drinks and the attention of ladies at the clubs.

 

[DCThunder]

I wonder how much Danny Boy is paying this guy to cough up this case.

Yeah, right. Dan Snyder is going to obstruct justice and risk going to jail himself over gun charges against his free saftey?

 

[The_Man]

Here's what Sean Taylor thinks of this prosecutor.

Taylor's lawyer is very short.

 

[redman]

I wonder how much Danny Boy is paying this guy to cough up this case.

Yeah, right. Dan Snyder is going to obstruct justice and risk going to jail himself over gun charges against his free saftey?

Please keep common sense out of this thread and simply overlook banal bashing of Dan Snyder by the resident peanut gallery. TIA.

 

[Gold Plated Nails]

So the prosecuters a DJ? Does that mean Taylor really didn't pull a gun on some dudes? Alls this means is the DJ should be fired, doesn't change my mind on Taylor being a thug.

 

[redman]

So the prosecuters a DJ? Does that mean Taylor really didn't pull a gun on some dudes? Alls this means is the DJ should be fired, doesn't change my mind on Taylor being a thug.

The prosecutor's a 30-year old guy who's doing his best Vanilla Ice impersonation while moonlighting as a DJ, and publicizing his DJ activity by promoting his connection to the Taylor case. The term for this is "grandstanding".The prosecution's star witnesses and supposed "victims" are a couple of repeat felons who have both been rearrested due to separate, subsequent felony allegations that precisely mirror what they were alleged to have done in this case - namely stealing recreational vehicles (they're also accused of having fired weapons at Taylor's house). Oh, and the prosecutor neglected to disclose these subsequent arrests to the defense as he is ethically obligated to do.

Otherwise, the case against Taylor is rock solid.

Does this make him "innocent" of what he's alleged to have done? No, of course not. But it certainly is cause for concern about how police and prosecutorial power is used against a celebrity in this case, doesn't it? It also tends to undermine any confidence one might have in proving a case against Taylor beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[Gold Plated Nails]

So the prosecuters a DJ? Does that mean Taylor really didn't pull a gun on some dudes? Alls this means is the DJ should be fired, doesn't change my mind on Taylor being a thug.

The prosecutor's a 30-year old guy who's doing his best Vanilla Ice impersonation while moonlighting as a DJ, and publicizing his DJ activity by promoting his connection to the Taylor case. The term for this is "grandstanding".The prosecution's star witnesses and supposed "victims" are a couple of repeat felons who have both been rearrested due to separate, subsequent felony allegations that precisely mirror what they were alleged to have done in this case - namely stealing recreational vehicles (they're also accused of having fired weapons at Taylor's house). Oh, and the prosecutor neglected to disclose these subsequent arrests to the defense as he is ethically obligated to do.

Otherwise, the case against Taylor is rock solid.

Does this make him "innocent" of what he's alleged to have done? No, of course not. But it certainly is cause for concern about how police and prosecutorial power is used against a celebrity in this case, doesn't it? It also tends to undermine any confidence one might have in proving a case against Taylor beyond a reasonable doubt.

Like I said, sounds like DJ Vanilla needs to be canned, still doesn't change the fact Taylor likely rolled up on some dudes brandishing his gat. That's not legal, if he had a half a brain he would have called the police and had those guys investigated and arrested. We don't live in the wild west, he ain't Billy the Kid.

 

[Riffraff]

And here's what his site looked like before he took it down, courtesy of Google cache.

The kid in the video is going to be a huge success someday.

 

[fatness]

So the prosecuters a DJ? Does that mean Taylor really didn't pull a gun on some dudes? Alls this means is the DJ should be fired, doesn't change my mind on Taylor being a thug.

He's not charged with being a thug. He's charged with a crime: pulling a gun on some people and threatening them. No gun has been found, the witnesses are shaky, the prosecutor is shaky.

 

[fatness]

Like I said, sounds like DJ Vanilla needs to be canned, still doesn't change the fact Taylor likely rolled up on some dudes brandishing his gat.

How do you know that?The trial is in a court of law, where you have to provide "evidence". Unlike wild west justice on message boards.

 

[buster c]

Like I said, sounds like DJ Vanilla needs to be canned, still doesn't change the fact Taylor likely rolled up on some dudes brandishing his gat.

How do you know that?The trial is in a court of law, where you have to provide "evidence". Unlike wild west justice on message boards.

this board is far too lily-white to understand how justice is served up on the streets in Ghettotown, USA, as is the DA office, who should be investigating crimes against innocent people, prosecuting the perps in those cases. the bottom line is that this "crime" occurred in a Wild West-type environment. sure, the laws of the land should apply to everybody, but use some common sense and spend your resources where victims are deserving.

 

[redman]

Like I said, sounds like DJ Vanilla needs to be canned, still doesn't change the fact Taylor likely rolled up on some dudes brandishing his gat.

How do you know that?The trial is in a court of law, where you have to provide "evidence". Unlike wild west justice on message boards.

this board is far too lily-white to understand how justice is served up on the streets in Ghettotown, USA, as is the DA office, who should be investigating crimes against innocent people, prosecuting the perps in those cases. the bottom line is that this "crime" occurred in a Wild West-type environment. sure, the laws of the land should apply to everybody, but use some common sense and spend your resources where victims are deserving.

Then we were wrong about the prosecutor. Anyone with that much street cred is eminently qualified to prosecute this case.

 

[KnowledgeReignsSupreme]

Otherwise, the case against Taylor is rock solid.

 

[Gold Plated Nails]

So the prosecuters a DJ? Does that mean Taylor really didn't pull a gun on some dudes? Alls this means is the DJ should be fired, doesn't change my mind on Taylor being a thug.

He's not charged with being a thug. He's charged with a crime: pulling a gun on some people and threatening them. No gun has been found, the witnesses are shaky, the prosecutor is shaky.

So fatness you are honestly of the opinion he is being framed? Setup by the cops and some thugs? So you are of the opinion no crime happend? This is all just made up, to get Taylor? That these felons who steal all-terrain vehicles, did just that, stole the all-terain vehicles from Taylor. Then cooked up a story how Taylor came over later with his gun? They just made it all up? Makes alot of sense really. I know if I stole some guys car, I would call up the police and tell them he threatend to kill me with his gun in my face. That's a brilliant plan.Look I understand you skins fans don't want your premeir safety behind bars. And it certainly looks like the prosecuter is fouling up this entire trial and he won't be behind bars. In fact even if the case looked rock solid against Taylor (no prosecuter problems, accusers boy scouts) I doubt he would go to jail. But the bottom line is Taylor is a thug, he likely threaten those hoods with a gun, whether or not the State can prove it is another story.

 

[buster c]

So the prosecuters a DJ? Does that mean Taylor really didn't pull a gun on some dudes? Alls this means is the DJ should be fired, doesn't change my mind on Taylor being a thug.

He's not charged with being a thug. He's charged with a crime: pulling a gun on some people and threatening them. No gun has been found, the witnesses are shaky, the prosecutor is shaky.

So fatness you are honestly of the opinion he is being framed? Setup by the cops and some thugs? So you are of the opinion no crime happend? This is all just made up, to get Taylor? That these felons who steal all-terrain vehicles, did just that, stole the all-terain vehicles from Taylor. Then cooked up a story how Taylor came over later with his gun? They just made it all up? Makes alot of sense really. I know if I stole some guys car, I would call up the police and tell them he threatend to kill me with his gun in my face. That's a brilliant plan.Look I understand you skins fans don't want your premeir safety behind bars. And it certainly looks like the prosecuter is fouling up this entire trial and he won't be behind bars. In fact even if the case looked rock solid against Taylor (no prosecuter problems, accusers boy scouts) I doubt he would go to jail. But the bottom line is Taylor is a thug, he likely threaten those hoods with a gun, whether or not the State can prove it is another story.

that's the ONLY story. and they cannot prove this case. which is why I think it's a waste of tax payers $$$ to even TRY!

 

[fatness]

So fatness you are honestly of the opinion he is being framed? Setup by the cops and some thugs? So you are of the opinion no crime happend? This is all just made up, to get Taylor? That these felons who steal all-terrain vehicles, did just that, stole the all-terain vehicles from Taylor. Then cooked up a story how Taylor came over later with his gun? They just made it all up? Makes alot of sense really. I know if I stole some guys car, I would call up the police and tell them he threatend to kill me with his gun in my face. That's a brilliant plan.

Look I understand you skins fans don't want your premeir safety behind bars. And it certainly looks like the prosecuter is fouling up this entire trial and he won't be behind bars. In fact even if the case looked rock solid against Taylor (no prosecuter problems, accusers boy scouts) I doubt he would go to jail. But the bottom line is Taylor is a thug, he likely threaten those hoods with a gun, whether or not the State can prove it is another story.

I'm of the opinion that the prosecutors have little chance of proving Taylor guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of what he is presently charged with. I hope that's clear enough for you.This is a court case we're talking about, where there are "witnesses" and "evidence" and "prosecutors" and "defense attorneys" and a "judge", and things called "laws". The witnesses trying to help the prosecutor prove Taylor guilty don't appear to be very credible. The prosecutor who just quit doesn't seem very credible. There is no gun for evidence.

If you want to make up stuff like the cops and thugs set him up, go right ahead, but that's you, not me. If you want to talk about ghetto justice and your internet idea of how things happened between Taylor and the other guys, go right ahead, but that's you, not me. Almost nothing talked about on message boards will be part of the trial, including the stuff about lily-white people not understanding Ghettotown. Don't trip over your stereotypes, by the way.

I'm saying it looks like a very weak court case, a case in which he'll be acquitted, or will plead guilty to some misdemeanor and get no jail time, or that the entire case will be dropped. I did not feel that way until a couple months ago when the prosecution filed additional charges against him, yet apparently had no new evidence against him, which seemed like the first sign of desperation on their part. The second sign of desperation was offering him a plea bargain to a felony with no jail time. If their case is so solid, what did they do that? The prosecutor who just quit before he was replaced is a real weak point. Was he prosecuting the case on its merits? Or was he prosecuting it to bring publicity to his career as a DJ?

So tell me: Do you honestly think he will be found guilty? Or do you just want to say he's a thug? Those are two very different things.

 

[buster c]

So fatness you are honestly of the opinion he is being framed? Setup by the cops and some thugs? So you are of the opinion no crime happend? This is all just made up, to get Taylor? That these felons who steal all-terrain vehicles, did just that, stole the all-terain vehicles from Taylor. Then cooked up a story how Taylor came over later with his gun? They just made it all up? Makes alot of sense really. I know if I stole some guys car, I would call up the police and tell them he threatend to kill me with his gun in my face. That's a brilliant plan.

Look I understand you skins fans don't want your premeir safety behind bars. And it certainly looks like the prosecuter is fouling up this entire trial and he won't be behind bars. In fact even if the case looked rock solid against Taylor (no prosecuter problems, accusers boy scouts) I doubt he would go to jail. But the bottom line is Taylor is a thug, he likely threaten those hoods with a gun, whether or not the State can prove it is another story.

including the stuff about lily-white people not understanding Ghettotown. Don't trip over your stereotypes, by the way.

just because it's a stereotype doesn't mean it's untrue

 

[fatness]

Thud.

 

[fatness]

PFT's picture of Sean Taylor, Joe Gibbs, and the prosecutor who quit.

 

[Gold Plated Nails]

So fatness you are honestly of the opinion he is being framed? Setup by the cops and some thugs? So you are of the opinion no crime happend? This is all just made up, to get Taylor? That these felons who steal all-terrain vehicles, did just that, stole the all-terain vehicles from Taylor. Then cooked up a story how Taylor came over later with his gun? They just made it all up? Makes alot of sense really. I know if I stole some guys car, I would call up the police and tell them he threatend to kill me with his gun in my face. That's a brilliant plan.

Look I understand you skins fans don't want your premeir safety behind bars. And it certainly looks like the prosecuter is fouling up this entire trial and he won't be behind bars. In fact even if the case looked rock solid against Taylor (no prosecuter problems, accusers boy scouts) I doubt he would go to jail. But the bottom line is Taylor is a thug, he likely threaten those hoods with a gun, whether or not the State can prove it is another story.

I'm of the opinion that the prosecutors have little chance of proving Taylor guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of what he is presently charged with. I hope that's clear enough for you.This is a court case we're talking about, where there are "witnesses" and "evidence" and "prosecutors" and "defense attorneys" and a "judge", and things called "laws". The witnesses trying to help the prosecutor prove Taylor guilty don't appear to be very credible. The prosecutor who just quit doesn't seem very credible. There is no gun for evidence.

If you want to make up stuff like the cops and thugs set him up, go right ahead, but that's you, not me. If you want to talk about ghetto justice and your internet idea of how things happened between Taylor and the other guys, go right ahead, but that's you, not me. Almost nothing talked about on message boards will be part of the trial, including the stuff about lily-white people not understanding Ghettotown. Don't trip over your stereotypes, by the way.

I'm saying it looks like a very weak court case, a case in which he'll be acquitted, or will plead guilty to some misdemeanor and get no jail time, or that the entire case will be dropped. I did not feel that way until a couple months ago when the prosecution filed additional charges against him, yet apparently had no new evidence against him, which seemed like the first sign of desperation on their part. The second sign of desperation was offering him a plea bargain to a felony with no jail time. If their case is so solid, what did they do that? The prosecutor who just quit before he was replaced is a real weak point. Was he prosecuting the case on its merits? Or was he prosecuting it to bring publicity to his career as a DJ?

So tell me: Do you honestly think he will be found guilty? Or do you just want to say he's a thug? Those are two very different things.

Fatness, I'm not asking whether or not you think he will be found guilty of this crime. You and I both don't think he will be found guilty (So I answered your question). Most celebritys aren't found guilty. Epecially in cases where the accusers are of questionable character, ask Michael Jackson. I'm asking if you had to choose, you had a million dollars to bet on one or the other, and there was a video camera filming the incedent at the house in question, do you bet that Taylor rolled up with his gun, or this is all made up? I got my money on the "Taylor The Kid".

 

[redman]

So fatness you are honestly of the opinion he is being framed? Setup by the cops and some thugs? So you are of the opinion no crime happend? This is all just made up, to get Taylor? That these felons who steal all-terrain vehicles, did just that, stole the all-terain vehicles from Taylor. Then cooked up a story how Taylor came over later with his gun? They just made it all up? Makes alot of sense really. I know if I stole some guys car, I would call up the police and tell them he threatend to kill me with his gun in my face. That's a brilliant plan.

I don't know what happened and neither do you. What I do know is that neither of these supposed victims has anything having to do with brilliance associated with them. I would put nothing past them, including concocting a story about Taylor waving a gun at them in order to deflect blame from themselves. It sure seems to have worked - they haven't been charged in this case to my understanding.

 

[Sweet Love]

"See that girl over there? She wants my sardeetch"...

 

[fatness]

Fatness, I'm not asking whether or not you think he will be found guilty of this crime. You and I both don't think he will be found guilty (So I answered your question). Most celebritys aren't found guilty. Epecially in cases where the accusers are of questionable character, ask Michael Jackson. I'm asking if you had to choose, you had a million dollars to bet on one or the other, and there was a video camera filming the incedent at the house in question, do you bet that Taylor rolled up with his gun, or this is all made up? I got my money on the "Taylor The Kid".

I don't know enough about what happened, despite reading many articles about it, to have any clear idea. So I wouldn't guess at it. And it's not important to me to guess what happened.The reason is that, on TV shows, the viewer always gets to see what happened, regardless of whether the CSI people get someone convicted or not. The viewer always knows.

Life is not like that. In real life and in trials in real life, there's almost never any expository moment where all truth is revealed. People plead innocent and get convicted sometimes, whether they did it or not. People plead guilty to one thing when they really did another thing or did nothing. Unless someone was really there with a camera, it's often unclear who did what in life.

So no guess from me.

Now, if you're asking if I'm rooting for Taylor to be convicted or acquitted, I'd like to see him convicted if it is clearly shown, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he did it. If it's not clear, I'd like to seem him acquitted. Same with anyone.

 

[DCThunder]

Now, if you're asking if I'm rooting for Taylor to be convicted or acquitted, I'd like to see him convicted if it is clearly shown, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he did it. If it's not clear, I'd like to seem him acquitted. Same with anyone.

Sounds like fatness believes in the American system of jurisprudence, justice and the presumption of innocence that anyone accused of a crime is supposed to receive, even if that's Michael Jackson, OJ Simpson or Sean Taylor.

 

[Bizkiteer]

Now, if you're asking if I'm rooting for Taylor to be convicted or acquitted, I'd like to see him convicted if it is clearly shown, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he did it. If it's not clear, I'd like to seem him acquitted. Same with anyone.

Sounds like fatness believes in the American system of jurisprudence, justice and the presumption of innocence that anyone accused of a crime is supposed to receive, even if that's Michael Jackson, OJ Simpson or Sean Taylor.

Yeah, he's a 'Skins fan...so when it's a Redskin, you just have to believe innocent until proven guilty. If he were a Cowpuke, he would be absolutely GUILTY until proven innocent! Are you okay DC? I'm surprised and worried to see that your post contains no reference to Lavar, missed assignments, freelancing or any other such comments.

 

[fatness]

Wasn't Michael Irvin falsely accused of rape? I don't have any problem with him not being convicted of that.

On the one hand it would hurt to not have Taylor starting at safety for the Redskins. But on the other hand, if he's clearly found to have threatened people with a gun, I'm not really sure I'd want him around, taking out Gregg Williams or Marcus Washington.

 

[buster c]

I'm not really sure I'd want him around, taking out Gregg Williams or Marcus Washington.

just keep your paws off my ATV

 

[redman]

Now, if you're asking if I'm rooting for Taylor to be convicted or acquitted, I'd like to see him convicted if it is clearly shown, beyond a reasonable doubt, that he did it. If it's not clear, I'd like to seem him acquitted. Same with anyone.

Sounds like fatness believes in the American system of jurisprudence, justice and the presumption of innocence that anyone accused of a crime is supposed to receive, even if that's Michael Jackson, OJ Simpson or Sean Taylor.

Yeah, he's a 'Skins fan...so when it's a Redskin, you just have to believe innocent until proven guilty. If he were a Cowpuke, he would be absolutely GUILTY until proven innocent! Are you okay DC? I'm surprised and worried to see that your post contains no reference to Lavar, missed assignments, freelancing or any other such comments.

Cowpuke's can't be proven innocent.