Posted on Tue, Dec. 04, 2007

As detectives hunted for a fifth suspect in Sean Taylor's death Monday, the defense attorney for one defendant said his client was recruited only as a driver and knew nothing of the burglary plan.

Venjah K. Hunte, 20, was recruited because he had a valid driver's license, said attorney Michael Hornung.

''He adamantly denies knowing any of the individuals had a gun. Obviously, when he was on the property for the first time, he knew of a gun when he heard two shots,'' Hornung said.

Police say Hunte, Eric Rivera, 17, Jason Mitchell, 19, and Charles Wardlow, 18, planned to burglarize the football star's Palmetto Bay home, not kill him.

Taylor was shot in his bedroom as he surprised the young men with a machete. Rivera is believed to be the shooter.

Hornung said Hunte drove only for about the first 30 minutes from Fort Myers but stopped when he was not told their destination.

The four on Monday were being held in Lee County Jail. They may be brought to Miami-Dade County as early as Tuesday, said a Miami-Dade state attorney's spokesman. A police spokeswoman said ``sometime this week.''

Miami-Dade police would not talk about a fifth possible suspect. Mitchell's attorney, Sawyer Smith, confirmed a fifth suspect was being sought but declined to elaborate.

The four are charged with felony murder, home invasion robbery and armed burglary.