Sean Taylor: Death By Gun Control?

Taylor and his fiancee had been in the bedroom when a disturbance was heard in the living room, Sharpstein said.

"(He) tried to get a small machete that he keeps under the bed to defend himself but the door was burst into," Sharpstein told CNN, adding that Taylor's fiancee hid under the covers until the assailants had fled.

Why a machete?

Taylor had faced off-field legal issues several times, including a 2004 drunken driving arrest and the dropping of felony assault charges from a 2005 off-season incident involving firearms.

Taylor... pleaded no contest last year to two misdemeanor charges in connection with the 2005 incident and was in the final days of 18 months on probation.

Typically, people on probation are prohibited from possessing firearms. But then again, his assailant probably was, too. But the fact that he was not in custody means the legal system did not deem him a danger to others. The fact that he was a big, strong guy with access to machetes, and other potentially lethal objects just makes the firearm prohibition even more absurd. And the fact that a big, strong guy with a machete was no match for someone with a gun ought to be an object lesson for anyone who would find themselves outmatched without one.

I repeat myself: Those who cannot be trusted with firearms cannot be trusted without a custodian.

I also won't be surprised to find out there's a lot more to this story than what we've heard so far.

[Via John Hardin]

UPDATE: A comment poster on Reason Hit & Run writes:

A radio show interviewed Taylor's attorney from that case. He said that there were no restrictions on that, and that Taylor was no longer under any probation, anyway.

I'm taking that under advisement, but still maintain the speculation is valid to bring up, not only because diverse news sources claim Taylor's probation had not yet ended (his plea deal was first reported in June 2006, meaning he'd still have a couple months left to reach 18 months), but also because Florida statute 948.03 on terms and conditions of probation state that the offender:

Be prohibited from possessing, carrying, or owning any firearm unless authorized by the court and consented to by the probation officer.

Obviously, the important thing is to determine the truth of the matter, and the truth remains, regardless of Taylor's probation status and imposed conditions, his not having a firearm gave the victory advantage to his assailant.

Naturally, I'll keep an eye open if more information surfaces.