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Sean Taylor's Accused Killer Fires Lawyer

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The accused killer of former University of Miami and Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor has fired his lawyer just one month before the trial had been set to begin.

Eric Rivera, Jr, 21, gave his reasons for firing lawyer Quinton Pitts in a letter sent to a Miami-Dade County judge. The judge ordered the letter sealed and said a new lawyer would be given to Rivera, but that the trial would still start on April 16.

Rivera, along with four other men from the Fort Myers area, stand accused of killing Taylor during a robbery at the player's home in 2007. All of them have pled not guilty and face the possibility of life in prison if they are convicted.

All of the trials will be conducted separately. A fifth man has already pled guilty to murder and burglary and will likely testify against the others in court.

(TM and © Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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