CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands (AP) - Miami Dolphins defensive end Jason Taylor and two partners were cleared Tuesday in a civil suit of reneging on a deal to buy a private island with sandy shoals and wind-swept grasses.
Taylor, who recently signed a $1.5 million, one-year contract to return to the Dolphins, and the partners were accused in the suit of breach of contract in 2004 to purchase Great St. James island, off St. Thomas' east end.
The partners contended the seller misrepresented several aspects of deal, such as public beach access, so they were entitled not to go through with it.
Taylor told reporters he was pleased with the jury's decision. "I've been coming here for 10, 12 years - and they've given me a reason to keep coming back here to enjoy it," he said, flashing a grin.
The jury also ruled that Taylor and his partners did not misrepresent terms of the deal to seller Christian Kjaer, who argued the trio broke the contract because they could not come up with $23.5 million needed for the closing.
Taylor played his first 11 NFL seasons with Miami before being traded a year ago to the Washington Redskins. He was released by Washington in March after one injury-filled season.
The 34-year-old will make $1.1 million in base salary and $400,000 in easy to reach incentives.
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