Twin trials tackle father's murder

The boys changed their story just before trial

By Fergal Parkinson BBC correspondent in Miami

Two teenage boys have gone on trial in the US charged with murdering their father - just a week after a family friend also stood trial charged with the same crime.

In a bizarre legal decision, prosecutors in the town of Pensacola, Florida, decided to hold two separate trials for a crime only the boys or the other defendant could have committed.

The trial centres on the brutal murder last year of 40-year-old Terry King.

King was hit over the head with a baseball bat before his body was set on fire.

Abuse claim

A few days later Mr King's two sons - 13-year-old Alex and 14-year-old Derrick - confessed to his murder, claiming that he had been too strict.

The brothers are defendants and star witnesses

But just as the case was about to go to trial they changed their story and instead blamed the murder on a family friend, 40-year-old Ricky Chavis.

According to the brothers, Mr Chavis had been having a sexual affair with the younger boy, Alex, and had feared their father may find out.

However Mr Chavis denies the charge.

Who to believe?

Not knowing who to believe, the prosecution decided to present the two different theories in two separate but simultaneous trials.

The brothers are the defendants in one, and the star witnesses in the other.

Mr Chavis' trial has already come to an end but the verdict will not be known until the boys' trial ends later this week.

The problem for prosecutors is that three guilty verdicts will not be allowed to stand.