Possible death penalty for killers
Published:Friday | July 29, 2011 | 12:00 AM
ST JOHN'S (CMC):
Prosecutors may seek the death penalty for two men convicted late yesterday of killing British honeymooners Benjamin and Catherine Mullany and Jamaican shopkeeper Waneta Anderson.
Kaniel Martin and Avie Howell, who shot the couple and made off with 'cheap' cellphones and cash, still face two more murder charges.
The prosecution has reserved its decision on whether to pursue the death penalty until September 26 when the court will hold a sentencing hearing for the men, Prosecutor Adlai Smith told the court.
The two are to return to court during the next assizes to face murder charges for the deaths of a 46-year-old man and a 24-year-old student.
They showed little emotion as the verdict was read and their families walked out in anger.
Justice Richard Floyd expressed his thanks to the 12-member jury: eight men and four women who, after 10 hours of deliberations, reached their verdict three years to the day of the Mullany shootings. They returned to the courtroom around 11:30 on Wednesday night (3:30 a.m. Thursday GMT).