Two twins were found shot to death and their bodies burned after residents reported a brush fire in West Palm Beach. Authorities found the burnt remains of two men who were later identified through DNA. The men were twins who were living in an apartment with two other men. The two other men are now standing trial for their murder.
The suspects will be tried separately. The first suspect to stand trial will plead self-defense. An attorney for the second man has yet to reveal his trial strategy. But throwing the first man under the bus appears to be the best option. It was the first man who was accused of discharging the weapon that killed the twins. The other man is charged with attempting to cover up the murder and destroy the evidence.
Tension between roommates
The defense for the first suspect who is accused of firing the weapon will include testimony that tensions within the house were running high before the shooting occurred. The defense will argue that the twins made very vocal efforts to purchase a firearm to dispose of the lead suspect. The defense will further imply that their client’s actions were necessary or at least, that he had good reason to believe that his life was in danger.
Self-defense
The police have a witness that will testify that they heard gunshots and then saw the two defendants emerge from the apartment, check on the victims, and determine that they were dead. The one defendant said he was not home at the time of the shooting while the other claimed he was home but didn’t see or hear anything. Further, a witness says that one of the men threatened him not to discuss what he saw that day.
The ringleader defense
The attorney in charge of the second man’s lawsuit has yet to discuss his trial strategy. There may be several reasons for this. First, he may want to see which direction the jurors lean in the case against the primary suspect. If the jurors buy into a self-defense argument, the second suspect may be able to raise a similar defense. If the jurors don’t buy into that account and believe that the roommate acted with intentional malice, then the defendant can argue that he felt pressured or threatened into helping the first man dispose of the body. In other words, the other man was the ringleader, the entire situation was his fault, and the second man felt threatened to help dispose of the body.
Talk to a West Palm Beach Criminal Defense Attorney
If you’ve been implicated in a serious crime, a West Palm Beach criminal defense attorney will know which trial strategy is best to improve your chances. Call The Skier Law Firm, P.A. today to schedule an appointment and learn more about how we can help.
Resource:
sun-sentinel.com/local/palm-beach/fl-ne-twin-brothers-murders-20210906-f5on2k3gwjg3xfgsox7lqw4up4-story.html