Mrluvaluva
29-03-2012, 01:58 AM
Teenager Shawn Tyson has been given two life sentences after being found guilty of murdering British tourists James Kouzaris and James Cooper in Florida.
The pair were gunned down they walked drunkenly into a public housing estate in the Newtown area of Sarasota last April.
Tyson, 17, was found guilty of two counts of first degree murder by a jury at Sarasota County Courthouse.
It took the jury of eight women and four men about two hours to reach their verdict.
Tyson sat emotionless as it was read out to the court, as did his mother, Kenyatta Whitfield, sitting in the public gallery.
In a statement, the families of Cooper, 25, a tennis coach, and Kouzaris, 24, described Tyson as "evil".
They said they had been given "a life sentence when our sons were so brutally and needlessly taken from us.
"Ours is a life sentence, with no chance of parole from a broken heart, and a shattered soul.
"The evil of the killer is one thing, but the fact is, he would not have been on the streets had instructions to keep him incarcerated been passed from one judge to another."
Mr Kouzaris, from Northampton, and Mr Cooper, were confronted by Tyson when they wandered into The Court housing estate in the early hours of April 16, 2011.
He demanded money, and when they told him they had none, he told them: "Well since you ain't got no money, I got something for your ass".
The men pleaded to go home, saying they were drunk, but the teenager, then 16, shot them both.
When they were found, both still had their wallets and cash - Mr Cooper had $63.45 and Mr Kouzaris $62.05.
The pair, who met at Sheffield University, were on holiday with Mr Cooper's parents in upmarket Longboat Key, about 12 miles from the murder scene.
Tyson boasted to a friend, Latrece Washington, that one of his victims was "crying for his life", and he had shot him and "emptied the clip on him".
The teenager was seen by neighbours running to his house and climbing in the
window just after the gunshots.
He told another friend, Marvin Gaines, he had killed the men. Gaines said Tyson gave him seven 0.22 calibre shell casings to bury in his backyard, as well as a gun.
Gaines later gave the gun to friend Jermaine Bane, who sold it for $50.
Gaines led police to where the casings were buried after he was threatened with a charge of accessory to murder, Mr. The murder weapon has never been recovered.
Bane's brother Joshua Bane, 25, who avoided 10 years in prison by giving evidence, said Tyson often went out armed with a gun.
He saw him after the murders, when the teenager lifted up his shirt to reveal the murder weapon and a red bandana.
Bane told the court Tyson said: "Clap clap clap", a phrase taken from the film Top Shotters, meaning a "shootout".
Tyson was arrested on April 7 - nine days before the killings - for shooting at a car.
The same day, a woman said he pointed a gun at her and her niece, saying: "I'll kill both of you bitches."
He was released on April 15 and less than 24 hours later killed Mr Kouzaris and Mr Cooper.
SKY (http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16198338)
I have nothing but loathing for this animal. What an evil, sadistic, cold killer. Devoid of emotion. I can't imagine what those guys must have gone through. Let's hope this twisted individual is kept behind bars for a very long time.
The pair were gunned down they walked drunkenly into a public housing estate in the Newtown area of Sarasota last April.
Tyson, 17, was found guilty of two counts of first degree murder by a jury at Sarasota County Courthouse.
It took the jury of eight women and four men about two hours to reach their verdict.
Tyson sat emotionless as it was read out to the court, as did his mother, Kenyatta Whitfield, sitting in the public gallery.
In a statement, the families of Cooper, 25, a tennis coach, and Kouzaris, 24, described Tyson as "evil".
They said they had been given "a life sentence when our sons were so brutally and needlessly taken from us.
"Ours is a life sentence, with no chance of parole from a broken heart, and a shattered soul.
"The evil of the killer is one thing, but the fact is, he would not have been on the streets had instructions to keep him incarcerated been passed from one judge to another."
Mr Kouzaris, from Northampton, and Mr Cooper, were confronted by Tyson when they wandered into The Court housing estate in the early hours of April 16, 2011.
He demanded money, and when they told him they had none, he told them: "Well since you ain't got no money, I got something for your ass".
The men pleaded to go home, saying they were drunk, but the teenager, then 16, shot them both.
When they were found, both still had their wallets and cash - Mr Cooper had $63.45 and Mr Kouzaris $62.05.
The pair, who met at Sheffield University, were on holiday with Mr Cooper's parents in upmarket Longboat Key, about 12 miles from the murder scene.
Tyson boasted to a friend, Latrece Washington, that one of his victims was "crying for his life", and he had shot him and "emptied the clip on him".
The teenager was seen by neighbours running to his house and climbing in the
window just after the gunshots.
He told another friend, Marvin Gaines, he had killed the men. Gaines said Tyson gave him seven 0.22 calibre shell casings to bury in his backyard, as well as a gun.
Gaines later gave the gun to friend Jermaine Bane, who sold it for $50.
Gaines led police to where the casings were buried after he was threatened with a charge of accessory to murder, Mr. The murder weapon has never been recovered.
Bane's brother Joshua Bane, 25, who avoided 10 years in prison by giving evidence, said Tyson often went out armed with a gun.
He saw him after the murders, when the teenager lifted up his shirt to reveal the murder weapon and a red bandana.
Bane told the court Tyson said: "Clap clap clap", a phrase taken from the film Top Shotters, meaning a "shootout".
Tyson was arrested on April 7 - nine days before the killings - for shooting at a car.
The same day, a woman said he pointed a gun at her and her niece, saying: "I'll kill both of you bitches."
He was released on April 15 and less than 24 hours later killed Mr Kouzaris and Mr Cooper.
SKY (http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16198338)
I have nothing but loathing for this animal. What an evil, sadistic, cold killer. Devoid of emotion. I can't imagine what those guys must have gone through. Let's hope this twisted individual is kept behind bars for a very long time.