22 March 2012 Last updated at 13:54 ET
Shawn Tyson trial: Shot Britons found 'with shirts off' Mr Tyson has been charged with first-degree murder
A court has heard that two British men shot dead in Florida last April were found with their shirts off and trousers round their thighs.
Shawn Tyson, 17, is being tried for the murders of James Cooper, 25, from Hampton Lucy, near Warwick and James Kouzaris, 24, from Northampton.
A court in Sarasota, Florida heard they had drunkenly walked into the rundown neighbourhood of Newtown.
Mr Tyson has been charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder.
He was 16 at the time of the murders and faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if he is convicted.
Mr Kouzaris and Mr Cooper were in the second week of a three-week holiday with Mr Cooper's family when they were killed in the early hours of 16 April.
'Six to eight gunshots'
The court heard how the pair had been out for a meal with Mr Cooper's parents and then went drinking.
Assistant State Attorney Ed Brodsky, for the prosecution, said they left the Gator Club in Sarasota at about 02:00 local time before wandering into Newtown, a poorer area of the city.
Mr Brodsky told the court that witnesses reported seeing two black males watching the British holiday makers before hearing between six and eight gunshots ring out.
He said that police and fire and rescue services arrived at Carver Court and pronounced the men dead at the scene.
They were found on either side of the road.
"Mr Tyson had boasted that he began shooting them both”
Assistant State Attorney
Mr Brodsky said: "James Cooper was shirtless, clutching his shirt in his hand, his blue jeans that he was wearing were found pulled down about mid-thigh level.
"He still had his wallet, money, cell phone and camera in his possession."
The court heard police found the body of Mr Kouzaris who was also shirtless with his trousers pulled down to thigh level with his shirt tucked into the back of his trousers.
He also still had his wallet and money on him.
Mr Brodsky said a friend of Mr Tyson's, Jermaine Bane, would describe seeing him on the night of the murders.
He said that Mr Bane received a call, which he thought was accidental, from Mr Tyson telling someone there were two white men walking in the area, but then hung up.
He said Mr Bane would say he heard gunshots five or 10 minutes later and Mr Tyson called him to ask if he had heard them.
When he said "yes" Mr Tyson told him to go outside and see if there were any bodies.
Mr Brodsky said Mr Bane also saw Mr Tyson with a 0.22 calibre revolver which he would frequently carry wrapped in a red bandana.
'Pleaded with gunman'
Mr Brodsky added that one witness said Mr Cooper and Mr Kouzaris had pleaded with Mr Tyson to let them go, that they were drunk and that they were just trying to find their way home.
He said: "Mr Tyson had boasted to one witness that he began shooting them both."
Another witness, Marvin Gaines, said Mr Tyson told him he had put the gun under his house and and buried seven shell casings from that weapon in his yard.
When he asked why, Mr Tyson told him: "Those two bodies back there, I did that."
Mr Brodsky said police searched Mr Tyson's bedroom on the evening of 16 April and found a 0.22 calibre bullet, and that his DNA was found on Mr Cooper's jeans.
Carolyn Schlemmer, for the defence, told the jury: "The evidence in this case will show no murder weapon or a weapon believed to even be a murder weapon was ever recovered in this case."
She said the gun and bullet casings found were not linked directly to Mr Tyson but to the people who had given them to police.
She said a 0.22 calibre gun and 0.22 calibre bullets were some of the most common in the world.
The trial continues
Shawn Tyson trial: Shot Britons found 'with shirts off' Mr Tyson has been charged with first-degree murder
A court has heard that two British men shot dead in Florida last April were found with their shirts off and trousers round their thighs.
Shawn Tyson, 17, is being tried for the murders of James Cooper, 25, from Hampton Lucy, near Warwick and James Kouzaris, 24, from Northampton.
A court in Sarasota, Florida heard they had drunkenly walked into the rundown neighbourhood of Newtown.
Mr Tyson has been charged as an adult with two counts of first-degree murder.
He was 16 at the time of the murders and faces life in prison without the possibility of parole if he is convicted.
Mr Kouzaris and Mr Cooper were in the second week of a three-week holiday with Mr Cooper's family when they were killed in the early hours of 16 April.
'Six to eight gunshots'
The court heard how the pair had been out for a meal with Mr Cooper's parents and then went drinking.
Assistant State Attorney Ed Brodsky, for the prosecution, said they left the Gator Club in Sarasota at about 02:00 local time before wandering into Newtown, a poorer area of the city.
Mr Brodsky told the court that witnesses reported seeing two black males watching the British holiday makers before hearing between six and eight gunshots ring out.
He said that police and fire and rescue services arrived at Carver Court and pronounced the men dead at the scene.
They were found on either side of the road.
"Mr Tyson had boasted that he began shooting them both”
Assistant State Attorney
Mr Brodsky said: "James Cooper was shirtless, clutching his shirt in his hand, his blue jeans that he was wearing were found pulled down about mid-thigh level.
"He still had his wallet, money, cell phone and camera in his possession."
The court heard police found the body of Mr Kouzaris who was also shirtless with his trousers pulled down to thigh level with his shirt tucked into the back of his trousers.
He also still had his wallet and money on him.
Mr Brodsky said a friend of Mr Tyson's, Jermaine Bane, would describe seeing him on the night of the murders.
He said that Mr Bane received a call, which he thought was accidental, from Mr Tyson telling someone there were two white men walking in the area, but then hung up.
He said Mr Bane would say he heard gunshots five or 10 minutes later and Mr Tyson called him to ask if he had heard them.
When he said "yes" Mr Tyson told him to go outside and see if there were any bodies.
Mr Brodsky said Mr Bane also saw Mr Tyson with a 0.22 calibre revolver which he would frequently carry wrapped in a red bandana.
'Pleaded with gunman'
Mr Brodsky added that one witness said Mr Cooper and Mr Kouzaris had pleaded with Mr Tyson to let them go, that they were drunk and that they were just trying to find their way home.
He said: "Mr Tyson had boasted to one witness that he began shooting them both."
Another witness, Marvin Gaines, said Mr Tyson told him he had put the gun under his house and and buried seven shell casings from that weapon in his yard.
When he asked why, Mr Tyson told him: "Those two bodies back there, I did that."
Mr Brodsky said police searched Mr Tyson's bedroom on the evening of 16 April and found a 0.22 calibre bullet, and that his DNA was found on Mr Cooper's jeans.
Carolyn Schlemmer, for the defence, told the jury: "The evidence in this case will show no murder weapon or a weapon believed to even be a murder weapon was ever recovered in this case."
She said the gun and bullet casings found were not linked directly to Mr Tyson but to the people who had given them to police.
She said a 0.22 calibre gun and 0.22 calibre bullets were some of the most common in the world.
The trial continues
