Key witnesses in Florida murder trial are protected

Court papers released in Sarasota, where James Cooper - who lived in Kenilworth and moved to Hampton Lucy - was shot dead last year, alongside his friend James Kouzaris, have revealed how detectives helped a key witness move out of the housing complex where the pair were killed in return for evidence. Others have been offered plea deals in exchange for information.

The documents, which are only available by visiting courts in Florida and have been published in the Sarasota Herald Tribune, reveal one key witness in the case lived across the street from 16-year-old murder suspect Shawn Tyson.

Wanda Farrior is believed to have told police she saw Tyson climb into a window of his mother’s house minutes after the shootings. To protect Mrs Farrior, aged 48, police helped her get a housing voucher to move out of The Courts housing complex. Her new address is being kept secret by the state attorney to protect her. The other two witnesses who received deals are brothers Jermaine and Joshua Bane, former friends of Tyson who accepted plea deals that helped them avoid jail time in exchange for co-operation as witnesses.

Mr Cooper, aged 25, and Mr Kouzaris, aged 24, were shot dead while on holiday in Florida last April. The charity Always A Chance has been set up in their memory to help young victims of violent crime. Tyson is due to stand trial for the double killing later this month. He denies the charges.