Florida Bar to consider probe in King brothers' trial

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A Florida Bar committee will meet next month to decide if the prosecutor of two brothers tried for killing their father should be investigated for his actions during the case.

David Rimmer, the prosecutor who was sharply criticized for his prosecution of Alex and Derek King as adults, said the complaint against him was filed by a convicted child abuser out of "spite."

The Bar's Aug. 19 hearing was prompted by an ethics complaint filed by Brian Oliver from Maplewood, Mo., who has been one of the most persistent advocates for trying the children in juvenile court.

"Given the bizarre nature of this case and Mr. Rimmer's handling of it, it is likely that a range of general misconduct was committed here," Oliver wrote in his original ethics complaint.

Rimmer called the complaint frivolous.

"I feel very confidant I've done nothing wrong, and I feel that the allegations were made out of spite by this Brian Oliver, who was writing hateful e-mails and letters to me before the trial ever started," Rimmer said.

Officials at next month's hearing, which is closed to Rimmer, Oliver and the general public, will determine if there is probable cause to continue the investigation.

Terry King was found fatally beaten at his Cantonment home on Nov. 26, 2001, and his house had been set on fire.

Alex and Derek, ages 14 and 15, stood trial in September 2001 and were convicted of second-degree murder. The brothers also testified against acquaintence Ricky Chavis in a separate trial, but Chavis was acquitted.

Alex and Derek's convictions later were thrown out, but the brothers pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and are scheduled to be released from their juvenile detention centers by late 2009.

Chavis later was convicted of falsely imprisoning Alex, tampering with evidence and being an accessory to a murder. He was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

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Information from: Pensacola News Journal,

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