In a Pensacola court today, the seven suspected in the murders of Byrd and Melanie Billings pleaded not guilty.
The seven suspects, 6 adults and one juvenile, appeared in court for the first time, following their indictment by a grand jury.
Byrd and Melanie Billings, a wealth Pensacola couple, known for the adoption of 13 special needs children, were gunned down in their home on July 9th.
According to police, the seven had plotted over a period of several weeks to carry out the murders, which were caught on surveillance cameras in the home. The precision with which the murders were undertaken and the senselessness of the crime, made national headlines for several days.
If convicted, the 6 adults could face the death penalty, while the teen could spend the rest of his life in prison, without the possibility of parole, prosecutors said.
The trials of the Gang of 7 are set to commence in October 2009.
