Prosecutors in the retrial of Kirk Billie, a Miccosukee man accused of murdering his two young sons, are relying on testimony from the first trial rather than live witnesses.

State prosecutors continued reading from the 2001 trial testimony on Wednesday. Their only live witness was a police captain who tried to prove that Billie knew his sons, ages 3 and 5, were in the back of an SUV that he drove into a canal.

The incident took place off the reservation but state investigators tried to go on tribal lands to interview witnesses and seek evidence. The tribe refused to allow state law enforcement onto the reservation.

Billie had been found guilt of second-degree murder but an appeals court set aside the conviction and ordered a new trial because the jury heard testimony about his criminal past.

Get the Story:
Witness debunks Billie's claim (The South Florida Sun-Sentinel 1/20)
pwlat

Court Decision:
Billie v. State (July 30, 2003)

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Testimony begins in retrial of Miccoukee man (1/19)
Miccosukee man back in court for death of sons (1/14)
Miccosukee man on trial again for murder of sons (1/13)
Miccosukee man faces retrial for sons' deaths (09/06)
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Miccosukee man's murder hearing closed to public (04/21)
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Billie given two life sentences (4/20)
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Feds dispute tribe's brand of justice (10/16)
Miccosukee tribe tries to protect sovereignty (9/26)