Jailed Briton's mercy plea rejected

Former self-made millionaire Krishna Maharaj, who was once the second biggest racehorse owner in the UK, has always protested his innocence over the Florida murders and the British government supports his claims.

He spent 15 years on Death Row before his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2002.

Florida governor Charlie Crist and the state clemency board have denied his request for clemency, his last hope of freedom.

The family of the murder victims, Derrick and Duane Moo-Young, pleaded tearfully with the panel to deny 69-year-old Maharaj's request. But hundreds of supporters, including several high-profile UK politicians, are convinced Maharaj is innocent.

Conservative MP Peter Bottomley, a strong supporter of Maharaj, said: "Everyone knows about Louise Woodward, who was white, female and young. Mr Maharaj is black, British and old and does not have the glamour. But his case is even stronger."

And former attorney general Sir Nicholas Lyell has said: "There are real reasons for thinking that he may have been framed, that crucial evidence about the principal prosecution witness may not have been disclosed - indeed, was not disclosed - that he was inadequately represented, that the case was handled by a judge who in the middle of the case was arrested and subsequently disbarred.

"And that there are real reasons for all those reasons to think that this is a grave miscarriage of justice which one would hope can be put right."

Maharaj was sentenced to 25 years to life for killing Derrick Moo Young and given a death sentence for the murder of his 23-year-old son Duane in a Miami hotel. It was commuted to life imprisonment in 2002.

In a statement, the charity Reprieve said that both Maharaj and his wife Marita, 70, were "crushed by this decision".