Would-Be Witness-Killers Going to Prison

ST. LOUIS (CN) - Three people were sentenced to years in federal prison for their failed attempt to hire someone to kill a witness in a murder trial.

The plot was to kill a key witness in the 2008 murder trial of Kenneth Sills, according to statements made during the pleas.

After two juries failed to convict Sills, two of his relatives wanted to eliminate the witness before the third trial.

The hit attempt was botched, the witness was unharmed and went on to testify against Sills, who was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.

The failed murder-for-hire team was Lawrence Wallace, 39, of Detroit, who was sentenced to 150 months in prison; Cortez Brown, 35, and Anishika Linai Ward, 31, both of St. Louis, who were each sentenced to 90 months.

All three pleaded guilty in May to one felony count of conspiracy to use a facility in interstate commerce to commit murder for hire. Wallace also pleaded to one felony count of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

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