Reaction to possible plea deal in Thanksgiving Day murders

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - "People are outraged that this plea would even be considered." Jim Sitton wants Paul Michael Merhrige case to go to trial. Merhige is accused of killing four family members, including Sitton's six year old daughter Makayla.
He says prosecutors would like to offer a plea deal in the case-- Merhige would not face the death penalty.
"Makayla did not get a chance to plea, Mami did not get a chance to plea, Lisa did not get a chance to plea for her or her unborn child and Carla did not get a chance to plea, why would the monster get a chance to plea."

Today we spoke with attorney Michael O'Rourke, a former prosecutor, who shed some light on possible reasons why prosecutors would offer a plea deal. One of the possible reasons being that other family members do not want the case to go trial. "All of the this the witnesses are family members and it's a very stressful situation and there may be consideration and the state may have spoken to the witnesses with regard to those stress factors."

"There was a six year old child executed in this case, which is a horrific crime, but again as I said, maybe and I don't know all of the facts of the case but maybe the state saw something that could make it themselves concerned about whether there would be a not guilty plea, a not guilty finding as a result of insanity."

A case disposition hearing is scheduled for Thursday about the plea deal.