JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Derek and Alex King, the brothers from Pensacola who were just 12 and 13 years old when they were convicted in 2002 of killing their father with a baseball bat, now live in Jacksonville.
The brothers, once known as the "baby-faced brothers," live at a Southside apartment complex. They made an appearance on the "Today" show Tuesday morning to talk about their future.
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Channel 4's Jim Piggott went to their home Tuesday after their appearance, but Derek, who was home, decided he did not want to talk about why he is in Jacksonville.
He and his brother Alex did talk Tuesday morning during an interview with Matt Lauer. The brothers told Lauer they were in Jacksonville to go to school at Florida State College of Jacksonville, formally FCCJ.
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"We more talk about college and where we plan to go with our lives in the future," Alex said. "We now spend our days talking about job hunts, classes we are going to take, as opposed to reliving the past."
But it's a past they will be living with. The two brothers from Pensacola were just 12 and 13 years old when they made national headlines. Both were convicted in 2002 of killing their father with a baseball bat.
The boys said it was an abusive home. Derek admitted to swinging the bat while Alex urged him on. Alex served seven years at a juvenile facility and Derek served eight years.
Both are now in Jacksonville to start a new life. Derek is enrolled at FSC in and Alex will attend soon.
Officials with the school did not want to comment, but students on campus did.
Those Channel 4 talked to said they support the pair.
"Everyone deserves a second chance," student John Buzzy said. "Michael Vick just got a second chance. They probably had a good reason, but murder should never be the option."
"You never know now if you are sitting next to someone who committed murder because you don't know their background," student Betty Blue said. "These two are nationally known for what they did."
At their apartment complex, people who live there were surprised, but again supportive.
"It makes you a little bit uncomfortable, but it would not change my decision to live here at all," neighbor Joelle Forser said.
