Saturday, April 30 2005 11:27 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New York: A US Court has recommended execution of an Indian origin businessman for the murder of two women and two teenagers over a dispute on expanding their motel businesses, almost six months after his brother was sentenced to death for the same crime.

A Los Angeles Superior Court jury gave Veerendra Govin, 37, the same sentence as was given to his brother Parvin, 35, for the killings on May 4, 2002, in an alley behind their adjoining businesses.

The sentencing has been set by Los Angles Superior Court judge Kathleen Kennedy-Powell for June 13 next and if she accepts the recommendation it would become rare case in the judicial history where two brothers were sentenced to death for the same crime.

The case arose out of a dispute between two families of Indian origin, both owners of motels, when they wanted to expand their businesses.

The prosecution said the brothers had set fire to the house of their rival in which Gita Kumar, 42, her mother-in-law Sitaben Patel, 63, her son Paras Kumar, 18, and her daughter Tulsi Kumar, 16, perished.

Harish Kumar, Gita's husband, was not at home when their house in Hollywood Hills was set on fire and he called the emergency services on finding it on fire when he returned.

A third defendant Carlos M Amador, who testified against the brothers, is due to be sentenced shortly and is expected to be spared of death sentence but get 15-year four consecutive terms in prison.

The trial of two brothers was held last year and a jury convicted Veerendra Govin but was deadlocked on Parvin Govin. That led to his second trial, which began in February.