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Killer's Parents Deny Knowledge Of Murderous Plan

MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The Miami parents of a man who is accused of going on a murderous rampage in 2009 after a Thanksgiving dinner in Jupiter said they had no idea he would do such a thing.

Responding to two lawsuits filed against them, Michael and Carole Merhige have denied they had any previous knowledge that their son Paul would go on a shooting rampage in the home of Jim and Muriel Sitton and kill his sisters Carla Merhige and Lisa Knight, 6-year old Makayla Sitton and Muriel Sitton's mother 76-year old mother Raymonde Joseph, according to the Palm Beach Post.

Last month, Lisa Knight's husband Patrick, who was wounded in the shooting, sued his former inlaws for damages and the loss of his wife. Knight claimed that the Merhige's knew of their son's "dangerous propensities" and failed to protect their relatives during the Thanksgiving get-together from him.

A similar suit making the same claims was filed by the Sittons.

Merhige, who has pleaded not guilty to the killings, was captured in the Florida Keys after a massive manhunt. He's scheduled to go trial this January and could receive the death penalty if convicted.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Palm Beach Post contributed to this report.)

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