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Trial of men charged in death of bystander gets started

BOSTON — Two men charged with  first-degree murder in connection with the shooting death of an innocent bystander at a Boston street festival in 2014 are headed to trial.

It was an emotional first day of testimony in the murder trial of rival Boston gang members, now co-defendants Keith Williams and Wesson Colas.

Prosecutors say Williams and Colas were rivals who confronted each other with guns near a Caribbean festival in Dorchester in August 2014. Prosecutors say Williams fired, but Colas did not.

A bullet struck and killed 24-year-old Dawnn Jaffier, a city youth worker.

Under state law, both men face murder charges and will be tried together even though they are rivals.

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Their defense lawyers had had asked a judge to separate the cases.

Williams's attorney says his client was wrongly identified as the shooter.

MORE: BPD plan tight security for 2015 Caribbean fest