Congo court sentences 37 people to death on coup charges

Tyler Thompson, left, Marcel Malanga and Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, all American citizens, attend a court verdict on charges of taking part in a coup attempt (AP Photo/Samy Ntumba Shambuyi)

A military court in Congo handed down death sentences Friday to 37 people, including a Briton and three Americans, after convicting them on charges of taking part in a coup attempt.

The defendants, who also included a Belgian, a Canadian and several Congolese, can appeal the verdict on charges that included terrorism, murder and criminal association.