By DENISE MAYCOCK
Tribune Freeport Reporter
dmaycock@tribunemedia.net
SENTENCING for convicted murderer Basil Black has been rescheduled to June 17 after his newly appointed counsel requested more time during a pre-sentence hearing in the Supreme Court on Tuesday.
Black, who represented himself at trial in March, is being assisted by attorney Carlson Shurland for his sentencing, which was initially scheduled for May 3.
The 35-year-old resident of Eight Mile Rock could be facing a possible life sentence or capital punishment. On March 8, he was found guilty of murder in the shooting death of his 15-year-old girlfriend, Alexis Smith.
Smith was at the Platinum Sportsbar in Eight Mile Rock with Black and some friends during the early morning of March 30, 2014, when she was shot to death outside the nightclub.
Justice Estelle Gray-Evans is the presiding judge. Erica Kemp of the Attorney General’s Office appeared for the Crown.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Mr Shurland made a request for copies of the doctors’ reports that were presented as evidence in the trial, as well as a probation report from the Probation Department.
However, Mrs Kemp told the court that the probation report was not ready and would be completed by the end of the week.
US man’s sentence wait
Also appearing in the Supreme Court for sentencing was American citizen Michael Bradley whose sentence hearing was further postponed for another two months.
Bradley was convicted of killing of his 70-year-old father-in-law Sundiata Karamo over a year ago. He is represented by Mario Gray.
Karamo, a retired schoolteacher, was stabbed at his residence in Hawksbill in January 2015.
Justice Evans was informed by the prosecutor that the psychiatric report which had been requested from the Sandilands Rehabilitation Centre was still not complete, but noted that the probation report was finished.
Mr Gray, who was ready to proceed with the sentencing, was somewhat disappointed that the report was still not ready.
Justice Evans adjourned sentencing to June 23 at 9.30am.
Commenting has been disabled for this item.