The Tribune

By LAMECH JOHNSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

ljohnson@tribunemedia.net

A LAWYER representing a man who wishes to contest his murder conviction asked the Court of Appeal for additional time to prepare for the formal appeal.

Rolin Alexis, 26, appeared in the Appeal Court yesterday for the expected substantive hearing concerning his formal challenge to a Supreme Court jury's guilty verdict concerning the killing of Deslin Nichols in July 2011.

His recently appointed lawyer, public defender Stanley Rolle, requested additional time to prepare for Alexis' appeal.

The request was granted and the matter was further adjourned to October 30.

Nichols was shot multiple times as he sat in his vehicle at Florida Court, off Balfour Avenue.

Alexis was convicted by a Supreme Court jury in May 2015 and two months later, Justice Bernard Turner sentenced him to 45 years at the Department of Correctional Services.

However, Justice Turner shortened Alexis' sentence to 42 years and eight months after taking into consideration the time Alexis had spent in custody, which was some 28 months.

Justice Turner also took into account Alexis being a "young man" with a "clean criminal history" before the incident in question and "being gainfully employed".

Jacqueline Forbes-Foster appeared for the Crown in yesterday's appellate hearing before Justices Jon Isaacs, Stella Crane-Scott and Roy Jones.