By LAMECH JOHNSON
Tribune Staff Reporter
ljohnson@tribunemedia.net
A MAN was sentenced to 40 years imprisonment yesterday in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred nearly five years ago.
Lathario Miller, who was convicted in June for the September 26, 2010 murder of Marco Smith, appeared before Justice Ian Winder facing between 30 years to life imprisonment.
Smith, according to evidence, was arguing with Miller when he was fatally shot.
An autopsy revealed that he had three gunshot wounds in his upper body that were not at close range.
In giving his decision on an appropriate sentence for the 29-year-old convict, Justice Winder yesterday noted that the deceased was killed following an argument with Miller on Market Street in a public area.
The judge added that while Miller maintained that he had killed Smith in self-defence, the jury rejected the argument as well as the possibility that Smith had provoked Miller’s actions.
Justice Winder said he had considered the submissions of the Crown and the attorney for the accused on the question of sentencing.
Raymond Rolle, Miller’s lawyer, had asked the court for leniency for his client who had expressed remorse for the loss of life.
Crown prosecutor Darnell Dorsett had asked the court to impose life imprisonment on the convict to reflect society’s abhorrence for such actions.
Justice Winder said that an appropriate sentence, when balancing both mitigating and aggravating circumstances, would be 40 years imprisonment.
The sentence, he said, would be reduced to 36 years and nine months after taking into account time spent on remand awaiting trial.
The sentence is to run from the date of conviction, June 8.
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