A Benton County Jury has sentenced a convicted murderer to death. Around 2:45 Wednesday afternoon, a jury decided Brandon Lacy would be sentenced to death by lethal injection after being convicted of capital murder. The jury had been in deliberation for 12 hours over the past two days.
Last Friday Lacy was found guilty of stabbing 47-year-old Randy Walker of Garfield in 2007. Lacy was also given a life sentence for robbery.
The execution date has been set for June 15. However, that date could be pushed back, because the case will be appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Several members of Lacy's family were in the courtroom for the sentencing. "He didn't get a fair trial, things were left out," said Jennifer Hubbard, Lacy's cousin. She said there were important facts and witnesses that the jury never got to hear. The family also said they do believe Lacy was involved in the murder, however, they feel his confession happened under suspicious circumstances. "He went to not remembering things, to admitting to everything," said Hubbard.
Jamie Mallard, Lacy's ex-wife and mother of his child, said the toughest part for her is explaining to their teenage daughter why her father is going to die. "My daughter has to watch her father be killed, what kind of justice is that."
Benton County Prosecuting Attorney, Van Stone, said Lacy had a fair trial. "He had four attorneys, he had a mitigation specialist, he had an investigator, so I'm confident he received a fair trial," said Stone. He said the jury heard about the "horrific" murder and made their decision accordingly.
During the trial the prosecution explained the murder in detail. They said Lacy hit Walker, his one-time friend, over the head with a fireplace poker, stabbed his chest, slit his throat and then set him on fire.
The Walker family declined to comment on the sentencing. They are still awaiting the trial of Broderick Laswell, which is set to begin later this year. Laswell is the man suspected of being Lacy's accomplice in the murder.
Last Friday Lacy was found guilty of stabbing 47-year-old Randy Walker of Garfield in 2007. Lacy was also given a life sentence for robbery.
The execution date has been set for June 15. However, that date could be pushed back, because the case will be appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court.
Several members of Lacy's family were in the courtroom for the sentencing. "He didn't get a fair trial, things were left out," said Jennifer Hubbard, Lacy's cousin. She said there were important facts and witnesses that the jury never got to hear. The family also said they do believe Lacy was involved in the murder, however, they feel his confession happened under suspicious circumstances. "He went to not remembering things, to admitting to everything," said Hubbard.
Jamie Mallard, Lacy's ex-wife and mother of his child, said the toughest part for her is explaining to their teenage daughter why her father is going to die. "My daughter has to watch her father be killed, what kind of justice is that."
Benton County Prosecuting Attorney, Van Stone, said Lacy had a fair trial. "He had four attorneys, he had a mitigation specialist, he had an investigator, so I'm confident he received a fair trial," said Stone. He said the jury heard about the "horrific" murder and made their decision accordingly.
During the trial the prosecution explained the murder in detail. They said Lacy hit Walker, his one-time friend, over the head with a fireplace poker, stabbed his chest, slit his throat and then set him on fire.
The Walker family declined to comment on the sentencing. They are still awaiting the trial of Broderick Laswell, which is set to begin later this year. Laswell is the man suspected of being Lacy's accomplice in the murder.
