St. Albans man found guilty of ‘three strikes'
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A jury on Tuesday found a St. Albans man, convicted earlier this year of shooting another man to death in North Charleston, guilty of violating the state's "three strikes" rules.
Garland Murray could face a minimum of 30 years in prison when he is sentenced later this month in the murder of Gregory Poole, whom he was convicted of shooting three times in the head in 2010.
A jury convicted Murray in May on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and burglary but recommended mercy on the murder charge.
In a separate trial this week, Kanawha County prosecutors attempted to prove that Murray had a criminal history and was in violation of state recidivism laws, which call for harsher sentences for defendants with repeat, usually violent, criminal histories.
On Tuesday, a jury found that Murray was convicted of robbery in 1998 and firearm possession and wanton endangerment charges in 2003.
The recidivism statute holds that Murray will be eligible for parole after 15 years on the kidnapping charge. If Kanawha Circuit Judge Charles King decides to run the kidnapping and murder sentences consecutively, Murray will spend a minimum of 30 years in prison before he is able to appear before a parole board, according to prosecutors.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- A jury on Tuesday found a St. Albans man, convicted earlier this year of shooting another man to death in North Charleston, guilty of violating the state's "three strikes" rules.
Garland Murray could face a minimum of 30 years in prison when he is sentenced later this month in the murder of Gregory Poole, whom he was convicted of shooting three times in the head in 2010.
A jury convicted Murray in May on charges of first-degree murder, kidnapping and burglary but recommended mercy on the murder charge.
In a separate trial this week, Kanawha County prosecutors attempted to prove that Murray had a criminal history and was in violation of state recidivism laws, which call for harsher sentences for defendants with repeat, usually violent, criminal histories.
On Tuesday, a jury found that Murray was convicted of robbery in 1998 and firearm possession and wanton endangerment charges in 2003.
The recidivism statute holds that Murray will be eligible for parole after 15 years on the kidnapping charge. If Kanawha Circuit Judge Charles King decides to run the kidnapping and murder sentences consecutively, Murray will spend a minimum of 30 years in prison before he is able to appear before a parole board, according to prosecutors.
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