Delmer Smith III sentenced to death for murder of Kathleen Briles
Delmer Smith III on Tuesday was sentenced to death for the vicious slaying of Terra Ceia resident Kathleen Briles.
Months after the jury that convicted Smith of first-degree murder unanimously recommended that Smith be executed, Judge Peter Dubensky concurred and ruled that Smith, a career criminal, spend his remaining days waiting to be executed by lethal injection as punishment for the Aug. 3, 2009, beating death of Briles, the wife of Palmetto physician Dr. James Briles.
Briles' death was the most violent of several home invasions that terrorized Manatee and Sarasota counties in 2009. Although he has been tried -- and convicted -- in only two of the cases, authorities have said they consider him the suspect in the others.
Smith, already serving a life sentence for a home invasion and kidnapping in Sarasota, will now take his spot on Florida's death row.
Smith was on parole for a federal bank robbery conviction when he broke into Briles' home and used an antique sewing machine to beat the woman to death, according to testimony in the trial.
A jury last August deliberated for about two hours before finding Smith guilty of first-degree murder and armed burglary. After hearing additional testimony, the same panel deliberated for about 30 minutes before unanimously recommending Smith be executed for the crime.
Final sentencing by Dubensky had been delayed as defense attorneys attempted to show that Smith suffered from abnormalities in his brain that affected his decision-making and made him less responsible for his crimes. Smith, they argued, should be spared the death penalty and instead be sentenced to life in prison without parole.
http://www.bradenton.com/2013/05/28/...tenced-to.html
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