An Arapahoe County District Judge postponed the death-penalty sentencing of twice-convicted murderer Robert Ray for two months after Ray’s attorneys filed a host of motions this morning.
Ray was convicted of masterminding the killing of Javad Marshall-Fields of Aurora, who was about to testify against Ray in another murder that Ray was eventually convicted of and sentenced to life in prison for.
The jury in Ray’s witness-killing trial earlier this year voted that Ray should be given the death penalty for Marshall-Field’s death. In Colorado, only a jury can sentence a person to death.
Judge Gerald Rafferty was set to formally sentence Ray to death this morning before defense attorney Michael Root filed a host of last-minute motions forestalling the sentencing.
Rafferty continued the case to a pre-sentencing hearing on Aug. 13, and rescheduled sentencing for Sept. 10.
Ray, who appeared in a red jail jumpsuit, was returned to prison in Cañon City.
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
