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 Thursday 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. Marshall-Fields’ fiancee, Vivian Wolfe, was also killed.
The jury in Ray’s witness-killing trial 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 expected to formally sentence Ray on Thursday morning, but defense attorney Michael Root filed several last-minute motions forestalling the sentencing.
Rafferty continued the case to a pre-sentencing hearing Aug. 13 and rescheduled sentencing for Sept. 10.
Ray, who appeared in a red jail jumpsuit, was returned to prison in Cañon City after the hearing.
Mike McPhee: 303-954-1409 or mmcphee@denverpost.com
