Delay possible for man accused of slaying teen girl in robbery

By Conor Shine

Monday, Oct. 24, 2011 | 2:18 p.m.

The trial for Norman Belcher, the man accused of killing 15-year-old Alexus Postorino in a drug related burglary last December, could be delayed following his appearance in Clark County District Court Monday morning.

Belcher’s case had been scheduled for Feb 21, 2012 and Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Lalli said he was ready to move forward on that timeline during Monday’s status check hearing before Judge Elissa Cadish.

But Belcher’s defense attorneys told the judge that they needed more time to go over the case and that the February trial date might not give them enough time to prepare for the death penalty case.

“We’re still in the investigation stage,” defense attorney Robert Langford said.

Cadish scheduled another status check for Dec. 5 at 8:30 a.m. where the trial date will be discussed.

“In advance of that hearing if you could give me something … to look at, assuming you’re going to be asking for a continuance, so I know the reasons and how long so we can discuss that,” Cadish told the defense.

Lalli told the judge he’s hoping to keep the case on schedule to prevent it from “languishing” in the court system.

“This case was bound over to district court in January 2011. They will have had over a year,” Lalli said. “I understand the predicament that Mr. Langford might find himself in, however this is an important case to the community and certainly an important case to the defendant.”

Belcher entered a plea of not guilty in March. Since that time, he has tried to have the court appoint different attorneys to represent him. In July, Belcher said he didn’t want Langford and defense attorney Lance Maningo and wanted to change his plea to guilty.

Belcher faces charges of murder with a deadly weapon, attempted murder with a deadly weapon, burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, battery with a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon and third-degree larceny.

At Belcher's preliminary hearing, Alexus Postorino's father, Bill Postorino, testified that the shooting followed a disagreement that he and Belcher, who were friends, were having over money.

Postorino told the court that he sold drugs out of his home because he didn't have a job. He also testified that Belcher was familiar with his home and knew that he kept drugs and money in a metal safe in the home's master bedroom.

Postorino said he had accused Belcher of breaking into his home earlier, on Dec. 1, and stealing drugs, money and other items. Postorino also said Belcher had confronted him about owing him money and that he had eventually had another man who lived at the house, Nicholas Brabham, pay back the money.

Brabham testified at the hearing in January from a hospital bed at University Medical Center.

Brabham testified that Belcher shot him twice, then Belcher came up the stairs and went into the master bedroom. Postorino testified he wasn't home at the time and was letting his daughter, Alexus, use the master bedroom while hers was being painted.

Police said when they arrived they found both Alexus Postorino and Brabham suffering from multiple gunshots. Both were taken to UMC, where the teenager died.