New hearing set for man accused in shooting death of 15-year-old girl

By Dave Toplikar

Monday, Aug. 22, 2011 | 12:07 p.m.

It’s still unclear whether Norman Belcher will change his plea to guilty in the murder of 15-year-old Alexus Postorino, stemming from a drug-related burglary last year in Las Vegas.

Belcher had a short hearing today before Judge Jennifer Togliatti, where she was told there were still some issues to be resolved, including who will be representing Belcher.

Belcher, who could face the death penalty, will come back to court at 8:30 a.m. Sept. 26 for another status check hearing, the judge decided. Togliatti said the date of his trial will continue to stay on the court calendar for Feb. 21, 2012.

Belcher is being represented by two court-appointed attorneys, Robert Langford and Lance Mangino. During a status check hearing in July, Belcher had told the court he didn’t want to be represented by the two attorneys and wanted to change his plea to guilty.

However, his attorneys said they had not been able to talk to him and they were concerned about his competency. So a psychiatrist evaluated him and on Aug. 11, Judge Kathleen Delaney said he was competent to stand trial.

He is charged with the murder of Alexus Postorino and the shooting of Nicholas Brabham, 34, who was critically injured in the Dec. 6, 2010, home invasion.

He has been charged with burglary while in possession of a deadly weapon, two counts of robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, murder with the use of a deadly weapon, attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon, battery with the use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, and third-degree larceny.

During a preliminary hearing, Postorino testified the shooting followed a disagreement he and Belcher were having over money that Belcher said Postorino owed him. Postorino told the court 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 he kept drugs and money in a heavy metal safe in the home’s master bedroom.

According to Brabham’s testimony, when Belcher broke into the home, Brabham, who was Postorino’s roommate, came to the top of the stairs to investigate the noise and was shot twice. Then, while Brabham retreated into his own bedroom, Belcher came up the stairs and went into the master bedroom, where Postorino’s daughter, Alexus, was sleeping because her room was being painted, Brabham testified.

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.