Arraignment delayed again for man accused in slaying of Las Vegas teen

By Dave Toplikar

Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2011 | 9:44 a.m.

An arraignment has been postponed again for a man accused of killing a Las Vegas teenager and critically injuring a man during a shooting in a home invasion in December.

Norman Belcher Jr. will be arraigned at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 23 in Clark County District Court before District Judge Elissa Cadish.

Belcher been charged in the Dec. 6 death of 15-year-old Alexus Postorino and the shooting of Nicholas Brabham, 31.

Robert Langford, Belcher's attorney, asked for the delay this morning in the murder and robbery case.

"There are some preliminary matters we need to establish prior to doing a proper arraignment," Langford told the judge. "If the court would allow us two weeks to get those things done."

Assistant District Attorney Christopher Lalli told the judge he had no problem with the delay.

Belcher, who was present in the courtroom this morning, is being held without bail in the Clark County Detention Center.

He was bound over for trial by Justice of the Peace Joe Bonaventure after a preliminary hearing Jan. 24 in Las Vegas Justice Court.

Belcher 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 the preliminary hearing, Brabham testified via a telephone and video hookup from his hospital bed at University Medical Center that Belcher was the man who shot him during the home invasion that took place in the early morning hours of Dec. 6 at a three-bedroom home at 9752 Villa Lorena Drive.

Brabham said he knew Belcher, who went by the nickname "Bates." Brabham said Belcher had been at the home several times because he was friends with Alexus Postorino's father, Bill Postorino.

Brabham said as he stood at the top of the stairs to investigate the noise of the break-in, Belcher shot him and Brabham then went back into his own bedroom.

Belcher then went into the master bedroom, where there was a safe containing drugs and money, according to testimony.

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.

Her father testified at the preliminary hearing that he was letting his daughter sleep in the master bedroom that night while hers was being painted. Postorino said he was at was at a casino at the time of the shooting.

Postorino testified that he and Belcher had been having a disagreement over money Belcher claimed Postorino owed him. Postorino said he also accused Belcher of having broken into his home on Dec. 1 to take drugs, money and other items.

Postorino testified that after receiving a series of threatening text phone messages from Belcher that he owed Belcher $450, he decided to pay Belcher the money to end the confrontation. Belcher said he had Brabham pay Belcher the money on Dec. 4.

A neighbor testified at the hearing that she was woken up by the sound of a heavy metal object being dragged onto the pavement on Dec. 6. She said she saw a man put the object into a car and drive away.

She was shown a photo that she said looked like the same car. The photo showed a burned 2009 four-door white Nissan Versa, which Belcher had rented from United Nissan.

A Metro police officer also testified that he had stopped Belcher for driving 74 mph in a 55 mph zone at 3:16 a.m., driving east on the 215 Beltway, away from the shooting scene, in the same vehicle police had found burning a few hours later.