July 20, 2009 8:11 AM
- Text
Stop the Music: Life Sentence for Stealing CDs
(CBS/AP)
A Montgomery County jury on Thursday sentenced 43-year-old Brian Keith Balentine, whose criminal history was presented during the penalty phase.
Prosecutors say the robbery conviction involved a March 2008 theft in which an officer was slightly injured trying to stop Balentine.
Days earlier, Balentine had completed a 30-day jail term in Harris County for theft, one of three theft cases he faced since his 2006 parole.
But Balentine was also convicted of the 1984 slaying of Leroy Larson. The victim was fatally shot after stopping to help Balentine, who appeared to be having car trouble in Freestone County.
Defense attorney Earl Pryor said he was shocked at the life prison sentence.
More At The Houston Chronicle
1 Comments +
Popular Now in Crime
- Report: NFL player questioned in death investigation
- 4 accused of holding mother, child captive in Ohio
- Walter Lee Williams is 500th on FBI's "Most Wanted" list
- Atty: Martin family confident Zimmerman will be convicted
- Police: Boy, 13, killed sister, 5, with wrestling moves
- Ariel Castro, alleged Cleveland kidnapper, appears in court
- Cops: Fla. man beaten, robbed, left naked on first date
- Bulger Trial: Admitted killer Martorano calls self "nice guy"
- One of US FBI's most wanted nabbed in Mexico
- Report: College student kept girl, 13, in his room for a month
- Steubenville teen rapist must register as sex offender
- Cleveland kidnap victims may get state govt. payments
- Ind. woman, sentenced to death at 16, to be released
- Calif. widow's home broken into 14 times, says she's leaving
- Okla. inmate executed in the 2000 death of a couple
- Cops: Calif. math teacher had sex with boy multiple times
