BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — A man convicted in the shooting death of a Brevard County deputy was back in court Friday to be resentenced after his death penalty was vacated.
Brandon Bradley was back in a Brevard County courtroom seven years after he was sentenced to death for the murder of Brevard County Deputy Barbara Pill.
“I’d would just like to say. I’m sorry to the family and friends of Deputy Pill,” Bradley said. “And I’m not that person from nine and a half years ago. And I do pray that someday they will find it in their heart to forgive me.”
Nine years ago, Bradley shot Deputy Pill five times during a traffic stop in Melbourne.
He was on probation at the time and fleeing from another crime with his girlfriend.
READ: Thousands gather to honor fallen Brevard Deputy Barbara Pill
Bradley was found guilty of first-degree murder, robbery, fleeing and eluding, and resisting arrest with violence.
After his trial, a jury voted 10 – 2 to recommend that Bradley be put to death.
But, later rulings by the Florida Supreme Court on the legality of non-unanimous death recommendations, and changes to the death penalty statute by the Florida legislature, required the state to either re-litigate Bradley’s entire death penalty sentencing phase or allow the current sentence of life in prison to stand.
READ: Sheriff’s office to open facility in memory of slain Brevard deputy
Pill’s family had no desire to relive the pain and trauma they experienced in the first trial.
“Talking with the family. We wanted to end it,” said Steve Pill. “He’s got his sentence and now he has to live with it. We as a family constantly having to relive everything. I don’t want to do that. My sons don’t want to do that.”
See more in the video above.
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