Lathario Miller, 29, stood nonchalantly before Justice Ian Winder on Wednesday afternoon as he waited to be sentenced for the brutal murder of a man in 2010.

Miller, a former bus driver of Ryanell Drive, Bamboo Town, was convicted in June of this year for the murder of Marco Smith in September of 2010.

According to reports, the deceased along with a female passenger identified as Otishka Gibson drove into the Market Street area to meet Miller in an attempt to collect money he had owed the victim.

The two men got into a heated discussion about the money and as a result, the deceased left the area and drove to a residence in Ridgeland to purchase food.

While Smith was standing at the kitchen door of the establishment, Miller, who followed Smith on his bike, approached him from behind and shot him several times in the neck, shoulder and in the back of his head.

Smith was pronounced dead at the scene moments after Miller fled the scene on his bicycle.

In court yesterday, Miller’s attorney Roger Thompson asked Justice Winder to be lenient with Miller taking into consideration that he lost his parents at a young age.

He also mentioned that Miller took responsibility for his actions and even told the court that he regretted them.
Prosecutor Quintin Percentie however, did not believe that Miller was at all remorseful. Mr. Percentie in his submissions stated that Miller could be sentenced to life imprisonment but ended his submissions suggesting a 45 year sentence term.
Percentie said his decision came as a result of seeing the need for a message to be sent out to all criminals that crimes, as serious as taking a life, cannot and will not be taken lightly.

Mr. Thompson argued that Miller’s actions was carried out because Smith threatened his life however, Mr. Percentie told
Justice Winder that such reason was not an acceptable excuse.

Justice Winder told the court that he needed time to consider the defense’s submission and adjourned the matter until August 10.

A seemingly carefree Miller was seen leaving the Supreme Court laughing. He even said, “They got to be joking with all those years.”