The family of murdered banker Stephen Sherman said they are “one step closer to closure” after the man convicted of his murder was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday.

Yesterday Supreme Court Justice Roy Jones handed down the sentence to murder convict sentenced 24-year-old Janaldo Farrington.

He also received life imprisonment for conspiracy to commit murder and 15 years each on two counts of armed robbery, all to run concurrently from the date of his conviction.

Farrington was convicted last October of the February 17, 2012 murder.

Sherman was killed at point-blank range outside his Yamacraw Shores home as a part of contract killing.

Farrington maintained his innocence throughout the trial and claimed that he was coerced into signing a confession admitting that he was responsible.

According to the confession, Farrington was recruited by his cousin to kill a man on behalf of his wife who wanted him dead.

Farrington confessed to waiting outside Sherman’s Yamacraw home where he held the banker and a woman at gun point before finally shooting Sherman to the back of the head at point-blank range.

Sherman’s widow, Renea Sherman and Cordero Bethel, who were initially charged along with Farrington, were eventually acquitted of all related charges.

Justice Jones said he considered that Farrington is a young man with no previous convictions and no reports of incidents at the prison.

He did agree with the prosecution however, that the murder was heinous, cold-blooded and a contract killing.

The judge also noted in his ruling that Farrington never showed any remorse.

Sherman’s brother, Greg Sherman told reporters that the family is satisfied with the judge’s decision and noted that after Renea’s acquittal the family has not been in touch with the couple’s kids.

“We are satisfied that at least partial justice has occurred in this matter,” he said following the judge’s decision yesterday.

“We are hoping the other people involved will be charged again. We all wanted death but life in prison is satisfactory. We have not had any contact with his children as we lost our case in terms of wanting some visitation with them but like we said amongst ourselves children will not remain children, they will grow up. It has been rough for our family but the accolades continue to come in. I don’t want to just say that my brother was a good person. Every place I go people can’t believe that such a good man is gone.”

Farrington’s attorney, Murrio Ducille told reporters that his client still maintains that he is innocent.

“He professes his innocence up to this point and the psychiatrist and probation officers have agreed that the fact that no remorse has been shown is not inconsistent with the fact that one professes one’s innocence,” the attorney said.

“We respect the system. The jury has found him guilty so we will take it elsewhere for three people to look at the facts and make a decision based on the evidence of the case.”

Mr. Ducille was expected to file his appeal yesterday.