ST. LUCIE COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — The sentencing hearing for the man convicted in a deadly Martin Luther King Jr. Day shooting in Fort Pierce has been postponed as his defense seeks a new trial.
Kemmye Parson was scheduled to be sentenced Tuesday morning, but that hearing has been delayed after his attorney filed a motion for a new trial. The motion must be heard before sentencing can move forward.
A hearing on the motion is now set for May 19 at 9:30 a.m., according to court records.
Parson was found guilty earlier this year in connection with the 2023 shooting at Ilous Ellis Park during an MLK Day celebration.
Video shows celebrations at park in Fort Pierce before the gunfire on MLK Day on January 16, 2023. (CNN Newsource)
Twenty-nine-year-old Nikkitia Bryant was killed in the shooting. Investigators said she was attending the event with her daughter when she was caught in the crossfire. Several others were also injured.
Parson has remained in custody since his arrest in 2023.
It remains unclear how the motion for a new trial could impact the timeline for sentencing. CBS12 is working to learn more about the arguments behind the motion and what could happen next in the case.