FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) A 20-year-old man's sentencing for his second-degree murder conviction for beating a Farmington doctor to death with a pool cue will be delayed pending an appeal. District Judge William Birdsall says he'll delay sentencing for John Mayes. The delay is to allow Mayes' lawyers to appeal Birdcall's decision Thursday to not acquit Mayes because of a misstep by the jury that convicted Mayes.
He was convicted Nov. 25 in the June 2011 killing of Dr. James Nordstrom at Nordstrom's home. Court documents indicate that the jury convicted Mayes of second-degree murder after first acquitting him of manslaughter.
The Daily Times reports that jurors had been instructed to reach a verdict on the murder charges before considering the lesser charge of manslaughter.
Mayes is Farmington City Manager Rob Mayes' son.
