Lavelle Dennard, also known as "Psycho," was found guilty by a jury yesterday of attempted murder, stemming from shooting a man he'd known his whole life while he was having a cookout with friends at a Belle Glade park in March.
We're not sure where the name "Psycho" came from, but he's been convicted of four crimes before this one, including a 2005 conviction for "throwing a deadly missile," if that helps.
According to an arrest report, the cops were called to a Belle Glade hospital on March 23, where then-24-year-old Vontarius Weston was being treated for a gunshot that entered through the middle of his back and exited through his stomach area.
Weston told police he went to Cox Park in South Bay with friends around 4 p.m. that day and spoke with "Psycho" there, although Weston and witnesses told police there was no argument.
After continuing the cookout and having drinks with friends, Weston was on the park's lighted basketball courts around 9 p.m. when a group of 15 people he was with started yelling.
Weston turned around, and "Psycho" was no more than three feet behind him, pointing a silver handgun at him, police say.
Weston started to run, and "Psycho" shot him in the back. He continued running, and Weston told police "Psycho" fired at least two more shots that didn't hit him. Weston told the cops he was able to make it to his brother's house, and his brother ended up driving him to the hospital.
A witness at the park, who had also known "Psycho," told police the same exact story, except he said "Psycho" had fired "numerous" shots at Weston.
Both Weston and the witness immediately picked "Psycho" out of a photo lineup, police say, and "Psycho" was arrested the next day.
"Psycho" -- who has also been convicted of two counts of witness tampering in 2008 and one count of battery in a jail in 2010 -- now faces life in prison after yesterday's conviction of attempted first-degree murder with a firearm.
"Psycho," now 25, is scheduled to be sentenced December 12.
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