Convicted Killer Sentenced to Life

A convicted murderer who was originally sentenced to death for the 2003 murder of a local minister and attempted murder of the minister's widow will now serve life in prison.

According to the Caddo District Attorney's Office, 46-year-old Robert Glen Coleman appeared in Caddo District Court today after an appeal upheld his conviction, but overturned the death penalty.

Caddo District Judge Katherine Dorroh imposed the life prison sentence without benefit of probation, parole or suspension of sentence. The victims' family members and Coleman's attorney agreed to forgo a third sentencing hearing to bring the family closure.

Coleman was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death in 2005 for the 2003 murder of 70-year-old Blanchard minister Julian Brandon. His wife, Alice, was permanently disabled during an attack at the couple's home.

In 2007, the Louisiana Supreme Court reversed Coleman's conviction and sentence due to a jury selection error. He was retried in 2012 and again found guilty and sentenced to death. But after reviewing the case, the court affirmed the conviction, but reversed the death sentence.