Court Holds Sentencing Hearing for 2009 Murder

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — A sentencing hearing was held Friday for Sherrie Wilson, who was convicted of second-degree murder for killing 75-year-old Sam Black after a 2009 argument.

Anchorage police say Wilson, 28, was drinking with Black at a Midtown home early in the morning of April 30 when she shot him twice then stole his pickup truck -- and was arrested by officers for driving drunk.

At the hearing before Judge Michael Wolverton, defense attorney Brendan Kelley tried to bolster his argument that Wilson was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder when she killed Black.

Kelley called an expert witness, Dr. April Gerlock, to the stand to show that Wilson was exhibiting signs of PTSD, depression and psychosis. He also played a video of Wilson in an APD holding room shortly after her arrest yelling, talking to herself and overturning furniture.

The court also heard a cross-examination of Gerlock by prosecutor Sharon Marshall.  Wolverton then heard victim impact statements, including one from Sam Black's son.