Sentencing of convicted murderer delayed — again

The sentencing of Herber Guzman, an East Meadow resident who was convicted on Oct. 3 for the 2012 murder of Stanley Cater, was adjourned on Jan. 17 — for the third time since November. He is now scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 11.

Shams Tarek, a spokesman for the Nassau County district attorney’s office, said that last week’s sentencing was adjourned because Guzman was seeking to change attorneys.

His sentencing, by Nassau County Supreme Court Judge William Donnino, had been adjourned two previous times, on Nov. 26 and Dec. 12.

Guzman, 42, was convicted of second-degree murder on Oct. 3. The jury deliberated for one day, according to a press release from the D.A.’s office, and he faced a maximum sentence of 25 years to life in prison.

The Herald previously reported that Guzman has said he is an immigrant from El Salvador, and has lived in the U.S. since 1981.

According to the D.A.’s office, on April 26, 2012, Guzman was in his white Kia Sportage on Marvin Street in Hempstead when he fired a shotgun at 46-year-old Stanley Cater, whom he did not know. Cater was hit in the abdomen, and later died.

Detectives identified the vehicle and its owner, according to a press release from the office, and Guzman was arrested on May 2 after being stopped for a routine traffic violation by Hempstead police.

His trial lasted three weeks.

“This senseless killing shows the incredible danger this defendant poses to the community,” Distrtict Attorney Kathleen Rice said after Guzman’s October conviction. “And today’s verdict will help ensure that Mr. Guzman is no longer able to endanger the public.”

In October, the D.A.’s office identified Guzman’s attorney as Joseph LoPicollo. He is now represented by Martin Gedulgig. Reached for comment last Friday, Gedulgig said he had become Guzman’s counsel less than a week earlier. “I just picked up the file today,” he said, “so I really couldn’t tell you too much about the case.”