Norwood Family Asks for Parole Chance in Lululemon Athletica Murder Case

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Friday is sentencing day in the Lululemon Athletica murder case.

Brittany Norwood was convicted on November 2 for killing her co-worker, Jayna Murray, inside the Bethesda yoga clothing store on March 11, 2011.

Norwood is facing an almost certain sentence of life in prison. The question is: will she get life with or without parole?

Norwood's family is asking the court that she be given the chance to walk free one day.

Murray's family and friends want the judge to throw away the key.

"Maximum sentence," says Ivy Huang. "I believe that's the right thing."

Huang and Murray met as roommates at George Washington ten years ago. They remained close until the day Murray was murdered.

The 30-year-old world traveler was brutally beaten, then stabbed to death, and beaten some more inside the Lululemon store on Bethesda Row.

"I don't know how much she's thought about what she did," says Huang. "She can probably say 'I'm really sorry,' but it's really hard to undo what you did when you took someone's life. And it wasn't like you hit her one time and ran away. That would be unsettling to me if she was walking free after 25 years."

In separate letters to judge Robert Greenberg, Murray's family also pleaded for the maximum sentence.

Read the Murray's statement here.
http://media.myfoxdc.com/Documents/MurrayParentsStatement.pdf

"My daughter's murderer should never be allowed to walk the streets as a free person," writes Jayna's father, David. "I would fear for the safety of the citizens of whatever community she would be a part. I can only imagine when confronted with another barrier, she would kill again."

Murray's mother, Phyllis writes: "The murder of Jayna plunged our family into a world of utter despair. Chaos, shock, confusion, terror, anger, and hatred overwhelmed us."

There are also letters to the court from Brittany Norwood's family and friends.

LETTERS SENT TO THE COURT ON BEHALF BRITTANY NORWOOD.
http://media.myfoxdc.com/Documents/BrittanyNorwoodLetters.pdf

Her father, Earl writes: "I want the Murray family to know that on behalf of the entire Norwood family we are deeply saddened and sorry for their loss."

Mr. Norwood adds: "I am humbly requesting that Brittany be sentenced to life and not life without parole."

Referring to Brittany, her mother, Larkita writes: "She has a loving heart, a warm personality and was always a champion for the less fortunate." And continues: "I know that if she is given the chance to one day be able to rejoin society she will be as valuable an asset to her community as she once was."

Huang does not plan to speak at the sentencing, but has submitted an impact statement with the court.

The hearing starts at 1:30 p.m. in Rockville.

SENTENCING DOCUMENTS

More Coverage: Lululemon Employee Murder

Reporter's Notebook: Paul Wagner's Updates at trial of Brittany Norwood