Man sentenced to death in friend’s murder
Bryan Hall was sentenced to death Friday for the May 2009 brutal killing of his former friend at Caesars Palace.
Earlier this week, Hall was found guilty of first-degree murder and armed robbery for the slaying of Brad Flamm. The same jury sentenced Hall to death after a three-day penalty hearing.
After the verdict was read, Hall passed a grim look to family and friends, then shook his head up and down.
Both Flamm’s and Hall’s family and friends wept after the decision.
The jury found two aggravating factors that led to capital punishment: Hall tortured and mutilated Flamm, and he was convicted of felony battery with substantial bodily harm.
The victim’s father, Fred Flamm, a casino executive, said “it was sick” to see Hall in court every day.
“We’re glad justice is done. This guy won’t hurt anyone ever again. He’s put away. We’re just happy as a family that we can move on.”
He wept as he spoke of his son, “Brad had great energy. He loved people. He loved to make them laugh. He brought life to everybody. He was just a great person. We just miss him so much.”
More than a dozen of Flamm’s family and friends attended every day of the trial, including the victim’s mother, Jennifer, and casino manager George Maloof.
Prosecutors said Hall had a vicious jealous streak that led him to Caesars Palace on Mother’s Day weekend in 2009. Flamm, 27, had a previous sexual relationship with Hall’s girlfriend.
Hall pummeled Flamm with his fists, strangled him with a necktie, beat him in the head with a rock and paint bucket and slit his throat twice. He then hid Flamm’s body on the east end of the Caesars property, under bushes near the loading docks.
Hall sobbed as he testified Monday that he was drunk and enraged when he beat Flamm to death. He said Flamm made a derogatory remark about his then-girlfriend, now wife, and the couple’s daughter.
Prosecutor David Stanton called the sobbing testimony “an act.”
Hall said he fought with his girlfriend before the slaying because she was nagging him about their crying daughter.
He testified he left his girlfriend with their daughter and went to Trevi, an Italian restaurant at the Forum Shops, hoping to hitch a ride home with his former co-workers.
Defense attorneys tried to convince the jury the killing was done in “the heat of passion” and sought a second-degree murder or voluntary manslaughter conviction.
After the verdict, Deputy Public Defender Jeff Banks said, “Our hearts go out to the families on both sides.”
Banks said he would appeal the verdict, as is done in all death penalty cases. The appeal process in death penalty cases can take more than a decade.
Contact reporter Francis McCabe at fmccabe@review journal.com or 702-380-1039.
