Notah sentencing today
Convicted murderer facing possibility of life in prison

By Natasha Kaye Johnson
Diné Bureau

GALLUP — A U.S. District Court judge will make a decision today on the sentencing of Philip Notah, 18, at federal court in Albuquerque.

Notah was arrested on June 6, 2006, shortly after stabbing ex-girlfriend Brooke Spencer, 18, with a 10-inch hunting knife outside her home in Superman Canyon.

Notah pleaded guilty to second-degree murder before U.S. Magistrate Robert Scott in September 2006, after reaching a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office.

While U.S. Attorney Miles Hanisee said that Notah faces a sentence of up to life in prison, no agreement was made on what the final sentence could be. The decision will be made by Judge Bruce Black, whose decision will be based upon a report by the U.S. Probation Department, including an interview with Notah and others.

Todd Hotchkiss, attorney for Notah, did not want to comment on a plea agreement they will present in court.

"I don't have anything to say at this time, other than it is going to be a very sad occasion," said Hotchkiss. "Nobody is looking forward to this."

Police records state that the two spent more than an hour talking in his car about her plans to go to college. Spencer then went to her front door and told Notah that she had nothing more to say. He then followed her and the two talked for short time longer before he stabbed her four times. The two broke up two weeks prior to the stabbing.

Spencer was transported by family members to the Rehoboth McKinley County Hospital and then flown to Phoenix, where she died from the stab wounds. City police arrested Notah hours later at his residence and had to deploy a tazer gun to prevent him from harming himself.

Spencer was a recent graduate of Gallup High School, and was well-known in the community for her academics and athletic abilities in both basketball and softball.