Callender Receives Life Sentence In Six-Year Old Murder Case

A New Bedford man has been sentenced to life in prison for the fatal stabbing of a man during a melee outside the Fairhaven V-F-W in April, 2008.

A Superior Court Jury convicted 24 year old Brandon Callender of second degree murder earlier this month after 25 hours of deliberation. He was found guilty in the death of 30 year old Joshua Fitzgerald of Fairhaven.

On Friday, Callender was sentenced by Judge Robert Kane to life in prison. He will be eligible for parole after serving 15 years.

Callender was also given a 5-8 year sentence, to be served on and after the life sentence, for the stabbing of Fitzgerald's brother Patrick during the same incident.