PINEVILLE - A man who was sentenced to 20 years in prison for murdering a Pineville man has had his appeal denied by the Kentucky Supreme Court.

Bruce Dewayne Haley, 39, of Pineville, was convicted in Bell County Circuit Court for the capital murder of Michael Ray Dozier and the first-degree assault of Philip Gray in a two-day trial in June of 2004.

In Haley's original indictments and police reports, on Nov. 11, 2002, Mike Dozier and friend Philip Gray were both shot on the railroad tracks behind the home of Mike Dozier on Neil Hill, off Straight Creek Road near 8 p.m.

Dozier had suffered three gunshot wounds, one just below the chest on the right side, the other wounds being on the mid part of the left thigh and the third being on the right leg on the low side of the kneecap. His friend, Philip Gray was shot in the arm and was later taken to UT medical center. Dozier died of the gunshot wound to the chest, according to the corner's reports.

Rhonda Dozier, Dozier's ex-wife, took the stand for the commonwealth as a witness. During her testimony, she told the court and the jury that she had known Bruce Haley since she was 14 and had lived with Mike Dozier at different times on and off after the divorce. She testified that Bruce and Mike both had arguments after he found out that she and Bruce had went out together and that the arguments continued right up until the time Mike was killed. Gray also provided powerful testimony during the two-day trial event.

In his appeal that was rendered at the end of September, Haley claims the trial court erred in admitting guns and ammunition unrelated to the crime, not granting appellant a continuance, excluding a tape recorded message, allowing evidence regarding a prior shooting into the Dozier residence and, admitting a recording of appellant's prior statement.

In his argument, Haley contends the trial court abused it's discretion in denying him a continuance on the morning of the trial. He argues that Rhonda Dozier had a diary or log and it was not provided until Tuesday, with the trail commencing on Thursday.

Haley contends he needed a continuance to determine how to use this document in his examination of Rhonda Dozier.

The appeal states the citations to the record provided by Haley are not audible on the tapes of the trail and the ”diary“ was not introduced into evidence, nor is it part of the record.

Haley concedes that the substance of the document related to the feuding between the Dozier's and Haley's but argues that a brief continuance would have been proper.

The appeal explains that on a request for a continuance, a trail court is to consider seven factors in deciding whether to grant or deny a motion for continuance.

The Supreme Court did not find any abuse of discretion and the appeal further states Haley did not designate the time needed. In Haley's other claims, the court also found no abuse of discretion.