Supreme Court: No delay in Strohmeyer trial

Thursday, Aug. 27, 1998 | 10:45 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected motions by defense attorneys to stay the murder trial of Jeremy Strohmeyer scheduled to begin Monday in Las Vegas.

The high court already had granted one continuance to permit lawyers for Strohmeyer to examine evidence found on his home computer in Southern California. It said another delay was not warranted.

Strohmeyer, 19, of Long Beach, Calif., is accused of raping and killing 7-year-old Sherrice Iverson at a Primm hotel-casino on the Nevada-California border last year.

Defense lawyers said they wanted the delay to allow an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in an effort to suppress any evidence found on the computer. Earlier, the Nevada Supreme Court had denied the motion to toss out the evidence but gave lawyers time to examine the disputed evidence.

The court said claims by defense lawyers Leslie Abramson and Richard Wright that they didn't receive a full and fair review of the suppression motion were "wholly unfounded."

It said six motions were considered and both sides were permitted to file extended legal briefs putting forth their arguments. "In the instant case, respondent (Strohmeyer) had more than an adequate opportunity to fully apprise this court of the issues on appeal," the unanimous decision said.

Abramson and Wright had argued in District Court in Las Vegas on Tuesday that they needed more time to prepare for the upcoming trial because Wright's father, W. V. Bill Wright, died last week.

District Judge Myron Leavitt denied the motion and said jury selection will start Monday. That process is expected to take about one week. The trial itself could last five to six weeks, and the jurors will be sequestered during that time.