Dismissal of murder charges sought in child-care case
Thursday, June 25, 1998 | 11:02 a.m.
Alicia Wegner was blamed for the death of a 14-month-old girl in her care more than a year ago, but her attorney says prosecutors did not present the full picture to a grand jury and is asking that the charges be dropped.
Attorney Peter Christiansen has alleged in court documents that prosecutors could have and should have uncovered the evidence of prior abuse and presented it to the Clark County Grand Jury that indicted Wegner on murder charges March 28, 1997.
Christiansen alleged prosecutorial misconduct in a motion he filed earlier this month to dismiss the charges.
Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon countered that his office never had clear evidence of the purported prior abuse. He said the relevant evidence in the case has come from doctors and the county's medical examiner who said the fatal skull fracture occurred within three hours of the March 3, 1997, death of Kierra Harrison.
The healing injury was at least 48 hours old, pathologists concluded.
District Judge Mark Gibbons has postponed this week's trial for Wegner, 34, until after he rule's next month on Christiansen's motion to dismiss the charges.
Kierra was being cared for in Wegner's licensed home child care business near Twain Avenue and Tenaya Way when the woman called police to say the infant had hit her head and was unresponsive.
Christiansen said Dr. Craig A. Voss, a UMC pathologist, concluded "the injury which killed Kierra Harrison was inflicted at least 48 hours before (her death)."
Kierra's death occurred on a Monday afternoon and, according to Christiansen, the girl had been with her parents and not Wegner throughout the prior weekend.
Christiansen stated in court documents that the evidence of the healing wound "absolutely exonerates" Wegner.
"She's maintained her innocence to me from day one," Christiansen said of his client, who is free on bail until her trial.
archive
- Most Read
- Discussed
- Most E-mailed
- Scientology foe’s arrest raises issue of rights
- ‘Stripper-mobile’ with live dancers raises safety, decency concerns
- Miguel Cotto camp says big cut in June fight an asset now
- Cada cherishes moment as poker’s youngest champ
- Manny Pacquiao, Miguel Cotto arrive at MGM Grand
- $5.1 million later, life goes on for Darvin Moon
- Fight snapshot: Arum takes a pot shot during Pacquiao training
- Vegas resorts get new places on Monopoly game board
- Rebels old and new celebrate anniversary of 1990 title
- Live Main Event blog from the Rio
Blogs
The Kats Report
A lesson in information dissemination, with a little Twitter and a lot of Agassi
Now and Then
Ichabods were tougher than they sound
Politics: Ralston's Flash
I shudder to think what the “amazing door prize from the governor” might be (3 Comments)
Pew Center report finds what others have: Nevada's economy depressed, future in doubt (4 Comments)
Elsewhere
Kelly Pavlik to fight in hometown on Dec. 19
Lobos soccer and Lambert continue to draw attention
Now or Never
Getting closer to where we want to be
Calendar »
- 11 Wed
- 12 Thu
- 13 Fri
- 14 Sat
- 15 Sun
-
Foreigner at Star of the Desert Arena
Star of the Desert Arena
-
Days of the New at Wasted Space
Wasted Space | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
DJ Boris at Godskitchen
Body English | 10:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
-
Holding on to Sound at Beauty Bar
Beauty Bar | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
-
Rockabilly Wednesay at Revolution Lounge
Beatles Revolution Lounge | 10 p.m. to 11:59 p.m.
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Technorati












