Killer of retired schoolteacher loses Supreme Court appeal

Monday, Nov. 30, 1998 | 11:10 a.m.

The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected the petition for a re-hearing of its April decision, upholding the death penalty for William P. Castillo.

The court agreed it made a misstatement in its first decision but said it was minor and did not warrant a rehearing. It said there was overwhelming evidence to convict Castillo of the bludgeoning killing of 86-year-old retired schoolteacher Isabelle Berndt in her Las Vegas home in December 1995. The home was then set on fire to cover up the crime.

In another ruling on Wednesday, the court dismissed the appeal of Richard L. Hardison, sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the fatal shooting of Pete Johnson at a Madison Avenue housing project in Las Vegas.

Hardison, now 41, was originally sentenced to death but the Nevada Supreme Court ordered a new penalty hearing. The court rejected Hardison's claim that there should have been a hearing in District Court about newly discovered evidence in the case before the second penalty hearing was held.

The court said this was not newly discovered evidence and upheld the ruling of District Judge Jack Lehman.

Johnson was shot twice in the back on Aug. 21, 1986. Hardison later telephoned police and surrendered.