Defense motion delays trial of accused cop killer

Monday, Aug. 30, 1999 | 3:11 a.m.

Washoe District Court Judge Connie Steinheimer ruled on Monday that Siaosi Vanisi and his public defender can go to the state Supreme Court to air their differences.

Vanisi, 29, still wants to represent himself. His attorney says Vanisi's defense plan goes too far and could border on perjury.

Vanisi is accused of killing UNR police Sgt. George Sullivan. Prosecutors say he attacked Sullivan with a hatchet while he sat in his patrol car on the campus a year and a half ago.

The trial was to have begun Sept. 7. The judge set jury selection to begin Sept. 14 with the trial to begin Sept. 20.

If the high court agrees to let Vanisi have new representation or to argue his own case, it would delay the trial even more. The court's third option is to let the case proceed with the current counsel.

District Attorney Richard Gammick reacted angrily to Vanisi's latest move.

"People have made plans based on the trial dates now for the last nine months ... and now, we're going to have to check with them to make sure a two-week shift doesn't start causing some real serious problems for them, or if they even will be available," he said.

In rejecting Vanisi's motion to argue his own case, the judge said on Aug. 12 that he "has a history of aggressive and disruptive behavior while at the Nevada State Prison which required aggressive action on the part of the prison guards, as well as several incidents at the Washoe County Jail."