Las Vegas court news briefs

Friday, May 28, 1999 | 10:20 a.m.

Suspect gets delay in preliminary hearing

A man suspected in two local homicides asked a judge to delay his preliminary hearing Thursday to give him time to hire a private attorney.

John Joseph Seka, who last month was arrested in Philadelphia and extradited to Las Vegas, was ordered by Justice of the Peace William Jansen to return to court Tuesday to determine if he has a new attorney and to set a new preliminary hearing.

Seka has been charged with two counts of murder and two counts of robbery in connection with the deaths of Eric Hamilton, 34, and Peter Paul Limanni, 33. He remains in custody.

Hamilton's body was found off Las Vegas Boulevard South, just south of State Route 146, on Nov. 16. Limanni's body was found on Dec. 23 in the desert near Nipton Road, about a mile east of Interstate 15 in California.

Detectives had talked to Seka at Cinergi Heating and Air Conditioning, 1933 Western Ave., where they believe Hamilton was killed. Limanni managed the business, and Seka worked for him, police said.

Woman pleaded guilty in husband's killing

Sentencing for a 42-year-old woman in the slaying of her husband has been delayed until Dec. 14 -- after the trial of her alleged co-conspirators against whom she is scheduled to testify.

Judith Ann Brown was scheduled Thursday to be sentenced for involuntary manslaughter in connection with the July 1997 death of her husband in a room at the High Hat Regency Motel, 1300 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

Brown entered the plea agreement Sept. 8, 1997. A jury trial is set for Nov. 22 for Ted Rustin and Thompson Keith Yazzie in the courtroom of District Judge Jeffrey Sobel, who reset Brown's sentencing date Thursday.

Judith Brown told police that after she was severely beaten by her husband, she met the men at a bar and they asked her what had happened. When she told them about the incident, they agreed to beat up her husband, police said.

Police investigators said she took them to the couple's room, unlocked the door and let them in. She claims she then left. Gerald Brown was beaten to death.

Attorney given extra time in murder case

A Sept. 13 trial date is set for Noel Peter Bright, 28, who is accused of killing John Richard in downtown Las Vegas on Dec. 13, 1997.

Trial was to have begun Tuesday in the courtroom of District Judge Joseph Bonaventure. Attorney David Schieck, who is representing Noel, was granted the extra time to prepare because he had only recently been retained.

Noel is charged with murder and attempted murder because another man, David Gaynor, was wounded when Richard was shot and killed at 4305 E. Stewart Ave.

Jury gives killer life without parole

A District Court jury that on May 6 convicted Juan Manuel Valenzuela of first-degree murder with use of a weapon has determined that he should spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The seven-man, five-woman jury chose the harshest penalty made available to them when they rendered their decision Thursday.

Valenzuela, 45, was found guilty of the June 15, 1998, slaying of 30-year-old James Paciolla of Las Vegas. Paciolla was shot to death in an apartment complex in the 5200 block of Golden Lane near Maryland Parkway and Tropicana Avenue.

District Judge Joseph Bonaventure set July 15 as the formal sentencing date for Valenzuela, who also could have been sentenced to life with the possibility of parole after 20 years or 50 years with parole possible after 20 years.

Valenzuela was found guilty of killing Paciolla because he owed money to the person for whom Valenzuela collected debts.