Teen suspect’s bail $1 mil.

Bill Gang

Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999 | 11:12 a.m.

Bail was set today at over $1 million for 18-year-old Maynor Villanueva in Monday's shooting at Clark High School that could put him in prison for life if he is convicted of the attack that wounded two teenagers.

Villanueva was arraigned this morning on eight charges before Justice of the Peace Jennifer Togliatti, who set an Oct. 27 preliminary hearing date.

Under a new law that went into effect Oct. 1, attempting to kill someone on school property carries the same sentence as that of first-degree murder -- life with or without the possibility of parole after 20 years.

Villanueva showed no emotion when Deputy District Attorney Ed Kane announced that he will seek the harshest penalty against the teenager, who also is being held on a probation violation count and could be charged in another shooting involving a teenager.

Kane said he believes Villanueva's current case is the first in the state that would qualify under the tough new anti-school violence law.

In addition to two counts of attempted murder on school property, Villanueva is charged with battery with a deadly weapon, possession of marijuana, possession of a stolen vehicle, robbery and aiming a firearm and possession of a firearm on school property.

It is alleged the shooting of two juveniles, 15 and 16 years old, as they stood at the northeast corner of the Clark campus at 2:40 p.m. was an act of "revenge" against a rival gang.

But the two teenagers escaped with bullet wounds to their arms and ran into the school for help.

Witnesses said there were about 50 people in the vicinity when the gunfire erupted and most scattered when they realized what was occurring at the school at 4291 Pennwood Avenue, near Arville Street and Sahara Avenue.

School had been dismissed about half an hour before the incident that Clark County School District Superintendent Brian Cram emphasized was not school-related.

Although a 14-year-old boy also has been arrested in the aftermath of the gang-related incident, he is being treated as a juvenile at this point.

District Attorney Stewart Bell said there is "not much evidence (against the boy) to warrant treating him as an adult."

"There is some connection but the issue is whether he was involved in the attempted murder or only with the stolen car," Bell said. "If there is evidence, we'll do our level best to see he is accountable."

Under Nevada law, a juvenile charged with attempted murder or murder is automatically certified as an adult. For lesser charges, it takes a determination by a judge to force a person under 18 to stand trial in adult court.

Villaneuva is alleged to have fled with the boy to a stolen car they had waiting in a nearby apartment complex.

But the car was wrecked as they attempted to drive off. Villaneuva allegedly then stole a bicycle at knifepoint in his attempt to escape, prosecutors allege.

Villanueva was arrested outside the Sandpebble Apartments on Sirius Avenue about five minutes after the school shooting. The boy was arrested in the nearby Woodcreek Apartment complex.

According to Kane, Villanueva was placed on probation July 12 on a gross misdemeanor charge of unlawfully taking a vehicle. He faces nine months in the county jail if his probation is revoked.

The second shooting case, which Kane said has not yet been approved for prosecution, involves bullets fired at a teenager while his mother was watching.

Kane said both the target and his mother picked Villanueva's picture from a police photo lineup.

Because of the other cases and the decision of the district attorney's office to seek a life prison sentence without the possibility of parole, Kane asked for a high bail setting.

Deputy Public Defender James Oronoz asked for a "reasonable bail" setting, but conceded Villanueva is indigent and would have trouble making any bail amount.

After noting that the probation revocation case would keep the defendant in jail no matter what bail is set, Togliatti agreed to the bail that totaled more than $1 million.