High court refuses to delay trial in cop killing

Sunday, Sept. 12, 1999 | 9:54 a.m.

With little comment, the high court said it would not review Washoe District Judge Connie Steinheimer's ruling that county public defenders must represent Siaosi Vanisi.

Public defenders asked the Supreme Court to take them off the case, saying they can't ethically continue to represent him because they and Vanisi have incompatible approaches to his defense.

They have declined to provide details, citing their inability to disclose lawyer-client communications.

The issue the high court chose not to review will be appealed if Vanisi is convicted of first-degree murder in the January 1998 death of UNR police Sgt. George Sullivan, public defenders said.

Vanisi, 29, is accused of attacking Sullivan with a hatchet while the officer sat in his patrol car near the main campus entrance.

"Make no mistake, this order that the Supreme Court issued does not resolve the issue," said Deputy Public Defender John Petty. "In fact, it does not address it at all."

The high court's decision means that preliminary jury selection will begin as scheduled on Monday, and final jury selection and trial will begin the following Monday.

"We're ready to go," District Attorney Richard Gammick said. "It is going to be an issue when this case is finally resolved, but I'm not worried about it."

Steinheimer delayed the trial, originally set to begin Monday, until Sept. 20 to give lawyers time to take their request to the Supreme Court.