Death row inmate’s appeal is denied

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Friday, April 14, 2000 | 10:37 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Thursday rejected the appeal of death row inmate Henry Dawson, convicted of the beating-strangulation death of a 24-year-old woman in Las Vegas.

Dawson claimed the Clark County district attorney's office failed to turn over information that a white prosecution witness against Dawson held a racial and personal bias against the black defendant.

The court said even if the prosecution had this evidence, the defense could have discovered it by the "exercise of reasonable diligence." The prosecution witness, Michael Blackmon, had disagreements with Dawson while they were both in jail.

The court said the discovery of the information would not have changed the outcome because of the overwhelming evidence of Dawson's guilt.

Dawson, 55, abducted Leslie Gail Shepard from a gas station booth where she worked as an attendant. Her body was found near a loading dock behind Caesars Palace March 7, 1985.