Court briefs for December 7, 2000

Thursday, Dec. 7, 2000 | 10:26 a.m.

Driver sentenced in death of man, 71

A Las Vegas man was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison Wednesday for an accident that took the life of a 71-year-old man.

George McNeal was sentenced by District Judge Joseph Bonaventure after accepting a plea agreement in the Jan. 7, 1999, death of Hartley Ashe.

According to Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker, McNeal went through a stoplight at Nellis Boulevard and Twain Avenue and struck the vehicle Ashe was traveling in.

Booker said despite McNeal's contentions to the contrary, he had a blood alcohol level of 0.10 shortly after the accident and records indicate at least three prior DUI convictions.

April trial set in girl's slaying

An April trial date has been set for a Henderson man accused of killing a 16-year-old girl two years ago.

District Judge Kathy Hardcastle set Stephen Finnegan's April 23 trial date Wednesday after he pleaded not guilty in the murder of Jessica Heaney.

Heaney's body was found inside a clubhouse at the Arbor Court condos on March 7, 1998. Investigators said the Silverado High School student had been sodomized, strangled and possibly suffocated.

Prosecutors say Finnegan's fingerprints were found the ladies' room where Heaney's body was found.

Boy gets 20 years to life in killing

A 15-year-old Las Vegas boy was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison Wednesday for the July death of a 21-year-old man.

District Judge Sally Loehrer sentenced Angel Javier Diaz after he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder with use of a deadly weapon in the death of Justin Harris.

Loehrer also sentenced Diaz to two to eight years for battery with use of a deadly weapon, but it will be served at the same time as the murder sentence.

Police said Harris was shot after he, Diaz and one of Harris' friends exchanged words near a Desert Inn apartment complex pool shortly before 5 a.m. July 6.

The friend's wrist was grazed by a bullet, resulting in the battery charge.