Judge rejects bid of confessed child killer for new trial

Angie Wagner

Thursday, Feb. 10, 2000 | 8:31 a.m.

Jeremy Strohmeyer wants to know the truth, but a judge says the convicted child killer already knows it.

"This court cannot tell you why you did what you did," District Judge Joseph Bonaventure said. "You, Mr. Strohmeyer, did in fact kidnap and kill Sherrice Iverson."

Bonaventure ruled Wednesday that Strohmeyer, 21, cannot withdraw his guilty plea and get a new trial for the murder of 7-year-old Sherrice Iverson in a casino restroom.

Strohmeyer's claims that his former attorneys coerced him into pleading guilty and did not represent him properly were rejected by the judge who said the 21-year-old had "the A-team of counsel."

"With the passage of time, the reality of being behind bars the rest of one's life must become more and more disheartening. ... But to poor little Sherrice, she will never again be able to walk upon this earth," Bonaventure said.

His decision came at the end of a second day of a hearing sought by Strohmeyer's new attorneys, who wanted the trial that Strohmeyer gave up when he pleaded guilty in the young girl's murder in September 1998.

Strohmeyer was sentenced to four life terms with no chance of parole.

One of his former attorneys, Richard Wright, testified Wednesday that he and Strohmeyer's other attorney, Leslie Abramson, told their client that if a jury couldn't decide on a sentence, they were fearful that a three-judge panel would vote for the death sentence.

Strohmeyer claimed in testimony Tuesday that he doesn't remember what happened in May 1997 when Sherrice's body was found propped up on a toilet seat in a women's restroom of the Primadonna hotel-casino in Primm, about 45 miles south from Las Vegas.

Bonaventure described Strohmeyer's tale of an alcohol-induced blackout during the time of the attack as a "self-serving and embellished view."

"Every man is innocent in his own eyes," Bonaventure said.

Strohmeyer claimed Abramson, the Los Angeles attorney best known for defending Erik Menendez, pressured him into taking a plea bargain by telling him he would be convicted and sentenced to death if the case went to trial.

Abramson denied that. Wright testified that his own notes indicated that the plea agreement was Strohmeyer's idea.

At one point during Wednesday's hearing, a commotion in the courthouse hallway forced officers to quickly escort Strohmeyer from the courtroom. A bailiff yelled, "Get up," and Strohmeyer jumped on his chair, then was rushed out of the courtroom.

Clark County spokesman Doug Bradford said two drug court defendants had tried to escape and officers tackled them. One bailiff received minor injuries. Strohmeyer was taken out of the courtroom as a safety measure, Bradford said.

After Bonaventure read his decision, Strohmeyer mouthed "I love you" to his family as he was led out of the courtroom.

"I think justice was done a year ago, and I think justice was done again today," District Attorney Stewart Bell said after the ruling.

Strohmeyer's father, John Strohmeyer, said the family was disappointed in Bonaventure's decision, but still wants to find out the truth.

"He (Strohmeyer) just wants to know what happened."

Strohmeyer's attorneys said they may appeal the decision.