Court briefs for June 21, 2000

Wednesday, June 21, 2000 | 11:04 a.m.

Teen admits guilt in escape

A 15-year-old boy accused of beating a juvenile detention center guard and escaping in March entered a plea agreement Tuesday.

The boy admitted he was guilty of escape, causing serious bodily injury, battery, first-degree kidnapping, robbery, three counts of grand larceny auto, grand larceny and burglary.

According to authorities, the boy overpowered a guard two days before he was supposed to be sentenced on a parole violation and beat her so severely her cheek bone was broken and her facial nerves damaged. He then took her keys, locked her in a cell and escaped with a 17-year-old boy.

The boys were arrested a few days later, but not until after they had stolen two vehicles and committed other crimes, authorities said.

Family Court Judge Robert Gaston declined to send either boy to the adult system, and the older boy was sent to a youth institution two weeks ago.

The 15-year-old is scheduled to be sentenced July 19.

Couple ordered to face trial

A couple suspected in the strangulation death of a Kentucky man found dead at the Stratosphere hotel-casino has been bound over for trial.

Chief Deputy District Attorney L.J. O'Neale said Vall Stallworth and Jamie Kay Shuey, 23, face murder, robbery and first-degree murder charges in the Memorial Day weekend murder of Stephen Nally.

Security videotapes show that no one but the suspects and the victim entered the room between May 26 and May 29, when Nally's body was found.

The couple are expected to be arraigned July 5.

Boy, 14, enters plea agreement

A 14-year-old boy arrested after a high-speed crash that killed two of his friends entered a plea agreement Tuesday.

The boy admitted he was in possession of a stolen vehicle at the time of the crash and that he had tried to evade police. He also told Family Court Hearing Master Sylvia Beller that he had stolen another vehicle two days before the fatal May 29 crash.

A reckless driving charge was dismissed.

The boy will be sentenced June 29.

Appeals court favors candidate

A Las Vegas attorney who is running for North Las Vegas justice of the peace has won a lawsuit he filed in the wake of singer-politician Sonny Bono's death.

Mike Schaefer was prevented from running for the congressional seat left open when Bono died in a January 1998 skiing accident because Schaefer wasn't a registered voter in California.

Schaefer filed a lawsuit against Riverside County (Calif.) Registrar of Voters Mischelle Townsend, claiming that the only requirements to become a member of the House of Representatives are that the person be at least 25, a citizen of the United States for at least seven years and a citizen of the state at the time of the election.

When the U.S. District Court found on behalf of Riverside County, Schaefer took his argument to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

On Tuesday, Circuit Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain issued an opinion that stated that California "does not have the power to require residency prior" to the time a person is elected.