Court briefs for September 20, 2000

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000 | 11:19 a.m.

Suspect accepts plea agreement

The Las Vegas resident who authorities believe shot the wrong man in a botched murder scheme entered a plea agreement midway through his trial Tuesday.

Steven Acosta admitted Tuesday that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict him of conspiracy to commit murder in the February 1998 death of George Veit.

Had Acosta been convicted of first-degree murder in Veit's death, he could have received a no-parole life sentence. But instead, the plea agreement could result in probation or a two- to 10-year sentence.

Prosecutors believe Veit died as the result of a conspiracy among Acosta, Keith Shanley and Kurt Johnson.

They argued during Shanley's trial three weeks ago that Shanley wanted his former girlfriend's boyfriend to die and Acosta shot Veit thinking he was the boyfriend.

Shanley, 30, was convicted of murder Aug. 29 and faces up to 40 years in prison when sentenced Oct. 17.

Acosta's attorneys argued that Johnson was the triggerman, and Tuesday's deal was reached after Johnson offered conflicting testimony Monday.

Johnson is on probation as the result of a plea agreement.

New jury calls it manslaughter

A Las Vegas resident convicted of first-degree murder in 1995 was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter Tuesday during his second trial.

Prosecutors argued William Chris Shoels, 27, got angry with Gregory Hayes over a bad pass during an August 1993 basketball game at the Chuck Minker Sports Complex and shot him to death.

Shoels was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison in 1995, but the Nevada Supreme Court threw out his conviction and ordered a new trial.

Defense attorneys during both trials argued Shoels shot Hayes in self-defense after an unarmed Hayes threatened to shoot him.

Judgment stands against naturopath

A federal appeals court has rejected the plea of Las Vegas naturopath Donald Hayhurst, who lost a trademark and trade-name infringement suit brought by the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused Monday to overturn the $11,900 judgment against Hayhurst when he did not respond to the suit filed by the association in July 1998 in the state of Washington. The court also ordered Hayhurst to pay attorneys' fees of $4,354.

The association acts as an advocate for naturopathic physicians nationwide. The appeals court said Hayhurst has a "long history" of creating organizations with names very similar to the association.