Self-defense raised in prostitute death

Kim Smith

Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000 | 10:49 a.m.

Ronald Collins was fighting for his life the night Agnes Ready died, a defense attorney told jurors Tuesday, the first day in Collins' murder trial.

Deputy Special Public Defender Joe Sciscento asked a jury panel of eight men and six women to be patient because his client is going to take the stand to tell them himself what happened on Jan. 11.

Although parts of his memory have been affected because of a brain injury suffered a few years ago, Collins, 30, will tell them that he and Ready were sitting in a secluded spot in North Las Vegas when an unknown third person hit him in the head from behind, Sciscento said.

Ready, a known prostitute, then lunged at him with a knife she used to smoke crack cocaine, Sciscento said. During the struggle, her throat was slashed.

Collins, suffering from the head wound and scrapes, went home with Ready's body because it was his sanctuary, Sciscento said.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Ed Kane told jurors it will probably take them the rest of their lives to figure out why Ready, 37, died. However, he said, the fact Collins killed her with premeditation and deliberation is obvious.

Not only was Ready's throat slashed, but Collins drove the knife into the wound to its hilt, Kane said. Ready didn't die instantly, either. She struggled against her attacker for at least 10 minutes and she lived for about 30 after she was stabbed.

Also on Tuesday, jurors heard the 911 call from Collins' wife that led to the discovery of Ready's body in the Collins kitchen. They also listened to her brief statement to police.

According to the call and the statement, Melanie Collins came home around 4:30 a.m. Jan. 11 to find her husband underneath a blanket next to Ready's body.

After she screamed, Melanie Collins said her husband awoke and chased her outside to try to explain what happened. After he went back inside to clean up the kitchen, she called 911 from her cell phone inside her car.

Police officers who testified Tuesday described finding Collins' pickup soaked in blood and blood smeared throughout much of the home. Ready's body was found naked face down in the kitchen wrapped in a plastic tarp with a Las Vegas Stars towel wrapped around her neck.

Collins was found hiding in an air conditioning vent in the attic.

Metro Police Detective Paul Bigham testified that it appeared as though someone had attempted to wipe up much of the blood, but small amounts were found smeared in the foyer, living room, kitchen and leading to the upstairs bedroom.

Four knives were found inside Collins' truck, three from a decorative shadow box from inside the home and the fourth, a serrated kitchen knife, Bigham said.

The trial resumed this morning before District Judge Joseph Bonaventure.