Jury rejects self-defense claim

Kim Smith

Tuesday, Aug. 21, 2001 | 10:17 a.m.

Prosecutors who hope to obtain the death penalty for a Las Vegas man convicted Monday of shooting two men to death four years ago will begin presenting evidence Wednesday.

A Clark County jury took less than six hours Monday to reject Darion Daniel's claim that he shot Fred Washington, 24, and Mark Payne, 25, to death in self-defense.

The jury convicted Daniel of two counts of first-degree murder. They also convicted Daniel of two counts of attempted murder and one count of burglary.

Deputy District Attorneys Christopher Lalli and Robert Daskas alleged Daniel, 30, walked into a downtown apartment in January 1997 and opened fire on the occupants as they watched television.

Washington died on the couch and Payne was killed as he ran through the kitchen trying to escape. Antoine Hall and Tehran Woods, 24, were shot several times, but survived.

Daniel reportedly tried to shoot a fifth person, Sadie Parker, but missed as she ran outside.

The prosecutors presented evidence that Daniel was either upset with his friends because they wouldn't give him $10 for drugs or he believed Washington had killed a friend of his.

Defense attorneys JoNell Thomas and Robert Langford tried to convince jurors that Daniel acted in self-defense after Washington pointed a weapon at him and Hall lunged for him.

The defense attorneys argued the physical evidence at the scene supported their theory.