Court briefs for March 7, 2001

Wednesday, March 7, 2001 | 11:01 a.m.

Jury spares man the death penalty

A Las Vegas jury Tuesday spared the life of the man it convicted last week in connection with the killing a romantic rival.

Jurors said that instead of receiving the death penalty, Mack Mason, 53, should spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole in connection with the May 1999 shooting death of Dudley Earl Thomas, 41.

Police say Mason shot Thomas in the head because he was upset Thomas was dating his former girlfriend.

Thomas' body was found in a Seventh Street hotel downtown on May 12, 1999.

Man pleads guilty to manslaughter

A 35-year-old Las Vegas man involved in a deadly traffic altercation in April pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter with the use of a deadly weapon Tuesday.

Under the plea agreement, Toby Bishop will receive at least one to 10 years in prison for stabbing Anthony Castillo, 21, to death. Because a weapon was used, a district judge must decide on April 16 if he should serve an equal sentence consecutively or concurrently.

Castillo was a passenger in a car driven by another man who reportedly was driving recklessly in a Craig Road apartment complex parking lot and nearly struck Bishop's 12-year-old stepson, police said.

Bishop's wife, Vadna, and other residents yelled at the driver and Castillo. The altercation turned deadly when Bishop stabbed Castillo once in the chest.

Shortly after Bishop was arrested, he and his wife were charged with solicitation to commit murder for reportedly trying to get someone to kill a witness in the murder case.

Bishop pleaded guilty to that charge and will receive an additional two to 15 years in prison. It will be up to a judge as to whether it will be served at the same time as the murder sentence.

Vadna Bishop, too, pleaded guilty to that charge. She faces two to 15 years but could receive probation April 2.