Killer maintains he is innocent but won’t appeal

Thursday, March 29, 2001 | 11:31 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Convicted killer Sebastian Bridges, who faces death by lethal injection next month, continues to maintain his innocence, but he does not want to continue an appeal to delay the execution, an assistant public defender said.

"(Bridges) is not budging at this point. He is still intent on going through with the execution," said assistant Federal Public Defender Michael Pescetta Wednesday after he talked with Bridges at the state prison in Indian Springs. "But you never can say never until the last minute. Bridges, who said the October 1997 shooting of Hunter Blatchford was accidental, told his jury he was trying to avoid an altercation with Blatchford, who swung his arm, and the gun accidentally discharged.

Blatchford was the lover of Bridges' estranged wife, Laurie. Both Laurie and Blatchford were kidnapped at gunpoint. Blatchford was shot once, Laurie was beaten over the head with the gun and Blatchford was buried in a desert grave.

After his conviction and at the penalty hearing, Bridges, who had acted as his own attorney at the trial, said, "I know I didn't murder Hunter Blatchford."

It took the jury only 25 minutes to decide his guilt.

"If you could make that determination in 25 minutes based on lies, then it shouldn't even take you 25 minutes to come to a conclusion. There's only one answer to the equation, and that is to execute me."

The Nevada Supreme Court denied his appeal in August.

Evidence showed the motive for the killing was Bridges' jealousy and possessiveness, said the court.

"At this point his attitude is he is not going through litigation to vindicate his rights," Pescetta said. "He maintains his innocence, but he's very frustrated that his right to counsel was ignored by trial court and the Nevada Supreme Court."

According to the prosecution's case, on Oct. 26, 1997, Bridges, his wife and Blatchford drove to a remote location where Bridges had some of his wife's items that he wanted to return. Bridges, who was 34 at the time, pulled a gun and shot Blatchford once in the abdomen. He began beating Blatchford over the head with a gun. His wife tried to stop Bridges, but he struck her three times. He then handcuffed both Blatchford and Laurie.