Jury convicts man in Macayo restaurant robbery case

Kim Smith

Thursday, May 17, 2001 | 9:56 a.m.

After just two hours of deliberations, a Clark County jury rejected a robbery suspect's tale of coercion and convicted him on 13 felony charges Wednesday.

As a result, Markus Weatherspoon, 22, faces multiple life terms when he is sentenced June 28.

Weatherspoon told jurors Tuesday that Darnell Harris forced him into robbing a Macayo Vegas restaurant last June by threatening the life of his former girlfriend.

After Weatherspoon, Harris and Terrance Winn robbed the restaurant, Harris exchanged gunfire with Metro Police officer Peter Rossi, who was blinded in one eye by bullet fragments.

Weatherspoon and Harris were also accused of carjacking a nearby restaurant employee while fleeing the scene.

Weatherspoon was convicted of multiple kidnapping, conspiracy and robbery charges in addition to a single count of attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon.

The defendant had told jurors that once he realized he couldn't get out of the robbery, he did everything he could to ensure no one got shot. He kicked the restaurant manager once, he said, because he feared Harris would shoot her for screaming.

The jury could not reach a decision as to whether Weatherspoon was guilty of kidnapping the manager, who was forced into different areas of the restaurant during the robbery. Prosecutors said they likely won't re-try Weatherspoon on that charge because of the potential sentences on the other charges.

Winn pleaded guilty to robbery with use of a deadly weapon and attempted murder with use of a deadly weapon last month. He was sentenced in March to 20 to 50 years.

Officer Rossi recovered from his injuries and is back on duty.

Harris is scheduled to go on trial next year.