News briefs for November 6, 2001

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2001 | 9:37 a.m.

Reno attorney finally approved

The Senate on an 83-0 vote Monday night approved Reno lawyer Larry Hicks as a U.S. District Court judge, a job Hicks has wanted for nearly a decade.

Hicks in a few weeks will start the job he was first nominated for nine years ago -- by President Bush's father. That nomination died when the Senate did not act on it and President Clinton became president. Presidents typically nominate judges from their own party.

After a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last month, Hicks told reporters he has longed to serve in the high-profile court ever since. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., earlier this year recommended Hicks for the $145,100-a-year job and President Bush approved him in August.

Hicks, a former Washoe County district attorney and now partner in one of Nevada's largest law firms, McDonald, Carano, Wilson, McCune, Bergin, Frankovich & Hicks, will be the sixth full-time judge on the U.S. District Court in Nevada.

Child dies after violent shaking

A 33-year-old Las Vegas woman was sentenced Monday to 12 years in prison in the death of a 19-month-old boy she was baby-sitting.

District Judge Kathy Hardcastle followed the recommendation of the Division of Parole and Probation in sentencing Tarsila Chavez Monday morning. Chavez will be eligible for parole in 2 1/2 years.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon said he had hoped Chavez would get a six- to 24-year prison sentence in the death of Mario Chavez Nieto, who was shaken violently while Chavez was baby-sitting him.

Authorities said police were called to University Medical Center shortly after 6 p.m. June 8 when the child's father brought him in after picking him up at Chavez's house.

The child was taken into surgery shortly before 8 p.m. and died at 10:30 p.m.

Defendant takes plea agreement

One of two men accused in a shooting that left one man dead and another paralyzed in what prosecutors are calling a hate crime has accepted a plea agreement and will testify against his co-defendant.

Sheldon Hollimon, 27, pleaded guilty to accessory to murder Monday, moments before jury selection was to begin in his trial and the trial of Damon Lamar Campbell, 26.

As a result of the plea agreement, Hollimon will receive a one- to five-year sentence next month.

Hollimon told District Judge Sally Loehrer he helped hide Campbell in the moments after Campbell got into a confrontation with a group of Hispanic men who were walking through an alley near his home.

Louis Alberto Martinez, 32, was killed by a single gunshot in the head, and Carlos Villanueva, 28, was struck in the back and was paralyzed.

Chief Deputy District Attorney David Roger said he believes the crime is a hate crime and will seek the death penalty against Campbell if he is convicted of first-degree murder.

Man kills wife's boyfriend

A 45-year-old Las Vegas man was sentenced to life in prison Monday in the shooting death of his estranged wife's live-in boyfriend.

Daniel Frederick McRae will have to serve at least 10 years in prison in connection with the second-degree murder of James Allen Holt, 33.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Ed Kane said McRae was driving near Charleston Boulevard and Antelope Way with his 19-year-old girlfriend and Holt on July 24, when he and Holt got into an argument over Holt's treatment of his wife.

McRae shot Holt twice, Kane said.

McRae was charged with murder, but he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. His girlfriend was not charged.

Councilman donates first cans

Las Vegas Councilman Lawrence Weekly today will join Albertson's and KBYE 105.7-FM to kick off a monthlong drive to collect 50,000 pounds of canned goods.

Weekly was to be on hand to donate the first cans at 1 p.m. today at the Albertson's store at 2575 S. Maryland Parkway. The drive runs until Nov. 20.

Collected cans will be donated to the city of Las Vegas Senior Nutrition Center, which provides emergency food services to seniors.

The center at 320 S. Ninth St. is open from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Kingman man held in killing

An Arizona man was charged Sunday in connection with the slaying of a man found in a desert area in Golden Valley, Ariz. Christopher M. Smith, 21, of Kingman was held this morning in the Mohave County jail on a murder charge. Smith went to a Kingman attorney's office Sunday in connection with the slaying, Mohave County sheriff officials said. The attorney contacted sheriff's department officials and Smith led detectives to the body of Henry T. DiFransesco, 50. The body was located in the area of U.S. 93 and State Route 68 in Golden Valley, between Kingman and Bullhead City, officials said. The cause of death has not been determined, but appears to be from some type of head trauma, officials said. No motive for the slaying has been determined. The slaying occurred sometime Saturday.