Court briefs for September 21, 2001

Friday, Sept. 21, 2001 | 10:11 a.m.

DeChant explains her guilty plea

Convicted killer Amy DeChant told her victim's family Thursday the only reason she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder was so they could get on with their lives.

DeChant said Bruce Weinstein's slaying is still a mystery and she is as outraged at his death as they are.

DeChant, 53, was convicted in 1998 of killing Weinstein, her wealthy 46-year-old bookmaker boyfriend.

DeChant had claimed that Weinstein was killed by mobsters, who allowed her to live on the condition that she clean the murder scene and keep quiet.

Her conviction was overturned because the Nevada Supreme Court said a homicide detective should not have been allowed to testify that DeChant's mob story was a "fairy tale."

Rather than face a second jury, DeChant pleaded guilty in July to second-degree murder.

On Thursday, District Judge John McGroarty gave DeChant a 10 to 25-year prison sentence as a result of that plea agreement.

Bail set at $1.75 million

Bail of $1.75 million was set Thursday for a Las Vegas man suspected of committing a series of casino heists and a double homicide in Henderson.

Pedro Duarte, 37, had been held without bail, but his attorney, Michael Cristalli, asked Justice of the Peace James Bixler to set bail because of Duarte's bad health.

Cristalli said Duarte, 37, suffers from a lung ailment that causes his lungs to collapse, placing his life in danger.

By setting bail, Cristalli said Duarte has a chance of getting out of jail and receiving medical treatment he can't get at the Clark County Detention Center.

Duarte, Jose Vigoa and Luis Suarez face charges in seven casino robberies between June 1998 and June 2000. They are also suspected of killing two armored truck guards in Henderson in March 2000.

LV man receives two life terms

A Las Vegas man who lost his bid for a new murder trial was sentenced Thursday to two life terms.

Geovanni Torres will have to serve at least 40 years before becoming eligible for parole in the December 1996 death of Alfonso Lazaro.

Authorities believe Carlos Torres, 28, and his brother, Geovanny Torres, killed Lazaro, 30, because of an ongoing dispute dating back to when all three lived in Cuba.

Geovanny Torres was convicted in June 2000, but his sentencing had been put on hold while defense attorneys sought a new trial based on new information.

District Judge John McGroarty denied the request for a new trial on Tuesday and sentenced Geovanny Torres on Thursday.

Trial delayed until November

Next week's trial of a Panaca woman accused in the mutilation slaying of a Las Vegas man has been postponed until Nov. 13 to give her defense attorney more time to prepare.

Kirstin Lobato is being held on $250,00 bail in the Clark County Detention Center in the July 8 death of Duran Bailey, 44.

Lobato told police that Bailey attacked her and she cut his genitals as he was trying to sexually assault her.

The 18-year-old woman was arrested on a murder charge, however, because an autopsy revealed Bailey died of a fractured skull and severed carotid artery. Doctors believe he was mutilated after death.

Special Public Defender Phil Kohn told District Judge Valorie Vega he needs additional time to get ready for the trial.