Court briefs for Dec. 4, 2002

Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2002 | 9:51 a.m.

Motion delays sentence in slaying

Sentencing was postponed Tuesday in the case of a Las Vegas man convicted of stabbing his brother with a steak knife.

A jury in April found Daniel Jones guilty of second-degree murder with the use of a deadly weapon in the slaying of his 20-year-old brother, Steven.

Jones was expected to be sentenced Tuesday by District Court Judge John McGroarty, but the sentencing was postponed while prosecutors wait for the Nevada Supreme Court to decide on a defense attorney's motion for an acquittal.

But because the motion was not filed within seven days, state statute mandates that McGroarty does not have the jurisdiction to hear the motion, Deputy District Attorney Bernie Zadrowski said.

"Motions for acquittals are not common," Zadrowski said.

Jones' attorney, Frank Kocka, was unavailable for comment.

Jones is expected to appear in court Jan. 6. He faces a 20- to 50-year sentence or a life sentence with the possibility of parole after 20 years.

Killer decides to keep plea deal

A man who attempted to withdraw his guilty plea in the slaying of an elderly woman now faces a life sentence without the possibility of parole.

Brett D. Jones had told a judge that he wanted to withdraw the guilty plea he entered in the death of 67-year-old Shirley Rogers, but has since decided to abandon the motion, Chief Deputy District Attorney Robert Daskas said.