News briefs for Dec. 5, 2002

Thursday, Dec. 5, 2002 | 10:01 a.m.

Supreme Court rejects appeal

The Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the petition of convicted killer Oscar Williams Jr. of Las Vegas, who said he had new evidence to prove his innocence.

Williams was sentenced in 1984 to two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for the fatal shooting of his wife.

He filed an appeal in 2001 claiming that a man named Inginio Hernandez confessed to the murder of Williams' wife. The Supreme Court said the District Court found Hernandez's supposed confession not credible.

Probation given in fraud case

One of the people behind a scheme that defrauded the California State Automobile Association of $180,300 has been placed on three years' probation by District Judge Kathy Hardcastle.

Guy M. Sheets, 38, of Henderson, had pleaded guilty to two counts of insurance fraud and was ordered by the judge to make restitution of $63,130. He has paid $2,500 to reimburse the insurance fraud unit of the state Attorney General's Office for its investigative costs.

Sheets must complete DNA testing as required by the state Division of Parole and Probation and he must testify against other defendants if necessary. He could have received six years in prison and fines of $15,000. He had no prior criminal record.

An accomplice, Deborah M. Bray, also has pleaded guilty to two counts and will be sentenced Jan. 23 in Las Vegas.

Catfish nuggets are recalled

A Mississippi company is recalling catfish nuggets sold in 39 states because the package doesn't warn that the food contains egg whites, a health threat to people allergic to eggs.

Recalled are 2.5-pound bags of America's Catch breaded catfish nuggets.

People allergic to egg whites should not eat the recalled nuggets, but return them to the place of purchase for a refund.

The nuggets were sold in Nevada and these other states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Wyoming.

No illnesses have been reported.

Consumers with questions may contact Itta Bena, Miss.-based America's Catch Inc. at 1-662-254-7200.