Court briefs for Dec. 17, 2002

Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2002 | 11:13 a.m.

Sentencing delayed in drive-by killing

One of five men charged in the drive-by shooting death of a North Las Vegas woman won't be sentenced until January.

Jamon Brooks, 23, was expected to be sentenced Monday, but District Court Judge Sally Loehrer postponed the sentencing until Jan. 27 after Public Defender Pete Christiansen said he had not received a copy of pre-sentencing investigation.

In a plea agreement, Brooks pleaded guilty to a felony charge of conspiracy to commit murder. He faces one to 10 years in prison.

In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors have agreed to drop nine other felony charges, which included murder with the use of a deadly weapon and battery with a deadly weapon, Chief Deputy District Attorney Ed Kane said.

Brooks and co-defendants Anthony Hampton, 18, and Perry Macklin Jr., 21, in October acknowledged that prosecutors have enough evidence to convict them in the May 25, 2001, shooting death of 35-year-old Gwendolyn Jones.

Hampton and Macklin will be sentenced Jan. 29. The other two defendants, Joey Clark and Corey Johnson, are expected to go to trial in March.

Jones, 35, was caught in the crossfire while standing in a yard during her sister's wake.

Four others were wounded in the shooting, including an 8-year-old girl.

High court rejects inmates' petition

The Nevada Supreme Court on Monday rejected a petition by three inmates of the state prison system who challenged the adequacy of the prison's HIV counseling and educational programs.

The court said it appears the prison system "has fulfilled its duty of establishing an HIV counseling and educational program for inmates."