Lawyer accused in wife’s death gets stay

Kim Smith

Thursday, Jan. 3, 2002 | 8:54 a.m.

The Nevada Supreme Court on Wednesday delayed the trial of a Las Vegas attorney accused of killing his wife, giving the attorneys time to argue whether the prosecution can evaluate the man's mental state at the time of the slaying.

The court issued the stay in Alfred "Chip" Centofanti III's case the day jury selection was supposed to start. Clark County Deputy District Attorneys Becky Goettsch and Christopher Laurent asked the justices to overturn a decision by District Judge Mark Gibbons that prevented them from having Centofanti evaluated by state-chosen psychologists.

Prosecutors say Centofanti shot his wife, Virginia, between five and seven times on Dec. 20, 2000. Centofanti's attorneys have hinted their client acted in self-defense and his doctors are expected to testify to that.

Because there are no legal precedents regarding the issue in Nevada, the justices postponed the trial and asked the attorneys in the case to file briefs.

The prosecutors want their doctors to be able to make their own determination about Centofanti's mental status on the day in question -- either by evaluating Centofanti himself or by looking at his doctors' reports, which haven't been made available to the state.

Centofanti claims his wife, who was arrested two weeks prior to her death on a domestic violence charge, had received a brown belt in karate.

Virginia Centofanti's family, however, maintains that she only attended two karate classes. They also insist she had been told she would be killed if she attempted to divorce Centofanti.

It is unclear when the justices will render a decision, but the trial was tentatively rescheduled for June 17.