News briefs for January 28, 2002

Monday, Jan. 28, 2002 | 11:03 a.m.

Federal trial set for March 11

The federal trial of a man accused of sending threatening letters to various politicians, including Sen. Harry Reid, has been scheduled for March 11.

Milton Thomas Black, 61, pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges of transmitting threatening interstate communications.

Black is accused of sending a letter to Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., and Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., in which he threatens to gun them down.

Black is also accused of threatening to douse Reid with gasoline.

Jury deliberates Johnson's fate

Jurors began deliberating the fate this morning of a 27-year-old man accused of robbing Treasure Island with his brother in July 2000.

Deputy District Attorney Phil Brown alleges Donell Johnson robbed the casino at Treasure Island along with Reginald Johnson, who is currently serving 130 years for robbing the casino on three separate occasions.

Donnell Johnson, who represented himself during his weeklong trial, said he wasn't involved in the robbery. His brother, who was his sole witness, also testified Donnell Johnson wasn't a participant in the robbery.

Jury deliberates in Whitesell case

Jurors were deliberating this morning in the case of a homeless man accused of slashing the throat of an elderly Las Vegas woman.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Frank Coumou told jurors that Robert Whitesell is one of three men who went to Tiffany Averill's home in January 2001 hoping to rob her of her husband's extensive gun collection.

The 67-year-old Averill's throat was slashed with a box cutter during the robbery.

Troy Schnabl was convicted of second-degree murder in the case last week, and Ernest Valezquez is serving a four- to 10-year sentence after entering a plea agreement.

Whitesell's attorney, William "Lew" Wolfbrandt, told jurors Friday that Schnabl was responsible for Averill's death.

If convicted, Whitesell could receive a life sentence with or without the possibility of parole.

Hit-and-run vehicle sought

Metro Police are investigating the death of a 53-year-old bicyclist who was struck by a gray Lincoln Continental on Nellis Boulevard south of Desert Inn Road about midnight on Sunday.

The Lincoln was traveling northbound on Nellis in the left travel lane when the bicyclist crossed into the path of the car, witnesses told police.

The bicyclist was pronounced dead at the scene. The Clark County coroner's office said today that the man's name is being withheld pending positive ID and notification of his relatives.

The Lincoln Continental left the scene westbound on Desert Inn Road. Witnesses reported that the vehicle had a trailer hitch on the rear and was dark gray on top, light gray in the middle and dark gray on the bottom.

Anyone with information on the collision is asked to contact Secret Witness at 385-5555 or Metro Detective William Redfairn at 229-3128.

It was the ninth fatal collision in Metro Police jurisdiction this year.

Man on cell phone hit by SUV

An 82-year-old Alaska man was killed by a vehicle as he crossed Tropicana Avenue while chatting on a cellular phone Sunday night, Metro Police said.

Leslie Heppinstall of Palmer, Alaska, was killed shortly before 11:30 p.m. at Tropicana and Island Way as he was hit by an Chevrolet SUV, police said.

Neither the driver nor his passenger were injured, and the driver was not cited, police said.

Witnesses at the scene said the Chevrolet was eastbound on Tropicana with a green light. The pedestrian was crossing against a red light with a cell phone to his ear and apparently did not see the oncoming vehicle, police said.

The accident, the 10th fatality this year, remains under investigation, police said.