Bedard appeal dismissed

Thursday, June 13, 2002 | 9:36 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Wednesday rejected the appeal of Scott H. Bedard, convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a janitorial service owner during a burglary at the Templeton Plaza in Las Vegas in 1997.

Bedard was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus 60 to 150 years in the death of William Hanlon, son of former state Board of Education member William Hanlon Sr.

Bedard broke into the building and rifled through several suites before being surprised by Hanlon, according to court records. Bedard ordered Hanlon to his knees and shot him in the head, then took the money from his wallet.

In his appeal Bedard challenged the seven count of burglary, suggesting his entry into several suites within the office building was a single wrongful act.

"We conclude that every separate entry into each of the suites occurred at a different time and a different place," the court ruled. It said the evidence showed Bedard ransacked each suite he was charged with burglarizing.

Bedard's "entry into several suites cannot be said to have arisen out of a single wrongful act," it said.

Bedard was convicted of first-degree murder, robbery with use of a deadly weapon, 10 counts of burglary and three counts of grand larceny.