Local news briefs for June 17, 2002

Monday, June 17, 2002 | 10:38 a.m.

Man sought after death

Metro Police are seeking a man who left the corner of Las Vegas Boulevard North and Bonanza Road about 6:40 a.m. Sunday after another man collapsed.

Witnesses called police after a 45-year-old man was found lying on the ground, police said. The victim was taken to University Medical Center for treatment and was pronounced dead about 7:30 a.m.

Witnesses told police the victim and another man were fighting before the victim collapsed. The name of the man who died was not released this morning.

The man police are seeking is Hispanic, in his early 30s, 6-feet tall, slim build with long, brown, shoulder-length hair. He was last seen wearing a blue baseball cap and a white T-shirt with an unknown design, police said.

Anyone with information about the identity of the man who walked away is asked to call Secret Witness at 385-5555 or Metro Homicide at 229-3521.

Lake Mead algae burns off

Green algae that coated Lake Mead this spring has mostly burned off as temperatures consistently have gone above 100 degrees, and the algae is not expected to be a problem this summer.

Scientists meeting at the Lake Mead Water Quality Forum learned last week that levels of chlorophyll were at least three times lower than last year, when green goo blanketed the lake into July.

This year warm temperatures and high winds at the lake scattered the single-celled plant containing chlorophyll, which feeds fish and other aquatic life.

Sale of atomic bomb plugs OK'd

A federal judge Friday allowed the sale of safety plugs from the atomic bomb dropped over Hiroshima after the Air Force argued that the equipment was still classified.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston refused to block Butterfields Auctioneers Inc. from releasing the two arming mechanisms from the atomic bomb dropped from the Enola Gay on Aug. 6, 1945.

The Justice Department had requested a temporary restraining order on Tuesday, just before the auction of the plugs and other Enola Gay memorabilia, saying the design of the thumb-sized plugs is still top secret.

Illston had allowed the auction to proceed, but said the plugs could not be given to the buyer until she ruled on Friday.

Retired nuclear engineer Morris Jeppson, a former Enola Gay crew member who now lives in Las Vegas, put the plugs up for auction. Clay Perkins, a physicist and Southern California developer, offered the winning bid of $167,500.

The judge noted in her decision that the government failed to take action to try to get the devices in 1994, when they were offered for display at the government-run Smithsonian Institution.

Driver indicted in fatal accident

A Las Vegas man has been indicted in connection with a fatal drunken driving accident.

According to an indictment unsealed Friday in District Court, Victor Delucia faces one count each of driving under the influence of an intoxicating liquor, reckless driving and involuntary manslaughter.

Delucia is accused of causing an accident on Jan. 20 that killed Allen Schoenecker.

According to the indictment, Delucia was southbound on State Route 160 when he drifted out of his lane while possibly speeding and struck Schoenecker's pickup, which was headed in the opposite direction.

Delucia will be arraigned July 3 by District Judge Nancy Saitta.

District report says water safe

The Las Vegas Valley Water District is releasing a report comparing Southern Nevada's tap water to federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards, finding no violations of the limits.

The report will be mailed to customers with their monthly water bills.

While Las Vegas has some of the hardest water in the country, measured by the amount of minerals in the water, the quality of the water source rates very well, the report said.

The water district tested more than 35,000 water samples during 2001.

In addition to analyzing samples collected at the water treatment plant, technicians also examined water from sampling stations throughout the Las Vegas Valley.

The annual water quality report includes test results, an overview of the water treatment process and information about the water source.

The report also includes information about the water's taste and hardness to help residents make informed decisions about using products such as in-home water treatment systems.

For those who do not receive a water quality report by July 1, call 258-3215 or visit the website: www.lvvwd.com

West appeal deadline set

CARSON CITY -- Chief Justice Bill Maupin has given the Clark County Public Defender's Office until June 25 to file its opening brief in the Nevada Supreme Court in the appeal of Brookey West, convicted of killing her mother in Las Vegas.

The public defender's office filed its notice of appeal in November last year but the case has been delayed because transcripts of lower court hearings were not available.

West, 47, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the February 1998 death of Christine Smith, 64. Her liquefied remains were found Feb. 5, 2001, inside a 55-gallon trash container. A plastic trash bag was tied tightly around the remains of Smith's nose, mouth and chin.

Prosecutors believe West suffocated her mother so she could continue to collect Smith's monthly Social Security checks. Medical examiners were unable to determine the cause of death.

Deputy Public Defender Scott Coffee has informed the Supreme Court that he will raise the issues of insufficient evidence to convict West; there was not enough evidence to show a murder to sustain a conviction; there were improper jury instructions and prosecutorial misconduct during the trial.

Defendant gives up self-defense

A former New Yorker representing himself in his murder trial handed off his case to stand-by counsel just minutes before jury selection began this morning.

Anthony Cuccia Jr. gave up his right to defend himself after District Court Judge Jeffrey Sobel begged him to reconsider.

"For the final time, this is a big, big mistake you're making," Sobel said. "Don't represent yourself."

Sobel referred to Cuccia's eighth-grade education and questionable mental health as reasons to reconsider.

Cuccia is accused of shooting New Yorker Philip Greenspan to death on Feb. 7, 2000, inside the sports book at the Stardust, in front of several patrons.

Cuccia fired his public defenders last year because they wanted to tell jurors he was delusional. It was then that Jay "Chip" Siegel was appointed to the case as stand-by counsel. Siegel will represent Cuccia at trial.