Court briefs for March 14, 2002

Thursday, March 14, 2002 | 9:48 a.m.

Plea agreement will stand

A Las Vegas man who pleaded guilty to beating his girlfriend's daughter to death will not be allowed to pull out of his plea agreement.

District Judge Lee Gates ruled Wednesday that despite Charles Felipa's claims, Felipa fully understood the terms of his deal when he pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the January 2001 death of Viridiana Lizeth Flore-Calvillo, 2.

As a result, Felipa will be sentenced on March 20. He faces a 10- to 25-year prison sentence or a life sentence with parole possible after 10 years.

Elizabeth Calvillo, the child's mother, was placed on five years' probation in November after she admitted she didn't protect her daughter from Felipa.

Driver receives 4 years' probation

A Las Vegas woman was placed on three years' probation Wednesday in connection with an accident that killed a bicyclist in July.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker said Michelle Huish will also be placed on six months' house arrest, pay $4,200 in restitution, undergo counseling and have a breath-interlocking device placed on her vehicle.

Huish pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence and a gross misdemeanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident.

Huish was accused of striking Dereck Tobias on July 13 after Tobias darted in front of Huish's car near Washington Avenue and Decatur Boulevard.

Huish, who had a blood alcohol level of 0.11, fled, but was convinced by an eyewitness who followed her to return to the scene, Booker said.

Arizona man sentenced to life

An Arizona man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday for killing a man he claims made a homosexual advance toward him.

Gregory Amato, 38, will have to serve at least 41 years in prison before becoming eligible for parole, said Deputy District Attorney Marc DiGiacomo.

Amato claimed he got into a physical confrontation with California resident Jimmie D. Ingle, 57, when Ingle made a sexual advance in Laughlin.

Although he admitted that he stole Ingle's vehicle and wallet after the incident, Amato denied knowing that Ingle, a married military veteran, was dead when he left the desert area to which he and Ingle had driven.

Prosecutors, however, alleged Amato used a 13-pound rock to crush Ingle's head so he could steal Ingle's vehicle and credit cards.