Court briefs for May 31, 2002

Friday, May 31, 2002 | 9:53 a.m.

More rape case victims possible

After showing still photographs taken from numerous videotapes to several law enforcement agencies, Metro Police believe they have identified more alleged rape victims in the Steven Newberg case.

"Metro may have identified a couple of victims, but we haven't spoken to them yet," said Chief Deputy District Attorney Doug Herndon. "We believe they are older cases, victims who were possibly assaulted in California."

If the women are located and say Newberg sexually assaulted them, Herndon said he may be able to use their testimony in Newberg's trial.

Newberg is in the Clark County Detention Center facing trial on 36 sex-related crimes pertaining to a 14-year-old girl and two Las Vegas prostitutes.

Authorities allege Newberg sexually assaulted dozens of women in Los Angeles and Las Vegas and captured the acts on videotape. Police have spent the last several weeks trying to identify the women, many of whom are believed to be prostitutes.

Plea deal sought for Nichols' son

Joshua Isaac Nichols, the son of Terry Nichols, who was convicted in the Oklahoma City bombing, will be back in court June 20 to see if a plea agreement can be worked out that would take care of two criminal cases.

Nichols, 19, faces nine felony counts pertaining to two separate incidents that have taken place within the last four months. On Wednesday, Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Guymon told Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Nancy Oesterle he would be working with Nichols' attorney to see if a deal could be worked out to take care of both cases.

According to Metro police records, Nichols is accused of stealing a $600 scooter from Jay's Market on Eastern Avenue in February. He was also arrested in April in connection with an alleged kidnapping, beating and robbery.

Nichols is currently finishing a 60-day sentence on the misdemeanor charges of reckless driving and evading police.

Parole possible in murder sentence

A Guatemala native will spend at least the next 40 years in prison for the July shooting death of a countryman.

Clark County jurors decided that Elder Zacarias-Lopez, 25, should receive a life sentence in the slaying of Moris Almendarez-Morataya, 27. They also decided, however, that he should have a chance at parole.

Morataya was shot in the head four times during a gathering of men at Lopez's house on July 8.

Robber receives 9 to 26 years

A 31-year-old robber who lost his eye when one of his intended victims shot him was sentenced to nine to 26 years in prison Thursday.

John Dimick and Desirae Bueti, 19, went to a home in the 3200 block of Mason Avenue to respond to an advertisement for a jewelry sale last December.

Once the two were shown the jewelry, police say, Dimick attacked the homeowner with a crowbar. The homeowner's adult daughter grabbed a handgun and shot Dimick, police said.

Bueti, who fled with the jewelry but eventually turned herself in, was given 90 days in jail and three years' probation after entering a plea agreement.

Dimick pleaded guilty to four felony counts and one gross misdemeanor and was sentenced by District Judge Valorie Vega.

No reasons needed for rejected parole

The state Parole Board does not have to give a reason when it denies a prison inmate release, the Nevada Supreme Court says.

The law, the court said, "does not require the Parole Board to disclose to appellant the reasons they denied him parole."

It said "parole is an act of grace of the state and appellant does not have a liberty interest; thus, the board is not constitutionally required to render any statement of reasons why they denied parole."

The court rejected the petition of inmate John Witherow, who then sued.

The court Thursday also said the Parole Board can rely on confidential information in making its decision and does not have to provide the data to the prison inmate.