News briefs for August 25, 2003

Monday, Aug. 25, 2003 | 11:33 a.m.

Hearing ordered in death penalty

The Nevada Supreme Court has ordered a District Court to look into claims that convicted killer Kitrich Powell did not have effective representation at his penalty hearing at which he received the death penalty for the 1989 killing of a 4-year-old girl.

The court said District Judge John McGroarty should hold an evidentiary hearing on Powell's allegation that his trial lawyer failed to call Powell's father and two brothers to testify in mitigation at the penalty hearing.

Powell was convicted of repeated beatings and causing the death of 4-year-old Melea Allen, the daughter of Sharon Allen, Powell's girlfriend.

Powell said his father and two brothers would have testified at the penalty hearing that Powell's parents subjected him to severe physical and emotional abuse during his childhood.

Father arrested in kidnapping

Metro Police based in Laughlin arrested a man Thursday who was wanted for kidnapping his 1-year-old and 1-month-old children from Los Angeles.

Authorities believed Gregory Corcoran might be headed to Las Vegas and notified police. Officers spotted Corcoran entering the Searchlight area at about 12:30 a.m. and stopped him, Detective Tim Burris said.

He was arrested on fugitive charges of domestic violence, child endangerment and child abduction. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center and is awaiting extradition.

The two children were turned over to child protective officials in Mohave Valley, Ariz., to be reunited with their mother, Burris said.