Teenagers to plead guilty in slaying plot

Dan Kulin

Thursday, June 12, 2003 | 11:10 a.m.

A Henderson teen accused of plotting to kill his mother and stepfather and the teen accused of carrying out the stabbing attack, which left both victims injured but alive, plan to plead guilty to the May 18 crime, two attorneys said Wednesday.

James Donald and Christopher Robinson, both 18 and from Henderson, waived their preliminary hearings in Henderson Justice Court on Wednesday and are scheduled to appear in District Court on June 25. At that time they plan to plead guilty to charges including two counts of attempted murder with the use of a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit murder, according to Robinson's attorney Michael Printy and Chief Deputy District Attorney David Barker.

According to police, Donald confessed to planning the attack on his mother and stepfather, saying if they were dead he would inherit their home.

Robinson, who is accused of carrying out the attack alone, told police that Donald offered him money to kill the couple.

In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors will not ask for consecutive terms, which would reduce the teens' possible sentences from four to 100 years to four to 80 years in prison, Barker said.

The agreement was the young men's choice, Printy said. "This is what they both wanted to do to, and hopefully get the lower end of the punishments," he said.

"He's very remorseful," Printy said of Robinson. "He wants to take his punishment and throw himself on the mercy of the court. ... He just wants to take responsibility for his actions."

Barker said he hadn't decided what sentence he would recommend for the two, but he was glad to see their remorse.

"They've stepped up and taken responsibility for their conduct," he said. "That means something.

"If they hold true to this course and plead guilty, it will influence me."

According to police, Donald's mother and stepfather, Karla and Randy Norris, were attacked by Robinson about 2:45 a.m. May 18 inside the Norris home in the 700 block of Ashbury Park Street, near Boulder Highway and Lake Mead Parkway.

Randy Norris was stabbed in the face and eye, and ended up losing an eye because of the attack.

Karla Norris, who was attacked while sleeping, was cut on her arm and head and stabbed at least a dozen times.

At the scene of the crime, police found a diver's knife used in the attack, a pair of swim goggles, black pantyhose used as a mask and black gloves, one with a latex glove inside it.

After interviewing the couple at the hospital, police went to Robinson's home in the 900 block of Sir Winston Street and noticed scratches on his arms and a bruise on his forehead.

Robinson told police he had become drunk and had fallen down at a party.

Police then went to a home in the 2100 block of Kantele, where Donald was living. Police linked a phone call between Robinson and Donald about 4:30 a.m. Sunday, and detectives said Donald then confessed to the crime.

Donald said that he gave the diver's knife to Robinson after getting it from Randy Norris' old Coast Guard life jacket, police reports said. The suspects purchased the goggles and clothing, police said.

Robinson said he had planned to burn the clothing he wore, but did not have time before police arrived, according to the arrest affidavit. Donald said he helped Robinson clean off some blood by pouring a pitcher of water over him, the police report said.

A party at the couples' home, Donald said, was a part of a ploy to make sure fingerprints were left at the crime scene, according to the report.

Robinson told police he wore the swim goggles so police would not find eyelashes at the scene, according to police.

Donald's attorney did not return telephone messages left Wednesday.