Rhodes’ appeal rejected

Tuesday, July 12, 2005 | 9:16 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court rejected former North Las Vegas Councilman John Rhodes' appeal of his insurance fraud conviction.

Attorney General Brian Sandoval said Monday he has been notified by the court that it ruled July 5 to uphold the conviction that Rhodes filed a phony $10,200 insurance claim after a burglary of his home in 1998.

Rhodes was placed on five years probation.

Sandoval said, "This was an important case from a public integrity standpoint and for the protection of insurers and consumers."

Rhodes claimed he was entitled to a new trial because the prosecution failed to present to the defense a pretrial interview with a prosecution witness, Janeen Thompson-McLaurin. In that interview, she said she had become pregnant with Rhodes' child and had an abortion, according to Rhodes' appeal.

The Nevada Supreme Court said the failure to timely provide this evidence on the part of the prosecution was "inadvertent," and District Judge Michael Cherry "took adequate measures to ensure that Rhodes was not prejudiced by allowing him additional time to prepare his cross-examination of Thompson-McLaurin."

The court also rejected Rhodes' claim that Cherry failed to give a proper jury instruction.