Lawyer wants transcripts closed in neglect-death case

Thursday, Sept. 8, 2005 | 9:53 a.m.

A lawyer for one of the two people charged with killing a 2-year-old by starving her to death wants to keep the public from having acccess to the grand jury transcripts related to the case.

Nevada's open records law ensures that all records kept by governments are open to the public unless another law specifically states that a certain document can be kept confidential. In Nevada, transcripts of a grand jury proceeding are kept secret until the case moves into open court.

On Wednesday Deputy Public Defender Tim O'Brien, who is representing 25-year-old Jack Richardson, asked Senior Judge Joseph Pavlikowski on Tuesday to seal the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings that led to Richardson and his girlfriend, 28-year-old Charlene Snyder, being indicted Aug. 30 on charges of second-degree murder and four counts of abuse and neglect in connection with the death of Snyder's daughter, Adacelli Snyder.

The toddler was found dead in her own excrement and covered with insect bites at the family's trailer home, on June 29. She had died of cachexia -- which means she had starved and wasted away from malnutrition, according to the Clark County Coroner's office. A medical examiner also determined her death was a homicide.

A Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center doctor, two Metro Police officers, Charlene Snyder's friend and mother testified before the grand jury.

O'Brien is arguing that due to intense media interest in the case the release of the transcript could be prejudicial to both Richardson and Snyder.

Pavlikowski said the issue should be revisited when the transcript is completed and becomes part of the case file, which would most likely occur on Sept. 9.

Charlene Snyder and Jack Richardson pleaded not guilty to all the charges against them Tuesday. They also said they understood the charges against them, and their trial date was scheduled for Feb. 6 before District Judge David Wall.

The indictment says Snyder and Richardson failed to feed Adacelli, who had cerebral palsy, and forced her to live in an insect-infested environment where she suffered numerous bites and lesions.

Adacelli was also suffering from a condition known as hair tourniquet at the time of her death, most likely as a result of her scratching insect bites.

Hair had been wrapped around three fingers of her right hand, and when the hair was untangled and removed, authorities found deep cuts that exposed tendons.

Snyder and Richardson are also accused of allowing Synder's two daughters, ages 5 and 3, to suffer from a severe lice infestation for more than a year. And, after Adacelli died, Snyder's 1-year-old son was hospitalized for a less severe case of malnutrition, authorities said.