Appeals court denies relief for Vegas killer

By Cy Ryan (contact)

Thursday, Sept. 4, 2008 | 1:52 p.m.

CARSON CITY -- An appeals court rejected a convicted murder’s claim that his mental problems entitled him to a new trial on charges he killed a Las Vegas prostitute.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the petition of Steve Cox, who received a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the March 1990 strangulation death of Carita Wilson in a North Las Vegas motel.

Cox, 58, said his lawyer should have presented evidence of Cox’s mental problems and his cocaine addiction in an effort to get a reduced sentence.

But the appeals court said the lawyer made the court aware of the mental problems. Cox had been examined by four psychiatrists who had differing opinions.

The court, in a decision written by Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain, said Cox failed to produce any other evidence his attorney could have used to get a reduced sentence.

O’Scannlain said, “our own search of the record shows that there was no powerful mitigating evidence left unearthed.”

The court also rejected the argument of Cox that the district judge in Clark County should have ordered a hearing to determine if Cox was mentally alert when he gave statements to investigating officers about the crime.

In March 1990, Cox left Vallejo, Calif., headed to Tennessee with $16,000 in cash. He stopped in Las Vegas to have his truck repaired. He met Wilson, who had an extensive criminal record. They checked into a motel.

Cox told police he acted in self defense and was afraid Wilson was going to steal his money. He said the woman came at him with “fangs and fingernails” and that he only choked her with a towel long enough to subdue her and get away.

Cox is serving his term at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center in Carson City.