Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010 | 5:05 p.m.
CARSON CITY – The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of John “Polar Bear” Butler, convicted of the killing of two men whose bodies were found in the desert outside Las Vegas in July 1998.
Butler, according to public reports a leader in the “Independent Nazi Skins,” was sentenced to two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole for the fatal shooting of Daniel Shersty and Lin “Spit” Newborn.
The court ruled that the prosecution did not make an error in introducing evidence of three prior arrests of Butler. The court said evidence of his prior uncharged crimes, including evidence of prior arrests was admissible at the penalty hearing.
The court also affirmed the first-degree murder conviction of Louis A. “Loco” Gonzales in the shooting of Tayde “Toker” Alejandro-Trejo at Maria Enriguez’s apartment in Las Vegas.
The court said the two were involved in a “verbal and physical altercation.”
Gonzales was sentenced to consecutive life terms in prison with the possibility of parole.
Gonzales claimed there were 12 errors made at the trial. The court rejected these and said there was sufficient evidence to warrant the conviction.
The court said the prosecution presented evidence that Gonzales killed Trejo, that Gonzales admitted that he intended to shoot Trejo and that Gonzales admitted that when he shot Trejo he did not see a gun in Trejo’s hand.
The court rejected the claim by Gonzales that evidence that he was intoxicated at the time should have been presented.
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