Man claims he was delirious when he pleaded guilty in slaying

By Cy Ryan

Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013 | 4:29 p.m.

CARSON CITY — The Nevada Supreme Court today rejected the appeal of a Las Vegas killer who said he was delirious when he pleaded guilty to killing a man and wounding a woman in Las Vegas in 2011.

Donnell P. Pugh maintained he was basically illiterate and was threatened with being judged a habitual criminal when he entered his pleas to second-degree murder and attempted murder, according to court documents.

Pugh fatally shot Charles McCullough, a school bus driver, and wounded Jessica Green on Jan. 15, 2011, at the Evergreen Apartments in the 5400 block of West Cheyenne Avenue, according to court records.

Pugh was sentenced to 10 years to life on the murder charge and an additional 10 to 40 years on charges of attempted murder and using a deadly weapon in the crimes.

The court ruled that Pugh “failed to demonstrate that his plea was invalid” and that there was “nothing in the record to demonstrate the appellant was not competent to enter his guilty plea.”