Tuesday, April 16, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
Rhesa Gamble told a variety of stories to police and in an early court hearing about the murder of a Nellis Air Force Base sergeant moonlighting as a convenience store clerk.
Originally she implicated her one-time boyfriend, Wilbert Leslie, 21, in the Aug. 9, 1994, slaying of William Prewitt in the store at 3589 N. Nellis Blvd.
Then she flip-flopped in an attempt to protect Leslie, who also is known as "Tuggy."
At Leslie's murder trial Monday, she again pointed the finger of guilt at the defendant, admitting she drove him to the convenience store and circled the block while the deadly robbery was in progress.
Gamble, 20, said that when Leslie jumped into the car, he blurted out, "I killed him. I killed him. He wouldn't give me the money."
She said that as they drove away and passed police responding to the emergency call from the store, Leslie tried to throw the murder weapon out of the car window, but it was decided instead that Gamble hold it.
When a Secret Witness tip led police to Leslie and Gamble, the gun was found in her car.
While Gamble testified against Leslie, she admitted under cross examination by Deputy Public Defender Roger Hillman that she faced imprisonment if she did not implicate her former boyfriend.
As a result of her earlier testimony, Gamble was charged with perjury. She pleaded guilty and stands to get probation later this month at her sentencing if prosecutors are pleased with her testimony at Leslie's trial.
But if prosecutors believe she lied to the jury in District Judge Stephen Huffaker's courtroom, they have the right to argue for prison time. In addition, murder, robbery and burglary charges from the holdup could be reinstated against her.
Although she linked Leslie to the murder weapon, defense attorneys have told the jury that there is no physical evidence connecting the defendant to the crime.
A graphic security camera videotape recorded the murder, but the the quality is not good enough to identify the killer, although the general appearance matches Leslie.
But the gunman is seen using his left hand to fire the weapon, and the jury has been told that Leslie is right handed.
However, several people in the convenience store during the robbery picked out Leslie's picture from a photo lineup, although only one picked him out of a live lineup.
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