Trial scheduled for man in fatal sidewalk shooting

By Jackie Valley

Wednesday, July 18, 2012 | 3:38 p.m.

A man accused of fatally shooting his ex-stepfather on a sidewalk in a southeast valley neighborhood last month is scheduled to go on trial in September.

Tyten Kaehu-Scanlan, 19, pleaded not guilty Wednesday morning during his first appearance in Clark County District Court. His jury trial was scheduled for Sept. 10.

Metro Police say Kaehu-Scanlan shot 44-year-old Blackie Pele multiple times June 6 at the corner of Windmill Parkway and La Serna Street, the culmination of a longstanding feud between the two men. Kaehu-Scanlan has been charged with murder with a deadly weapon.

At Wednesday’s hearing, Robert O’Brien, one of Kaehu-Scanlan’s public defenders, asked for bail to be set at $200,000. O’Brien cited detectives’ prior testimony that alleged the defendant had been the victim of family violence when he argued that Kaehu-Scanlan didn’t pose a significant risk to the community despite the nature of the charge.

Hearing Master Melisa De La Garza set bail at $300,000 for Kaehu-Scanlan, who since his arrest had been held without bail at the Clark County Detention Center.

Police arrested Kaehu-Scanlan shortly after the shooting at his mother’s house on Begonia Avenue, several blocks from where the incident occurred. An autopsy by the Clark County Coroner’s Office determined Pele suffered five gunshot wounds during the shooting. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

At the time of the shooting, Pele was en route to pick up his biological children from the home of Kaehu-Scanlan’s mother, according to the arrest report.

At a court hearing earlier this month, Metro detective Christopher Bunn testified that Kaehu-Scanlan admitted to shooting his ex-stepfather after the pair exchanged words.

Bunn also testified that Kaehu-Scanlan described a volatile relationship between him and his ex-stepfather, alleging that he was the victim of years of abuse by Pele.

Kaehu-Scanlan surrendered without incident when officers arrived at his mother’s house, police said.