Monday, Oct. 5, 2015 | 2:33 p.m.
CARSON CITY — The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of Francisco Mata, convicted of fatally slitting the throat of a man and wounding another in the desert on the outskirts of Henderson in November 2010.
Mata was sentenced to 20 years to life plus a consecutive 12- to 20-year sentence in the death of Pedro Ortega and wounding of Hector Ortega, whose throat also was slit but who survived.
Mata wanted a mistrial on grounds including that his sister-in-law should not have been allowed to testify because of marital privilege. The court said marital privilege only applies directly to spouses.
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