Judge orders separate trial for men accused in death of inmate

Judge Michael Griffin ruled Friday that inmates Robert Ryan Rowland, 41, of Los Angeles and Tony Martin Smith, 32, of Washoe County will be tried separately from inmate Juan Pedro LaPeire, 23, of Lander County, who's charged with acting as their lookout.

Griffin took the action at the request of lawyers representing Smith and Rowland, who contend statements LaPeire made to the Carson City grand jury would hurt their clients.

Deputy Attorney General Dorothy Nash Holmes wanted all three tried together to save money and to reduce the chance of witnesses changing their stories or refusing to testify.

An April 13 trial date has been set for Rowland and Smith in Carson District Court. LaPeire's trial will be after that.

Rowland and Smith are accused of beating inmate Steven Silva to death. They reportedly were angry with Silva for selling his methadone pills to one group of inmates but not to others.

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