Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Outstanding issues delay arraignment in case of Las Vegas Strip shooting, crash

Strip Shooter Makes Court Appearance

Steve Marcus

Ammar Harris, the suspect the Feb. 21 Las Vegas Strip shooting and car crash that killed three people, is escorted into the courtroom at the Regional Justice Center Wednesday, April 17, 2013.

Ammar Harris Back in Las Vegas

Ammar Harris is brought to the Clark County Detention Center on April 16, 2013, to be booked on charges related to a shooting and fiery crash on the Las Vegas Strip in which three people were killed Feb. 21, 2013. Launch slideshow »

Strip shooting crash

Smoke and flames billow from a burning vehicle following a shooting and multicar accident on the Las Vegas Strip early Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. Launch slideshow »

A scheduled arraignment in District Court for a man accused of opening fire on the Las Vegas Strip in late February, resulting in the deaths of three people, was delayed Monday until May 13.

Clark County District Court Judge Kathleen E. Delaney granted the continuance after the prosecution and defense indicated there were issued that needed to be discussed before the arraignment.

The suspect, Ammar Harris, 27, is accused of recklessly shooting from his Range Rover while driving north on the Las Vegas Strip before dawn on Feb. 21.

According to police, Harris shot a driver in another vehicle, killing him. The victim’s vehicle accelerated through a red light, striking a cab, which went up in flames, killing the driver and passenger.

Harris was indicted last month on charges including three counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

Clark County Chief Deputy District Attorney David Stanton did not comment on what matters needed to be hammered out before the arraignment. Public defenders could not immediately be reached for comment.

On Wednesday, the case will be brought before a special committee in the District Attorney’s Office to determine whether to seek the death penalty. The committee considers factors such as aggravating circumstances, whether a jury would be likely to impose a death sentence and whether a conviction would likely stand up to an appeal, Stanton said.

Tehran Boldon, the brother of cab driver Michael Boldon, who died in the crash, has attended every hearing for Harris and said he is willing to wait to see justice.

“I’m not sure if he is going to plead not guilt or guilty,” Boldon said. “I don’t really think that’s going to matter too much. If he pleads guilty, maybe he is trying to save his hide. But if he wants to take a life, I guess he should ready to give his own.”

Kenneth Cherry Jr. was identified as the slain driver police alleged Harris originally targeted. Cherry’s wounds caused him to lose control of the car, which ran a red light at Flamingo Road and crashed into the taxi, police said.

Boldon, 62, and cab passenger Sandra Sutton-Wasmund, 48, a businesswoman from Maple Valley, Wash., died in the crash.

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