Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017 | 3:43 p.m.
CARSON CITY — Three separate juries have sentenced Randolph Moore to death for the 1984 killing of an elderly couple at their home in Las Vegas over part of an inheritance.
The case has bounced back and forth between the Nevada Supreme Court and the District Court in Las Vegas due to rulings made at the penalty hearings.
Randolph Fielder of the federal public defender’s office told the state Supreme Court today there were “a slew of errors” made during the trial and penalty hearings that justified overturning the death sentence.
But Steve Owens of the Clark County District Attorney’s Office argued all of the defense challenges have been previously considered and rejected. He said there should be some finality to the case after 35 years.
Moore and Dale Flanagan were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to death for the fatal shooting of Flanagan’s grandparents Carl and Colleen Gordon in an attempt to gain their inheritance.
Fiedler alleged the testimony of Angela Saldana, who said Moore told her he had committed the crime, was coerced by the District Attorney’s Office.
Owens said there was no coercion.
Fiedler also said mitigating circumstances should have been considered in that Moore came from a broken home, suffered from alcohol and drug problems and suffered form post-traumatic stress.
Owens there was nothing new presented that would make a difference in the outcome of the case. He argued there must be something substantial to reverse a death sentence.
The court took the arguments under submission and will rule later.
