Matt Pordum

Story Archive

Man accused in 1998 slayings to request self-representation: Tuesday, July 19, 2005; A 24-year-old man who wants to represent himself at his retrial in the execution-style slaying of four young men in August 1998 will make his request in person on Wednesday.
Ex-UMC tech gets sentence for crimes against patients: Thursday, July 14, 2005; A former radiological services technician who was described as "a pure predator" by a prosecutor was sentenced to three to 12 years in prison Wednesday for robbing and molesting patients at University Medical Center.
Ralston pleads guilty to DUI: Thursday, July 14, 2005; Las Vegas Sun columnist Jon Ralston pleaded guilty Wednesday in Justice Court to the misdemeanor charge of DUI first offense.
Attorney: DNA will exonerate husband: Thursday, July 14, 2005; A defense attorney claims DNA evidence found under the fingernails of a dead woman will show her estranged husband was not her killer.
Man wants to represent himself in retrial: Thursday, July 14, 2005; A 24-year-old man wants to represent himself at his retrial in the execution-style slaying of four young men in August 1998.
Man to stand trial for death at LV car wash: Wednesday, July 13, 2005; Can a push be murder?
Taylor is found guilty in Bonnie and Clyde case: Monday, July 11, 2005; A Clark County jury found the male half of Las Vegas' modern day Bonnie and Clyde guilty for his part in a high-speed chase through North Las Vegas during which his girlfriend fired an assault rifle at police officers.
Woman testifies in case involving police chase: Friday, July 8, 2005; Jurors will ultimately decide what to make of April Jones' testimony on Thursday, but one thing seemed clear when Jones stepped off the witness stand in chains -- sometimes love can turn criminal.
Pair sentenced in killing; woman gets probation: Friday, July 8, 2005; Two men charged in the 2002 killing of a man who allegedly refused to assist in paying for his ex-girlfriend's abortion were sentenced to prison Thursday, but the girl who asked them to confront the victim was sentenced to probation.
Married couple get prison terms in death of man, 73: Friday, July 8, 2005; A married couple who pleaded guilty to avoid the possibility of the death penalty in the killing of a 73-year-old Las Vegas man in 2002 were sentenced Thursday.
Beau Maestas may get death penalty after all: Thursday, July 7, 2005; Beau Maestas may yet get the death penalty.
Defendant blames shooting at officers on ex-girlfriend: Thursday, July 7, 2005; A public defender said a 31-year-old man was not guilty of charges stemming from a high-speed chase that included multiple shootings at police officers by his then-girlfriend, but instead acting in fear of his own life "because hell hath no fury like a woman with a DPMS assault rifle."
Ex-GOP official, friend indicted in dual slayings: Thursday, June 30, 2005; The former treasurer of the Clark County Republican Party and his friend were indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday in the stabbing deaths of his ex-wife and her father last August.
UMC technician seeks to withdraw plea, go to trial: Thursday, June 30, 2005; A 45-year-old former radiological services technician at University Medical Center who had pleaded guilty to fondling and stealing from patients avoided sentencing on Wednesday by announcing that he wants to withdraw his plea and go to trial.
Pair who led police on chase to stand trial together: Thursday, June 30, 2005; A woman who allegedly shot at police while her fugitive boyfriend led Metro Police on a high-speed chase will stand trial along with the boyfriend despite his objections to that arrangement.
Defender: Man bludgeoned wife in 'fit of rage': Wednesday, June 29, 2005; A public defender claimed Tuesday a 59-year-old man stabbed and bludgeoned his wife to death at their Henderson home in a "fit of rage" because he believed she was having an affair.
Juror: Race no factor in Gibson verdict: Wednesday, June 29, 2005; A jury forewoman said Tuesday that confusing instructions and not race was the reason the jury she led on Tuesday found a white 22-year-old man guilty of battery and instead of attempted murder for the shooting of a 28-year-old black man.
Men who allegedly tried to rob poker champ pleads not guilty: Tuesday, June 28, 2005; Two men charged with attempting to rob 2004 World Series of Poker Champion Greg Raymer pleaded not guilty on Monday.
Man: Shooting caused by panic: Tuesday, June 28, 2005; A white 22-year-old man on trial for attempting to murder his younger sister's black boyfriend said he did intentionally shoot him, but testified Monday he only did so because "he scared me real bad, I panicked."
Babysitter gets four years of probation: Tuesday, June 28, 2005; A 58-year-old babysitter who pleaded guilty to child abuse and neglect, but "vehemently denies" inflicting injuries on a 5-month-old baby placed in her care, was sentenced to four years probation on Monday.
Jurors must determine if racism motive for shooting of black man: Monday, June 27, 2005; Did a 22-year-old white man shoot a black male in the chest because he was acting in self-defense or because he's a racist and objected to the fact that the victim was dating his younger sister?
Man sentenced in child's death: Monday, June 27, 2005; A judge sentenced a Henderson man, whose 4-month-old son died after he violently shook him, to the least amount of prison time in her power saying "you have your own eternal punishment."
Judge refuses to lower woman's bail: Monday, June 27, 2005; A judge refused to lower the bail of a certified personal care aide accused of killing her quadriplegic ex-husband by drowning him in the bathtub, saying the woman is a danger to the community because "she's a meth addict"
Attorneys: Choking during sex may have caused death: Friday, June 24, 2005; The attorneys for a man charged with sexually assaulting and strangling two women to death say one of his alleged victims may have been killed accidentally as the result of consensual rough sex that included being choked.
Detective: Kane still dangerous: Thursday, June 23, 2005; The detective who interviewed Michael Kane said if Kane is released from the state's mental facility and placed back into society he "will strike again, as he has tasted blood and likes it."
Killer refuses to be transported to court for hearing: Thursday, June 23, 2005; A 21-year-old man who was convicted of murdering his pregnant sister and their grandparents, refused to be transported to court for a hearing Wednesday to determine whether a new mental competency hearing is required before he is sentenced.
Chaos erupts in court's hallway after sentencing: Wednesday, June 22, 2005; The sentencing of two people who killed a 57-year-old man turned into a screaming and slapping match between their relatives in the hallways of the courthouse Tuesday.
Man accused of molesting faces more charges: Wednesday, June 22, 2005; A 41-year-old Las Vegas shuttle driver already facing charges of molesting two 13-year-old girls after luring them into a closet with a promise of lollipops is now accused of molesting a relative.
Doctors say man acquitted of murder no longer mentally ill: Tuesday, June 21, 2005; Doctors have determined that a man who was acquitted of murdering a 23-year-old by reason of insanity is no longer mentally ill, a diagnosis that could soon put him back on the streets as a free man.
Medical marijuana activist released from jail: Tuesday, June 21, 2005; A licensed medical marijuana user who claims it's within his rights to grow and sell pot to other licensed users was released on his own recognizance Monday after prosecutors failed to file a criminal complaint.
Teen to stand trial in mall beating death: Thursday, June 16, 2005; A teenager charged with murder with use of a deadly weapon for participating in last year's fatal beating of a 17-year-old at the Boulevard Mall waived his preliminary hearing on Wednesday and will stand trial before District Judge Michael Cherry.
Trial set for woman charged in stabbing death of husband: Wednesday, June 15, 2005; The 59-year-old Laughlin woman charged with the stabbing death of her estranged husband in December 2002 won't stand trial until next year and in the meantime will remain in jail, a judge ruled Tuesday.
Judge denies defense motion to overturn sentence: Wednesday, June 15, 2005; The forewoman of the jury that sentenced Donte Johnson to death went from the jury box to the witness stand on Tuesday as she fended off allegations that she had predetermined Johnson should be sentenced to death and that she persuaded other jurors to vote for death in hopes of making a book she planned on writing about the case more profitable.
Woman who smothered son sentenced: Tuesday, June 14, 2005; A 39-year-old woman who said a devil voice told her to smother her 9-year-old son was sentenced to jail time, inpatient mental health treatment and five years probation by a judge on Monday.
Poker champ details attempted theft: Monday, June 13, 2005; Two men who allegedly attempted to rob 2004 World Series of Poker Champion Greg Raymer in December at the Bellagio only to have Raymer call their bluff and fight them off, will stand trial, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo ruled Friday.
Wedding chapels to battle it out in court: Friday, June 10, 2005; Allegations that employees of one of Las Vegas' leading wedding chapels have harassed and threatened a competitor have taken the "chapel wars" from the sidewalk outside the Clark County Courthouse into the courtroom.
Two jurors couldn't vote death for child murderer: Friday, June 10, 2005; For two jurors, Beau Maestas' troubled childhood and drug use was enough to convince them death wasn't warranted.
Judge declares Maestas case a mistrial: Thursday, June 9, 2005; Accepting that the jury deciding the fate of Beau Maestas was deadlocked over the death penalty, District Judge Donald Mosley declared a mistrial this morning.
Jurors fail to decide fate of killer: Thursday, June 9, 2005; The jury deciding whether Beau Maestas should be put to death is deadlocked.
Driver who left accident scene receives probation: Wednesday, June 8, 2005; A 34-year-old real estate agent who authorities say caused a rock to fly through the windshield of a woman's car, killing her, was sentenced to four years' probation Tuesday despite a plea from the victim's family for prison time.
Prosecutor says murder, rape suspect's $80,000 bail is too low: Wednesday, June 8, 2005; A man who had initially been held without bail on charges of murder and two rapes, now is expected to get out of jail after District Judge John McGroarty set his bail at $80,000.
Woman pleads guilty in soliciting murder: Wednesday, June 8, 2005; The 39-year-old ex-wife of a Henderson Police sergeant has pleaded guilty to one count of solicitation to commit murder for trying to hire a hitman to kill him.
Closing arguments presented in Maestas penalty hearing: Wednesday, June 8, 2005; A prosecutor waived the butcher knife Beau Maestas used to kill a 3-year-old girl and paralyze her 10-year-old half sister as he told a jury during closing arguments Tuesday that Maestas had "earned the death penalty."
Death penalty verdict is under question: Tuesday, June 7, 2005; Jurors who sentenced Donte Johnson to death in May for killing four young men have received phone calls and in some cases personal visits from an investigator asking if anything improper occurred within the jury.
Maestas apologizes to families: Tuesday, June 7, 2005; In a voice just above a whisper, Beau Maestas apologized Monday to the little girl he left paralyzed and to the family of her half-sister whom he killed as he addressed the jury who will decide his fate.
Jurors hear tape of Maestas asking for death penalty: Monday, June 6, 2005; "I feel like I deserve the death penalty," Beau Maestas told detectives in a taped interview about the fatal stabbing of a 3-year-old girl and the paralyzing of her 10-year-old half-sister.
Autopsy photos may be damning for Maestas: Friday, June 3, 2005; A picture might be worth a thousand words for some, but for Beau Maestas, it might be worth a death sentence.
Prosecutor calls for death penalty in knife attack: Thursday, June 2, 2005; A prosecutor said Wednesday the only punishment available for Beau Maestas that even comes close to achieving a sense of justice for "doing the unthinkable" and killing a 3-year-old girl and paralyzing her 10-year-old half-sister is the death penalty.
Bergeron's mother to keep rights: Wednesday, June 1, 2005; A family court judge ruled this morning not to terminate the parental rights of the mother of 13-year-old stabbing victim Brittney Bergeron.
Tabish seeks return of items: Wednesday, June 1, 2005; Rick Tabish's attorney said Tuesday that $3,100, a Mercedes and other personal items seized by police officers when Tabish was arrested for looting Ted Binion's silver vault in Pahrump should be returned to Tabish because he was acquitted of both killing Binion and stealing from Binion's home.