Nevada Supreme Court rejects three murder appeals

The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected appeals in four separate murder cases.

In the case of Steven Floyd Voss, the court rejected claims he should get a new trial in Washoe County because police failed to disclose evidence supporting his case.

The Supreme Court ruled that Voss had failed to show the evidence in question was "material" or would have made any difference in the verdict.

But the court did throw out a deadly weapon enhancement in the murder-kidnapping case because no evidence of a knife used in the crime was presented at trial.

Alvaro Mejia Ortiz lost his first-degree murder/child abuse appeal. The court upheld the sentence of life without possible parole.

His lawyers argued they didn't get enough warning about the contents of a presentence report to properly challenge it at the time of sentencing and that the judge was tainted by outside information they were unaware of until sentencing.

The high court ruled there was no evidence that the trial judge relied on that outside information to make his decisions.

In addition, the opinion points out Ortiz's lawyer made at least factual corrections in that report and commented extensively on its contents. Because of that, the justices concluded Ortiz's legal team had ample opportunity to comment on the presentence report and make corrections.

Brandon Shane Talbert protested his murder convictions, saying his confession should never have been allowed and that he should have had access to Reno police gang intelligence files.

The high court said he was advised of his rights before making the confession and there is no evidence any physical or psychological coercion was used.

The court ruled Talbert didn't show how the gang files would be relevant to his defense and that he wasn't entitled to what amounted to "a fishing expedition."

Finally, the court ruled that Talbert doesn't have the right to present evidence of unrelated violent acts by his victims to try mitigate what he did.

His consecutive life terms in prison for two murders were upheld by the court.

Finally, Robert Earl Jones appealed his murder and attempted murder convictions, saying Clark County District Court had no right to force him to testify before another witness in the case. But the high court pointed out he made the decision to testify two days before the court order that he testify first and reaffirmed his decision after the situation was explained to him.

Jones's life sentence was upheld.