Oral argument calendar: April 14

Vega (Bernardo) v. State of Nevada,
Docket No. 53752
Las Vegas - 11:30 a.m. - Justices Hardesty, Douglas, and Pickering

Bernardo Vega is appealing his convictions by a jury of three counts of sexual assault with a minor under the age of fourteen and two counts of open and gross lewdness.  Vega's convictions arose out of several incidences involving his step-daughter in Clark County.  ISSUES:  Did sufficient evidence support Vega's convictions on three counts of sexual assault with a minor under the age of fourteen?  Did the district court abuse its discretion by admitting expert testimony in violation of the Confrontation Clause?  Did the district court abuse its discretion by admitting testimony regarding the victim's attempted suicides? 

Cobb (Delbert) v. State of Nevada,
Docket No. 50346
Las Vegas - 10:30 a.m. - Justices Hardesty, Douglas, and Pickering

This case arises out of a series of shootings that occurred in Clark County between November 4 and December 16, 1999.  Cobb pleaded guilty to attempted murder for two of the incidents.  Cobb was found not guilty of a murder that occurred on December 16, 1999, however, the jury convicted him of attempted murder and first-degree murder for the shooting of a father (who later died) and son on November 13, 1999.  Cobb was also convicted of conspiracy.  Cobb now appeals.  ISSUES:  Did the district court abuse its discretion in admitting hearsay testimony, evidence of prior bad acts, and the preliminary hearing testimony of an unavailable witness?  Did the district court abuse its discretion in refusing to sever the various charges for trial?  Did the State violate Batson v. Kentucky when it used peremptory challenges to strike two minority jurors?  Is Cobb entitled to a new trial because the jury was not selected from a fair cross-section of the community?