Las Vegas Grand Jury Hears Witness Say Shooter Was Disgusted

A witness who testified before a Clark County grand jury on Monday told jurors the accused shooter had been "disgusted" with the victim. The private testimony was part of a broader presentation of witnesses and exhibits in an investigation into a fatal Las Vegas slaying. Jurors were asked to weigh whether the evidence met the threshold for an indictment.

As reported by Las Vegas Review-Journal, the witness described the exchange and the accused's demeanor while on the stand, and jurors heard the word "disgusted" used to characterize the suspect's attitude toward the victim. The paper says prosecutors called multiple witnesses to trace the events leading up to the slaying and to establish the accused's state of mind.

What jurors heard

Grand juries in Clark County meet in private to determine whether prosecutors have presented probable cause, and they may return an indictment that leads to a public criminal case. An indictment returned by the grand jury is filed in District Court, where the chief judge will set bail and assign the matter to a judicial department. Per Clark County Courts, grand-jury returns are scheduled by the court system and set in open court.

Legal implications

Under Nevada law, murder is defined as the unlawful killing of a human being "with malice aforethought," and malice can be shown either expressly or impliedly by the circumstances of a killing. Testimony about the accused's state of mind — including remarks that he was "disgusted" with the victim — can be material to whether prosecutors pursue murder or manslaughter charges, depending on the totality of the evidence (see NRS Chapter 200).

What's next

The grand-jury hearings are ongoing and it is not yet known when jurors will vote on an indictment. If jurors return charges, the case will be entered in District Court for arraignment and pretrial proceedings, with the chief judge setting bail and assigning the case to a department as described by the Clark County courts.