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Thread: William Byron Leonard - Nevada Death Row

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    William Byron Leonard - Nevada Death Row




    Facts of the Crime:

    Sentenced to death for stabbing fellow inmate Joseph Wright 21 times with a prison-made knife in 1987. It was his third murder conviction and his second for a stabbing death of another prisoner.

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    On March 25, 1999, Leonard filed a habeas petition in Federal District Court.

    http://dockets.justia.com/docket/nev...cv00360/22456/

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    November 18, 2009

    Court denies appeal for Nevada death row inmate

    By Cy Ryan
    The Las Vegas Sun

    CARSON CITY – The Nevada Supreme Court denied the latest appeal of death row inmate William B. Leonard, convicted of killing a fellow inmate at the Nevada State Prison in October 1987.

    The court said Leonard was barred from filing his latest petition for a writ of habeas corpus because it was past the deadline.

    In his petition, Leonard said the jury in 1988 was not properly instructed and there was an “oppressive law enforcement presence in the courtroom during the trial.” The court said he had already raised those arguments, which were previously rejected.

    Leonard was in prison for killing two men in 1981 in Mineral County. He was then convicted of the murder of fellow inmate Joseph Wright, who was stabbed 31 times. Prison officials said Leonard had a smile on his face when guards took him into custody.

    Leonard, who is 49 and at the state prison in Ely, maintains he was acting in self defense.

    http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009...th-row-inmate/

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    No. 09-10254 *** CAPITAL CASE ***
    Title:
    William Byron Leonard, Petitioner
    v.
    E. K. McDaniel, Warden
    Docketed: April 16, 2010
    Lower Ct: Supreme Court of Nevada
    Case Nos.: (50581)
    Decision Date: November 17, 2009
    Rehearing Denied: January 19, 2010

    ~~~Date~~~ ~~~~~~~Proceedings and Orders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Apr 14 2010 Petition for a writ of certiorari and motion for leave to proceed in forma pauperis filed. (Response due May 17, 2010)
    Jun 11 2010 Order extending time to file response to petition to and including June 25, 2010.
    Jun 22 2010 Brief of respondent E. K. McDaniel, Warden in opposition filed.
    Jul 8 2010 DISTRIBUTED for Conference of September 27, 2010.
    Oct 4 2010 Petition DENIED.

    http://www.supremecourt.gov/Search.a...s/09-10254.htm

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    Court denies appeal of death row inmate

    By Cy Ryan
    The Las Vegas Sun

    CARSON CITY — The Nevada Supreme Court has denied the appeal of death row inmate William B. Leonard, convicted in the fatal stabbing of a fellow inmate at the Nevada State Prison in Carson City in 1987.

    The court rejected the appeal in a 5-2 decision posted Thursday.

    According to court records, Leonard argued he did not deserve the death penalty because new evidence shows he suffered mental health problems at the time he stabbed Joseph Wright with a prison-made shank.

    The new mental health evidence indicates Leonard has poor impulse control and may react violently and uncontrollably when he feels threatened or if intoxicated or frightened, according to court records.

    At the time, Leonard was in prison for killing two people in Mineral County. Wright was also serving a term for murder, according to court records.

    The court, in the majority decision written by Chief Justice James Hardesty, said the new claims by Leonard lacked merit and he was not entitled to a new sentencing hearing. The court said there wasn’t enough evidence to show a miscarriage of justice.

    Justices Michael Cherry and Nancy Saitta dissented.

    http://lasvegassun.com/news/2015/oct...th-row-inmate/

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    In today's orders, the United States Supreme Court declined to review Leonard's petition for certiorari.

    Lower Ct: Supreme Court of Nevada
    Case Nos.: (60337)
    Decision Date: October 22, 2015
    Rehearing Denied: February 19, 2016

    https://www.supremecourt.gov/search....es/15-9429.htm

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