LAS VEGAS (AP) — A man serving 85 years to life in Nevada state prison after being found guilty of 36 felony offenses in a child sex case is getting another chance to have a lawyer appointed to handle his appeal.
The Nevada Supreme Court ruled Thursday that state court judges in Las Vegas were too quick in 2015 to reject a request for a lawyer that Guillermo Renteria-Novoa filed on his own behalf from behind bars.
Renteria-Novoa is now 55. He wasn’t present when the decision was made in Clark County District Court.
Justices noted the length of Renteria-Novoa’s sentence and what they called his questionable English language proficiency.
They say Renteria-Novoa should get a chance have an attorney appointed to argue claims including that he was badly represented by his trial lawyer.
