Cranford v. Sheriff, Lander County, 8311

Decision Date08 September 1975
Docket NumberNo. 8311,8311
Citation539 P.2d 1215,91 Nev. 551
PartiesMelvin l. CRANFORD, Appellant, v. SHERIFF, LANDER COUNTY, Nevada, Respondent.
CourtNevada Supreme Court
OPINION

PER CURIAM.

Following an altercation at 'an apartment' in Battle Mountain, Melvin Cranford was charged with and ordered to stand trial for (1) assault and battery with intent to kill; (2) use of a deadly weapon in the commission of a crime; and, (3) being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm.

Two pretrial petitions for habeas corpus were filed. The first contended there was insufficient evidence adduced at the preliminary examination to establish probable cause to hold Cranford for trial. The second habeas petition was directed to the question of the admissibility of incriminating evidence, which Cranford claims was illegally obtained because his warrantless arrest was constitutionally void. Both habeas petitions were denied in a single order and this appeal follows.

1. The probable cause challenge to counts 1 and 2 is without merit. At this juncture we need not and do not decide whether the evidence before the magistrate would support a conviction. Cf. McDonald v. Sheriff, 89 Nev. 326, 512 P.2d 774 (1973).

2. Count 3 charges Cranford with being an ex-felon in possession of a firearm. The state offered neither probative nor demonstrable evidence that Cranford was an ex-felon; therefore, the charge cannot stand.

3. 'The motion to suppress is the remedy normally used to preclude the introduction of evidence at trial which is claimed to be inadmissible for constitutional reasons, and is the remedy contemplated by our criminal code . . . This is the procedure to be utilized when an accused wishes to challenge the admissibility of evidence on constitutional grounds.' Cook v. State, 85 Nev. 692, 694--695, 462 P.2d 523, 526 (1969). (Emphasis added.) The appeal from the second habeas petition is dismissed, without prejudice to Cranford's right to timely pursue a motion to suppress. NRS 174.125; Cook, supra; Prescott v. State, 85 Nev. 448, 456 P.2d 450 (1969).

The order of the trial court denying the first habeas petition is reversed as to count 3; as to counts 1 and 2, it is affirmed.

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4 cases
  • State v. Sixth Judicial Dist. Court In and For County of Humboldt
    • United States
    • Nevada Supreme Court
    • 16 juillet 1998
    ...evidence that he was an ex-felon. The district court denied his petition, and he appealed. This court reversed. Cranford v. Sheriff, 91 Nev. 551, 553, 539 P.2d 1215, 1216 (1975). Thereafter, the prosecuting attorney obtained leave to file an information upon affidavit, pursuant to NRS 173.0......
  • Cummings v. Tinkle
    • United States
    • Nevada Supreme Court
    • 8 septembre 1975
    ... ... , 2-acre parcel of real estate located in Clark County, in consideration for their services. Accordingly, the ... ...
  • Cranford v. Smart
    • United States
    • Nevada Supreme Court
    • 12 février 1976
    ...count because the record contained 'neither probative nor demonstrable evidence that Cranford was an ex-felon.' Cranford v. Sheriff, 91 Nev. 551, 553, 539 P.2d 1215, 1216 (1975). Thereafter, the prosecuting attorney, pursuant to NRS 173.035(2), obtained leave in the district court to file a......
  • Beets v. Sheriff, Clark County
    • United States
    • Nevada Supreme Court
    • 31 mars 1976
    ...nor demonstrative evidence to establish that Beets was, in fact, an ex-felon; therefore, that charge cannot stand. Cranford v. Sheriff, 91 Nev. 551, 539 P.2d 1215 (1975). The order of the trial court denying habeas is reversed as to the ex-felon in possession of a firearm count; as to the m......

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