CARSON CITY, Nev. (KRNV & MyNews4.com) - The state Supreme Court is overturning a murder conviction in part because of what political party someone linked to the case belongs to. In the decision down from the court - Justice Mark Gibbons says a juror in the case was improperly dismissed because she was a registered Democrat and had Democratic views of law enforcement. The high court finds that should have never been allowed to happen, but there was a procedural breakdown which must mean suspect Jermaine Brass's murder charges are reversed and returned to a lower court.
Brass was originally sentenced to life in prison without parole for the 2009 killing of his Las Vegas brother-in-law.
While Justice Gibbions says political affiliation is not a valid reason to strike a juror, Justice Michael Douglas adds that the district judge should have intervened to hold a special hearing before the juror was let go. That did not happen.
There is no timeline yet for when or even if this case will be retired.
