IN BRIEF

BODY FOUND IN MLK PARK

Police investigate man's beating death

Las Vegas police were investigating the beating death of a man found Tuesday morning in a northeast valley park.

A passerby discovered the man's body about 5:45 a.m. at Martin Luther King Park, on Carey Avenue near Nellis Boulevard, and called police, officer Martin Wright said.

The man suffered from severe blunt force trauma to his face, Wright said.

Anyone with information can leave anonymous tips with Crime Stoppers at 385-5555 or call homicide detectives at 828-3521.

ELKO COUNTY

Former undersheriff placed on probation

Former Elko County undersheriff Bill Cunningham has been given a suspended prison term, placed on three years probation and fined for misconduct of a public officer.

Cunningham, 50, pleaded guilty in May to the felony charge that stems from a sheriff's department auction in 2005.

Cunningham was accused of illegally purchasing a county-owned vehicle through a sealed bid for $350, and then selling it for $3,800.

A criminal complaint filed by the Nevada attorney general's office said the sealed bid was not opened at the auction and the public was not given a chance to bid on the GMC sport utility vehicle.

It accused him of profiting off county-owned property, which as a public officer is illegal.

During his sentencing Monday, Cunningham apologized for his actions.

"I wish to make this right at this time," Cunningham said.

Besides probation, District Judge Andrew Puccinelli imposed a suspended prison term of 12 to 30 months and ordered Cunningham to pay $4,675 in fees, fines and restitution.

Puccinelli said Cunningham served in an "exemplary manner" with the sheriff's office, but in this case "did not do the right thing."

ARIZONA MURDER.

24-year-old gets life sentence in slaying

A Golden Valley, Ariz., man sentenced in an October 2005 homicide has no chance for parole following sentencing on Tuesday in a Kingman courtroom.

Mohave County Superior Court Judge James Chavez imposed a life prison term for Jack McGee, 24, convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of Billy Carlton Jr., 26, Golden Valley.

Chavez imposed an additional 15 years in prison for assault convictions for firing 21 bullets in the shooting spree that claimed Carlton's life and injured Carlton's father. McGee drew 10 1/2 years more prison time for a July, 2005 drive-by shooting that injured no one.

Defense attorney Carlene Lacy suggested that McGee be sent to the state mental hospital. But Chavez said the trial jury properly recognized that McGee did not meet the definition of legal insanity, although three experts concluded he had serious mental health issues.

Carlton's grandmother, Mary Rowe told the court the slaying has deeply affected the family, especially the victim's daughter, now 9, who fears for her safety daily.