Teen appears in court to face murder charge in Chaparral grad’s killing

A 17-year-old appeared in Las Vegas Justice Court on Friday to face a murder charge in the shooting that killed former Chaparral High School football player Richard Nelson.

In a proceeding that took less than two minutes, a shackled Richard Newsome, in dark blue jail clothing, nodded and said he understood the charges against him.

Justice of the Peace Pro Tem Holly Stoberski set a preliminary hearing for Feb. 6.

Newsome is being held without bail in a juvenile wing of the Clark County Detention Center, and defense attorney John Momot said he planned to address bail in court papers.

Nelson, 18, was fatally shot Saturday night after intervening in a fight between his sister and several other people outside a home on the 4800 block of Sacks Drive, near Nellis Boulevard and Tropicana Avenue.

Police said Nelson — who was still inside his family’s home, enjoying his last night of college winter break — ran outside to help his sister, Oniesha Coleman, before Newsome pulled out a gun and shot Nelson several times. Newsome and his mother, 37-year-old Tianna Thomas, and brothers then climbed into a car and drove away.

Newsome and his mother surrendered to police three days after the shooting.

“It’s an unfortunate incident that has occurred,” Momot said after the hearing. “There’s new facts that I’m developing that may shed a different light on this case.”

Momot, who also represents Thomas, declined to elaborate.

Sometime Saturday before the fight that resulted in Nelson’s death, an initial argument broke out between Nelson’s older sister, Oniesha Coleman, and her girlfriend while they talked on the phone, according to a police report. Nelson was not involved in the argument.

Nelson, a Missouri State University freshman and football player, was rushed after the shooting to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Newsome faces one count of murder with a deadly weapon and is to be prosecuted in the adult justice system.

Thomas was booked into the Clark County Detention Center with a bail of $5,000. Jail records show that she was released Wednesday.

On Friday, after Thomas attended her son’s court hearing, prosecutors filed a criminal complaint charging her with felony accessory to murder with a deadly weapon.

Momot said he expected to address the charge against Thomas at a hearing in April.

“That’s the least of our problems,” he said.

Contact David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Follow @randompoker on Twitter.