Parrish v. State
Nevada Supreme Court
12 P.3d 953 (2000)
- Written by Paul Neel, JD
Facts
Police stopped a car in which Taggart Parrish (defendant) was a passenger. Parrish fled on foot. Officers gave chase. Parrish turned to shoot at the officers. One officer knocked the gun from Parrish’s hand. As police struggled to subdue Parrish, Parrish repeatedly reached for the gun. After Parrish’s arrest, police found methamphetamine in the car. Narcotics-unit detectives interviewed Parrish in jail. Parrish cooperated, offering the detectives detailed and reliable information about 14 people involved in drug trafficking. Nevada law permits a trial judge, on the defendant’s motion and testimony of the arresting agency, to reduce the defendant’s sentence for drug-related offenses if the judge finds that the defendant renders police substantial assistance in identifying, arresting, or convicting any person involved in drug trafficking. The state (plaintiff) had charged Parrish with drug trafficking in 28 or more grams, which carried a life sentence with the possibility of parole after a minimum of 10 years. The court informed Parrish that he was ineligible for probation unless the court found that Parrish rendered substantial assistance. Parrish entered a guilty plea and moved for a reduced sentence under the statute. Narcotics-unit detectives testified that department policy defined substantial assistance as assistance resulting in arrest. The detectives had not pursued and made no arrests based on the information Parrish had offered. The trial court sentenced Parrish to life in prison, the maximum sentence. Parrish appealed.
Rule of Law
Issue
Holding and Reasoning (Agosti, J.)
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