CARSON CITY, NV -- Gov. Kenny Guinn on Wednesday, March 10, signed a bill into law allowing prosecutors to charge someone with murder even if the victim died more than a year and a day after the crime.

The bill takes effect immediately.

The bill was spurred by the shooting of popular Las Vegas race car driver Chris Trickle.

Senate Bill 11 -- sponsored by Sen. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, and Assemblyman Richard Perkins, D-Henderson -- repealed a Nevada law that prohibited murder charges being brought against a person if the victim of the crime died more than 366 days after it had been committed.

Trickle was shot Feb. 9, 1997, while driving along state Route 160. He lapsed into a coma and died 13 months later.

The person who shot Trickle will never be prosecuted for murder if apprehended, but the change in the law will allow such prosecutions in the future.

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Posted: 4/19/99