A mother accused of killing her 6-year-old daughter with scissors refused to leave her jail bed for her first court appearance Wednesday, drawing angry words from a Las Vegas judge and concern from her lawyer about her mental state.
Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Joe M. Bonaventure reset Danielle Yvonne Slaughter's arraignment on a murder with a weapon charge for Friday, telling a jail supervisor by closed-circuit video that he wants Slaughter brought forcibly to court if necessary.
"I have concerns with delaying a case with such a serious charge," the judge said.
Slaughter was being held in supervised isolation at the Clark County jail, and Deputy Public Defender Andrea Luem told the judge she was worried about Slaughter's mental condition. Luem said she hoped to obtain a psychological evaluation.
"My concern is whether she's able to understand the charges," Luem said.
Several friends and supporters of Slaughter attended the brief court hearing and accompanied Luem back to her office afterward. They refused to speak with reporters or identify themselves. |
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