The Nevada Supreme Court, which had already rejected Anthony Lavon Doyle's claims he was present but didn't participate in the murder of a 20-year-old girl, on Friday rejected arguments his lawyers were incompetent.
Doyle was originally convicted of first-degree murder, conspiracy, kidnapping and rape. The nude body of the 20-year-old victim was found in the desert near Las Vegas in January 1994. She had been beaten and strangled.
After his direct appeal of the evidence was rejected, Doyle appealed again on grounds his lawyers were incompetent.
The court ruled that, despite Doyle's claims, the evidence which convicted him was properly admitted.
The opinion signed by Justices Cliff Young, Deborah Agosti and Myron Leavitt says Doyle "failed to demonstrate that he was prejudiced by deficient representation."
They affirmed the death penalty and the life sentence for kidnapping.
