Tamir Hamilton was convicted in March 2008 for the rape and murder of Sparks teen Holly Quick. Hamilton was later sentenced to death for the crime; his automatic appeal of the sentence will be heard today in Carson City.
Tamir Hamilton will appear in Nevada Supreme Court to argue that his March 2008 conviction was decided by a skewed jury. Lawyers for Hamilton claim that the court wrongfully removed two black men from the jury pool during the jury selection process. However, according to court documents, state prosecutors argue that the men were removed for “race-neutral” reasons.
The 31-year-old man pleaded insanity before his conviction. Hamilton’s lawyers will also argue Wednesday over the jury’s understanding of his insanity plea, claiming that it may have been incomplete.
Hamilton was found guilty in March 2008 by a Washoe County Court of the rape and murder of 16-year-old Holly Quick.
A friend of Quick’s family, Hamilton went to her apartment near the Sparks Marina one night in September 2006. Her mother, Patricia, was out on an errand at the time Hamilton came in. Quick’s mother returned and went to bed, not knowing Hamilton was there.
She found her daughter the next morning in her bed with her throat slashed.
The county judge also sentenced Hamilton to two consecutive life prison terms for sexually assaulting the girl. That sentence is to run consecutively to a life sentence he received for raping a University of Nevada, Reno student weeks before killing Quick.
Judge Connie Steinheimer on May 13, 2008, scheduled the execution of Hamilton for the week of July 14, but that order was stayed with an automatic appeal to the Nevada Supreme Court.
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