Caliente murder suspect?Jerry Elbert Hudson pled not?guilty to the charges of murder?and sexual assault before District?Court Judge Gary Fairman?Feb. 26 at the courthouse in Pioche.
District Attorney Daniel?Hooge said Fairman set the trial?date for February, 2017. Hooge?said Hudson?s lawyer asked for?more time to prepare the case.?In the interim, Hudson will remain?at the Lincoln County Detention?Center in Pioche.
Hudson faces up to 35 years?for the home invasion charge,?and a possible life sentence?stemming from the alleged?sexual assault and subsequent?murder May 24, 2015 of 64-year?old Carol Ann Hullinger at her?apartment in Caliente.
After fleeing the area, he was?tracked to the Las Vegas area,?and with the help of the Criminal?Apprehension Team Task?Force, and other participating agencies, apprehended and arrested?there on June 17, 2015.
Hooge said Hudson was returned?to Pioche and has been?at the detention center there?since. In looking ahead to the?the trial next February, he said??it is likely to be a lengthy trial,?probably a couple of weeks or?so.?
He said, ?It?s called an open?murder, so it will be up to the?jury to decide if it is first or second?degree, but my office will?go for first degree.? He said he?believed the motive was sexual?assault.
However, Hooge has said?previously that he does not expect?to seek the death penalty?in the case. Rather he feels it?would not be in the best interest?of the Hullinger family, nor?in the best interest of the community?to endure a prolonged?legal battle. ?It?s just not worth?the time and effort.? He said?he wants the family to have?closure and, ?I want to bring?this case to conclusion to allow?Carol?s family and the community?to heal.?
Executions are rare in the?state. There have been only 12?since the U.S. Supreme reinstated?capital punishment in?1976.
The last execution in Nevada,?by lethal injection was April 26,?2006, when Daryl Mack was?put to death. He had been convicted?of the rape and murder of?Betty Jane May of Reno, in May,?1988.
As of April, 2015, as reported?in the Las Vegas Review-Journal,?there are 80 on death row?in Nevada.