The first jury trial since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic began on Wednesday, April 28, in the Tenth Judicial District Court, with Judge Thomas Stockard presiding.
Jury selection commenced Wednesday morning, with the trial beginning immediately after the selected jurors returned from lunch. Jeffery Nokes (39), the defendant in the case, was arrested in October of 2019 on charges of Domestic Battery with Strangulation, a Category C Felony that can carry 1-5 years in prison, and a potential fine of up to $10,000. In Nevada, strangulation (choking) can occur even if it only lasted a few seconds and no injuries ensued. Nokes was also charged with Preventing or Dissuading a Victim or Person Acting on Behalf of Victim, or Witness from Reporting Crime, Commencing Prosecution or Causing Arrest, a Category D Felony that carries 1-4 years in prison.
According to the allegations listed in court documents, on or about October 23, 2019, at or near 2255 Casey Road, Unit #6, in Churchill County, Jeffery Nokes “willfully and unlawfully used force or violence on another by intentionally impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood by applying pressure on the throat or neck or by blocking the nose or mouth of another person in a manner that creates a risk of death or substantial bodily harm upon the person. In this case, the victim was a current or former girlfriend of Nokes, therefor the assault constitutes domestic violence.
Court documents state that the “Defendant did grab the victim, a person with whom the Defendant has or had a dating relationship, by the neck and/or throat thereby intentionally impeding her normal breathing or circulation of the blood and creating a risk of death or substantial bodily harm.” Further, court documents state that on the same date and same location, that Nokes “did take the victim’s phone and remove the battery and/or did break it so that she could not call law enforcement to report a crime.”
Since Noke’s arrest, he has had several subsequent arrests in which include alleged violations of Temporary Restraining Orders. Nokes has also had multiple warrant bookings in New River Township Justice Court and a recent arrest by the City of Fallon Police Department.
In addition to the charges listed above, Nokes has an extensive criminal history in Utah dating back to 2003.
More information will be made available as it is received.
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