A federal appeals court has rejected a lawsuit by a family of a Nevada inmate who was stabbed to death while handcuffed to his cell door at the state prison in Ely in 2008.
The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals says the mother of slain inmate Anthony Beltran failed to present sufficient evidence at pretrial proceedings to show prison officials were negligent in his death.
Beltran's mother, Helen J. Romero, and his minor children filed the suit against state prison officials in federal court in Las Vegas in 2009.
The Las Vegas Sun reports Beltran was serving time for sexual assault, kidnapping and burglary when he was stabbed by another inmate with a rod from a typewriter.
The appellate court ruled late last week his family can continue to pursue a wrongful death suit in state court.