Nebraska Supreme Court denies appeal of man who shot LPD Investigator Mario Herrera

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday upheld the conviction and sentence of a man who killed a Lincoln Police officer.

In a 272-page opinion, the high court rejected all of the arguments in Felipe Vazquez’s appeal, saying many of them were without any merit.

In August 2020, Investigator Mario Herrera was shot while serving an arrest warrant for Vazquez. Herrera died of his wounds two weeks later.

SEE ALSO: Lincoln man who killed LPD Investigator Mario Herrera sentenced in deadly stabbing

In 2022, Vazquez was found guilty of first-degree murder and six other charges.

Vazquez made several claims in his appeal, but his main contention was that his lawyer was ineffective.

He argued that his attorney should have objected to some emotional testimony and the admission of certain evidence.

Nebraska Supreme Court's dismissal of Felipe Vazquez's appeal

But the court ruled that in many of those cases, Vazquez could have had a strategic reason for not objecting.

And even if she had objected and the judge agreed, the Supreme Court ruled that it would not have changed the outcome of the trial.

Vazquez is serving a sentence of 71 years to life in prison.

SEE ALSO: ‘Justice’ for another victim: Felipe Vazquez takes plea deal in 2020 homicide