Posted August 17, 2013 - 3:24pm Updated August 17, 2013 - 4:34pm 50 protest chalk charges at Las Vegas police headquarters

Jen Harney uses a broom and water to clean up sidewalk chalk in front of the Las Vegas police headquarters in Las Vegas on Saturday. A group of people organized by Harney were in front of the headquarters to protest the arrest of three protestors who used sidewalk chalk.











By ANNALISE PORTER
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL


“Chalking not a crime, killing is!” read one sign at Saturday’s peaceful protest outside the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters.
About 50 people gathered at noon to show that chalk is washable, cheap to remove and doesn’t require the full amount of $1,500 that the city’s graffiti abatement team estimated it took at a similar chalk event in July when four protesters were cited on misdemeanor graffiti charges.
Protesters also wanted to stand up for their right to free speech, which they said was violated when the four people were arrested on outstanding warrants after writing accusatory statements in chalk on sidewalks near police headquarters in July.
In contrast to July’s protest, there was no police presence on Saturday, and things went smoothly; there is definitely no one facing up to a year in jail.
“Ladies and gentleman — prepare your brooms, prepare your chalk!” said Tod Foley, who helps run an Occupy Las Vegas website and helped market the protest.
Protesters got to drawing, and within minutes the sidewalks filled up with phrases about the right to free speech.
Some children attended with their parents, such as 10-year-old Cassie and a 3-year-old scribbling with purple chalk in the shade.
After protesters were finished chalking, an “auction” was held by Foley to see who would clean the chalk for the lowest price. Bidding began at $1,500 and quickly went lower. His daughter Cassie bid $2, and eventually everyone cleaned for free.
“We’re going to grow some second-generation activists in this town,” Foley said.
Tap water in recycled containers was poured onto the area and dollar store brooms were used to sweep the chalk away.
Jennifer Harney, who provided the event’s supplies, showed her $8.65 receipt.
“Not quite $1,500,” she said.
Harney thought the group calling themselves the “Sunset 4” — Kelly Wayne Patterson, 44, Brian Ballentine, 31, Hailee Jewell, 18, and Catalino de la Cruz Dazo Jr., 20 — were singled out just because they were criticizing police.
“My kids draw with sidewalk chalk on our driveway and sidewalk all the time,” Harney said with a shrug. “They’ve certainly never been cited or arrested.”
Contact reporter Annalise Porter at aporter@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0264.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/50-protest-chalk-charges-las-vegas-police-headquarters

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Metro is facing some ugly humps in its dichotomy of transparency, coverups



It would be safe to say that the up and coming 2014 Sheriff’s election

is going to be quite revealing in how really criminally corrupt the
police department administration and leadership has become.
The Las Vegas Tribune has noticed the foundation being laid out by the
daily newspaper, in support of former Asst. Sheriff Theodore Moody to
possibly run for Clark County Sheriff against his former boss and
mentor, the $42 million sheriff, Douglas Gillespie, because of the
little tiff between them about the decision to not fire Officer
Roston, and the resignation of six members of the Use of Force Board.
Just spreading the political field comes to mind.
The Las Vegas Tribune published a front-page article advising the
public that this “Board” was nothing more than “smoke and mirrors,”
and was created in order to satisfy the Fed’s recommendations to help
fix Metro’s reputation and improve their public relations in our
community.
The newspaper predicts the former head of the “Board,” former Asst.
Sheriff Theodore Moody, more than likely had falsely convinced the
civilian members of the Board that their voice would count for
something and be loudly heard with regards to punishment to officers
that used deadly force indiscriminately. Sadly, it was another scam.
The Tribune doesn’t quite buy this present strategy and the past
strategy all the way as being quite truthful for several reasons:
i.e., both Sheriff Gillespie and former Asst. Sheriff Theodore Moody
are still both named as defendants, along with twelve others, in a
Discrimination EEOC Federal Lawsuit initiated by Detective Gordon
Martines, submitted in January of 2011.
Unexpectedly, according to our sources, some rather explosive
information has recently emerged from Legal Depositions taken in
Detective Martines’ Federal Lawsuit, in that four old “murders,”
dating back to 1996, 2001, 2007 and 2010, were allegedly covered up by
complicit Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department personnel, which
yielded heavily embroidered, wrongfully manipulated, and maliciously
derailed false reporting of Homicide/Murder Investigations, all of
which has now recently come to light on the record, with added
eyewitness testimony and evidence that, according to Federal Judge
George Foley, Jr., will literally blow the lid off of the LVMPD.
The Las Vegas Tribune believes that the information that it also now
possesses, along with the corroboration of the recent detailed Legal
Depositions from witnesses in Detective Martines’ Federal Lawsuit,
leads to a strong possibility that several LVMPD employees,
(commissioned and civilian) may be looking at some indictments and
some serious prison time.
The HOA Scandal, which was massive in its entire scope, will seem
minor in comparison to what criminal charges will be coming out of
this Federal Lawsuit Investigation, along with the indictments of some
very high-powered people that had knowledge of and directly
participated in the covering up and false reporting of these egregious
criminal acts, which by the way have no statute of limitations.
Our sources tell us that they fear for their own safety, their
families’ safety and the safety of their friends, and anyone else that
is knowledgeable about this new information, especially if they work
for and are employed by the LVMPD.
Our sources further tell us that U.S. Attorney Daniel Bogden, Senator
Harry Reid, and Senator Dean Heller have the new details of these old
murders that have occurred in Nevada under their jurisdiction.
At this point the Las Vegas Tribune does not want to and will not
divulge any particular further information that could hinder this new
investigation, and destroy or divert any investigative strategy that
may be in progress, but it is enough to say that whatever
investigative unit has been assigned to work this case, they’ll have
plenty of different crimes from which to pick and it is pretty much
laid out as to who the primary suspects are in those crimes.
The Las Vegas Tribune believes the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police
Department has abused its authority and power for way too long and has
enjoyed that power to enhance its own effectiveness. It is no wonder
that the community on the whole is just utterly disgusted with these
abuses, coverups and lies, and now has little to no faith in their
police force.
The LVMPD has also made a fatal mistake in underestimating one of
their own: Detective Gordon Martines, a 39-year veteran Law
Enforcement officer, with an impeccable record, with actual true
police experience that would rival and surpass any police officer in
the State, and with a fierce unquestioned loyalty and strict
unwavering obedience to his Sacred Oath of Law Enforcement and the
Constitution of the United States of America.

http://lasvegastribune.net/metro-facing-ugly-humps-dichotomy-transparency-coverups/

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Massive Board Resignation Could Be a Political Strategy


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It is a well known secret and fact that keeping the Las Vegas
Metropolitan Police Department administration’s business — and its
officers’ actions — as transparent as possible is nothing but a joke
that has become an insult to the intelligence of anyone in the
community.
Many believe that the massive resignation of members of the Use of
Force Board is nothing but a political strategy manipulated by the
Sheriff and his political advisers.
For a long time, the name of Assistant Sheriff Ted Moody has been
circulated as the “chosen one” to replace Sheriff Doug Gillespie; he
and Joe Lombardo have been appearing for a while on the same radio
shows on which the Sheriff has routinely appeared on a monthly
schedule, with the excuse that the Sheriff is “out of town,” “in
Washington, DC,” or “tied up in police work,” when in reality
Gillespie has not done any “police work” for at least the last fifteen
years — or as long as he has been assigned to various police
administrative departments.
Assistant Sheriff Ted Moody — who shared the Chair of the Use of Force
Board with the second member to resign, Robert Martinez — was the
first one to resign. He tried to be identified with the rest of the
Board members but managed to keep his name out of the press until he
announced his candidacy to the position his friend, Gillespie, holds
presently and is hopefully saving for him.
The daily newspaper and the local television stations have been very
instrumental in helping Sheriff Doug Gillespie in his endeavor by
giving great coverage to the resignation of less than one half of the
board members.
The whole issue is about a police officer who shot an unarmed man in
the leg and was not fired despite the board’s recommendation.
In the meantime, Sheriff Gillespie, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police
Department and fourteen of the most important members of his
administration are battling a federal lawsuit filed by Detective
Gordon Martines, an active member of the police department and a
32-year veteran detective with the robbery and homicide section, and
the daily newspaper and local television stations are ignoring that to
report on the weather and the traffic in Las Vegas.
The media is missing the fact, or just ignoring it, that Detective
Martines is not a disgruntled employee speaking out after being
terminated; he is an active member of the department on sick leave.
The Las Vegas Tribune has learned that during the deposition of
correction officer Greg Naglich — Detective Martines’s former
supervisor — Sergeant Tom Melton AKA James Melton, had been exposed
as a racist and a discriminatory supervisor in the department; one who
has used the “N” word while referring to black suspects or police
officers. Sergeant Melton was promoted to lieutenant after the
Martines controversy; yet in one deposition, he referred to Mexicans
in derogatory ways and referred to Detective Martines as a “dinosaur”
during a former correctional officer deposition in the federal
lawsuit, explicitly showing age discrimination.
Many people are wondering where the board and the media were when
Officer Brian Yant murdered a naked and unarmed black man in his
bathroom and was not fired. The fact is, he is still an officer —
perhaps patrolling the streets of Las Vegas — and no one says a word
about it; no one complained and no one resigned. Yant also lied to his
superiors, committed perjury and misled a judge in order to obtain a
search warrant, but was not fired and was not recommended by any board
to be fired.
The Use of Force Board was created after an investigation by federal
authorities on the amount of police-involved shootings by the local
police department.
Transparency at Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department seems to be a
myth and the more they try to enforce damage control, the more it
shows their political game and campaign strategy in action.
The sixth member of the Use of Force Board that tried to resign was
only notified verbally that “you might not be reappointed again,” but
was not officially thanked for his participation in the board and for
being part of Sheriff Gillespie’s game of transparency — because Metro
had misplaced his Email address.
Former New Jersey Sheriff Robert Le Piere refuted Metro’s spokesperson
Bill Cassel’s statement to the media that he was not notified at the
April 11 meeting that he could no longer be part of the board.
Le Piere said he was only informally told at the April meeting that he
probably wouldn’t be able to continue on the board because of a
decision to exclude civilian members with prior law enforcement
experience.
By having civilians with no previous law enforcement experience on the
board, it puts those board members at the hands of police officers
participating in the board.
“You have to walk in our shoes out there to know how to react and how
to make spur-of-the moment decisions,” said an active police officer
who asked us not to use his name.
It makes sense that a civilian with law enforcement experience be part
of the board to create a balance so the uniformed member cannot
mislead or misinform the civilian board members.
Calls made to Sheriff Doug Gillespie by Las Vegas Tribune to comment
on this article were, as always, not returned by press time.
Chris Collins, president of the Las Vegas Police Protective
Association, the union that represents the rank and file of the police
department and whose name was in the middle of this incident for his
close relationship with the sheriff, was not available at press time
to comment on this article.

http://lasvegastribune.net/massive-b...ical-strategy/

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ANSWERS: CLARK COUNTY:
Whispers of buyers remorse at county over Wolfson’s appointment as DA


By Joe Schoenmann (contact)
Sunday, March 4, 2012 | 2 a.m.
A whisper of buyer’s remorse was heard in the halls of the Clark County Government Center last week.
The refusal of newly appointed District Attorney Steve Wolfson to prosecute Henderson Police Sgt. Brett Seekatz — the officer caught on tape kicking the head of motorist Adam Greene, who was being held down by five other officers — has county honchos wondering if they picked the right guy for the job.
Why are they doubting themselves?
Wolfson told various media outlets he didn’t seek charges because too much time had lapsed since the Seekatz incident on Oct. 29, 2010. If he had sought misdemeanor charges, a one-year time limit had expired. But the statute of limitations is longer for felony charges of criminal conduct under the color of law.
Wolfson later told Sun columnist Jon Ralston the real reason he didn’t charge the officer is because he didn’t think he could prove“criminal intent” in court.
County commissioners read that as an ominous signal. The Seekatz case is much smaller than the 800-pound gorilla in the room Wolfson faces — officer-involved shootings.
Explain yourself.
It has been well over a year since the last coroner’s inquest, the hearings to examine police shootings that result in death. A lawsuit by the police union has stalled inquests. In December, a federal judge upheld changes in the process, which the union opposes, that would allow an ombudsman to represent victims’ families.
Now, the case is back in state court to determine whether using a justice of the peace to oversee inquests violates the constitutional separation clause.
When that is resolved, inquests will begin anew. In the meantime, however, commissioners are looking to see if Wolfson will do anything about at least one shooting that has already gone through the inquest process.
Which one is that?

The shooting of Trevon Cole by Officer Bryan Yant in mid-2010. Sources say Wolfson told county commissioners he would likely seek some kind of charges against an officer or officers involved in the Cole shooting.
We won’t recount the policing errors made in that case, as they have been recounted numerous times.
Even with those errors, though, now commissioners wonder if Wolfson’s reluctance to do anything about Seekatz means he will be just as reluctant to touch the Cole shooting.
Did Wolfson promise such a thing publicly?
No. Wolfson was one of three finalists to replace David Roger, an elected official who was one year into a four-year term when he quit and took a job as an attorney for the police union. During a lengthy public questioning of candidates, many citizens spoke in favor of John Hunt over Wolfson. Commissioner Lawrence Weekly was the lone vote against Wolfson’s appointment.
Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani vowed she would hold Wolfson “accountable.” She and other commissioners eked out promises that Wolfson would address the high number of expensive death penalties sought by the DA’s Office, improve communication with the commission and try the new inquest system.
Commissioners were satisfied with his answers, but some also supported Wolfson’s appointment because they believed he would examine closely the possibility of criminal charges against officers involved in fatal incidents.
•••
After the Sun broke the story last week about firefighters shedding 57,000 hours of sick leave over the past two years, a question came up around the water cooler.
The major reason firefighters’ use of sick leave was questioned in the first place was that Commissioner Steve Sisolak pointed out what that he thought were signs of abuse. Sisolak, by the way, is up for re-election, and many expected angry firefighters would find a challenger. So the question: Is anyone going to run against Sisolak?
A: So far, no one has announced. No one in the Clark County Government building has heard of any potential challengers. But we’ll see. Candidates have from March 5 to March 16 to file with the county Elections Department.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012...olfsons-appoi/

Some of the letters attached to the articles are interesting....

Everyone would like to believe they have the best police officers in thier town, City or County, and State...I am no exception any time I have encountered a police officer it has been a positive experience for me...But that is me and the past few years it seems that there are too many shootings and killings that always, always, always get label as "Justified", and then explained away without question...On top of it they seem to get a vacation with pay pending investigation, on the tax payers dime...