Metro officers’ case headed to jury

Bill Gang

Tuesday, April 9, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The fate of three former Metro Police officers could be in the hands of a jury today.

Closing arguments were to begin early today in the lawmen's trial on charges they brutalized a coin thief in a videotaped downtown casino security room and then lied about it on a police report.

The jury has heard testimony for nearly two weeks in District Judge Lee Gates' courtroom about the June 11 events that left admitted thief Andrew Dersch with a gash over an eye.

The incident in the Fremont hotel-casino security room resulted in the indictments of Sgt. James Campbell, 48, and Officers Brian Nicholson and Robert Phelan, both 26, alleging they beat Dersch and threatened to use a police baton to sodomize him.

In the video, Phelan is shown slamming his fist into Dersch's chest and then throwing the suspected coin thief into an adjoining room where his head is cut open as it hits a desk.

A Clark County grand jury indictment charges the trio with oppression under the color of law, conspiracy and filing of a false report by a public officer.

Dersch was arrested by the officers on charges of obstructing a police officer for failing to give his true name, resisting a police officer and contempt of court in a Family Court case for failing to pay child support.

The city attorney's office declined to press the criminal charges, although Dersch was jailed in the child support case.

Dersch, who was held in jail from June 12-22, was paid $2,000 in cash and $1,700 toward back child support by Metro as part of a civil settlement. That settlement is being challenged by Dersch.

The officers were placed on administrative leave with pay June 17.

After the indictment was returned Aug. 17, Sheriff Jerry Keller suspended them without pay and later fired them.