Battle continues for constable

Jeff Schweers

Tuesday, Sept. 3, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

It's a shame Bill Davis wasn't alive to see it.

The 70-year-old Democratic candidate for Las Vegas constable died this morning of congestive heart failure, long before he had a chance to see the election returns start coming in.

Davis was tied Tuesday evening for third in the Democratic primary with 7.9 percent of the vote, along with Larry Kepler.

Meanwhile, Constable Bob Nolen was fighting to retain the seat he was appointed to in 1993 after Don Charleboix stepped down in a badge-buying scandal.

Nolen, 54, was leading the pack of eight Democratic contenders with 35 percent of the vote, followed by his former office manager, Faye Duncan-Daniel, who had 25 percent.

Nolen had Duncan-Daniel transferred to another department after she filed to run against him.

If he wins, Nolen will face one of three Republican contenders who were in a close race led by William Carns with 37 percent, followed by county bailiff Carol Morsovillo with 35 percent and Nathan Norman with 27.5 percent.

Registrar of Voters Kathryn Ferguson said the county coroner notified her about 11:30 a.m. that Davis had died -- the first time a candidate died on her on the day of an election.

"His doctor had advised him not to run because he had a history of congestive heart failure," Ferguson said.

If Davis had won the primary, the Democratic Central Committee would have had to appoint someone to appear on the general election ballot in his place, Ferguson said.

The Las Vegas constable is a self-supporting office that oversees a dozen deputies whose duties are to serve court papers and eviction notices.

Nolen, a former Las Vegas councilman, is considered the odds-on favorite because of his political clout and connections.

But he has also drawn heat from several deputies who claim he's been abusive and have filed an ethics complaint against him for allegedly using office time and resources to campaign for himself and his political pals. He is also alleged to have spent working hours with another employee in a topless cabaret.

Nolen said he welcomed the October ethics hearing.

"When you've got a complaint, I believe you should let it run its course," Nolen said. "I look forward to them looking into it. This complaint came from a disgruntled former employee, and I never had the opportunity to answer the charges."

Nolen said he would answer the charges about visiting the Olympic Garden, which belongs to longtime friend Pete Eliades, at the hearing.

But he said he never visited the topless cabaret on office time, except to talk to Eliades about a private, personal matter he refused to comment further about.

As for the mutiny in the constable's office, Nolen said: "I have been appointed to clean up a mess, and I'm doing what they asked me to do."

Nolen said that last year the office grossed $1.7 million, and he's returned $437,000 to the county general fund during his 34 months in office in use fees.

"Those disgruntled employees feel that's their money and should be given to them in bonuses," Nolen said.