Judge denies Frontier’s request for gag order

Wednesday, Jan. 15, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.

District Judge John McGroarty has denied a request from Frontier lawyers to muzzle a Las Vegas attorney who has uncovered spying allegations at the Strip resort.

The lawyer, Will Kemp, represents a California couple, Sean and Gail White, suing the Frontier over their April 25, 1993, beating on the picket line.

Kemp took a sworn statement in that case from Wayne Legare, the former head of the Frontier's internal surveillance unit that allegedly spied and played dirty tricks on striking Culinary Union workers.

Following a hearing Tuesday, McGroarty said it was premature to issue an order barring Kemp or anyone else in the White case from talking to the media. The trial doesn't start until August.

McGroarty also denied a Frontier motion to move the case outside Las Vegas because of pre-trial publicity.

Frontier lawyer Cory Jones had sought the orders after a series of SUN stories on the spy squad that began Dec. 11.

The stories, which never quoted Kemp, were prompted by interviews with Legare.

Jones apologized to McGroarty in court Tuesday for misleading him into believing Kemp had been quoted in the SUN stories.

The FBI and State Gaming Control Board, meanwhile, continued to investigate the spying allegations disclosed in the articles.

Legare and other ex-Frontier employees have alleged hotel officials played dirty tricks on strikers, wiretapped the resort's own phone lines and planted bugs at the Frontier's sister Strip property, the Casino Royale.

Another whistleblower, ex-Frontier security sergeant Bill Uhouse, has alleged Frontier officials also planted hidden video cameras and microphones in guest rooms.

Frontier General Manager Tom Elardi initially denied wrongdoing, but he has refused to return phone calls the past month to respond to the brunt of the accusations.