Plea bargain set against suspect shot while fleeing police

Bill Gang

Thursday, Feb. 19, 1998 | 10:14 a.m.

A 16-year-old shoplifting suspect who was shot as he fled past a Metro Police officer has agreed to a plea bargain that will guarantee him a short prison stay but give him a chance at probation.

Jarod Finley waived his preliminary hearing Wednesday in Las Vegas Justice Court saying he would plead guilty to charges of assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest -- both felonies.

Finley originally had faced additional charges of attempted murder, robbery and burglary but those will be dismissed as part of the plea deal on Feb. 26 in District Judge Jeff Sobel's courtroom, according to Deputy District Attorney Frank Coumou.

The teenager was thrown into the adult court system because Nevada law automatically certifies as an adult any juvenile charged with murder or attempted murder.

Finley, carrying a .38-caliber pistol, was hit in the left arm by one of four shots fired by Officer Brian DeBecker after the teenager refused to stop walking away and drop the gun.

DeBecker had followed Finley along Yale Street Thursday, getting out of the car at least twice and ordering the teen to stop walking away.

Police had identified Finley as one of two suspects mall security guards attempted to take into custody for an apparent shoplifting attempt.

The suspects were being escorted to the security office when Finley darted out the mall's doors. Finley allegedly pointed a handgun at a pursuing guard, then fled the property.

Metro's helicopter spotted a person matching the suspect's description running north on Decatur Boulevard. DeBecker, 26, caught up to Finley a few minutes later.

It's the third shooting that DeBecker has been involved in during his seven years with Metro.

In January 1994, DeBecker, then 21, shot and wounded 21-year-old Arturo Pena. The shooting happened after Pena struggled with the officer, drew a .45-caliber handgun and began shooting, police said. DeBecker was not hurt, but Pena was wounded in the left groin and shoulder. The shooting was ruled justified.

In February 1993, Gregory Joe Warren, 37, was shot to death after police say he lunged at two officers with a knife. The family claimed that police provoked Warren and argued that a videotape of the altercation contradicts the officers' memories. Officers DeBecker and Steve Borden said they were protecting themselves when they each fired one shot a Warren, killing him. U.S. District Judge Lloyd George ruled in the officers' favor.