Mosley granted time to avert charge

Wednesday, April 12, 2000 | 11 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- District Judge Donald Mosley has been granted a delay in answering a complaint against him that he gave favored treatment to people in cases when they supported him in a child custody battle.

The deadline for Mosley to respond to the complaint filed with the state Judicial Discipline Commission was today. But he asked for and received a postponement until May 1.

A spokeswoman for the commission said that special prosecutor Mary Boetsch of Reno agreed to the delay.

The complaint filed last month says Mosley misused his office by granting judicial favors to people who backed him in a hotly contested child custody case. He is also accused of improperly writing personal letters on court stationery.

Mosley said he will fight the allegations at a public hearing before the commission later this year.

Meanwhile, Mosley recused himself Monday from the money-laundering case of professional gambler and golf course developer Billy Walters.

Mosley's surprise move came less than a month after he fought off the efforts of prosecutors to remove him from the case amid allegations he was partial to the defense.

The state attorney general's office points to his friendship with John Moran, defense attorney for one of Walters' co-defendants. The judge and Moran hunt together, and Moran testified on Mosley's behalf six years ago in the custody fight between Mosley and a former girlfriend over their son.

Walters and three other men are accused of routing money to and from illegal bookmakers across the country through Sierra Sports Inc., a company owned by Walters.