Henderson expected to pay $27,500 in assault case

Greg Harman

Thursday, Aug. 10, 2000 | 10:52 a.m.

The city of Henderson is expected to pay $27,500 to settle a 1998 lawsuit that alleges a Henderson Police officer assaulted a local fourth grade boy who showed him a "lack of respect."

According to reports, McCaw Elementary School Principal Janet Dobry asked the city to send an officer to the school to "scare" a group of fourth grade students causing a disturbance prior to the start of school.

In his effort to scare the children, Officer Randy Ryswick allegedly used foul language when confronting the fourth graders and slammed 9-year-old Conrad Jimenez against a wall when shown a "lack of respect."

The Jimenez family filed a criminal child abuse complaint against Ryswick with the Clark County School District Police as well as with Henderson Police's Internal Affairs Division before bringing the lawsuit in U.S. District Court.

The city attorney's office recommendation for settlement is expected to be approved by the Henderson City Council at its regular meeting Tuesday.

By settling for $27,500 the city could save more than $40,000 should the ruling favor the Jimenez family, according to a letter from Las Vegas attorney Richard Maurer.

Since the episode involving Ryswick, the city has changed its policy concerning responding to calls from the school district, instead referring all calls to school police or school personnel directly.

Maurer, responding to Henderson City Attorney Shauna Hughes, says, "The major concern is that a jury would find that it was inappropriate for the Henderson Police Department to respond to this problem and award a nominal amount of damages based on the minor injuries allegedly sustained by the boy."

Attempts to reach city officials for comment were unsuccessful Thursday.