Deputies cleared of civil rights violations

Sunday, July 16, 2000 | 2:41 a.m.

A seven-member federal civil jury deliberated about four hours before reaching the verdict Friday in the case involving sheriff's Sgt. Fred Schoenfeldt and Deputy Dan Duzan.

The case centered on their attempt to serve Lee Pisiewski with a temporary protective order evicting him from his wife's house. The order stemmed from domestic violence claims on her part as the couple were going through a divorce.

Pisiewski, an investigator for the Nevada Gaming Control Board and a member of the Carson City Planning Commission for eight years, was arrested on obstruction charges.

He later filed a civil rights lawsuit, claiming the deputies had no cause to arrest him.

Pisiewski lawyer Richard Staub said it took five or six minutes before his client came to the door, but that his client couldn't hear the knocking.

When he came out of the house, Duzan arrested him on Schoenfeldt's orders.

Deputy District Attorney Mark Forsberg said the actions of the deputies were reasonable given the circumstances.

"He (Pisiewski) was in there 15 minutes while they pounded on the door," he said, adding there would have been no arrest had Pisiewski responded quietly and promptly.