Pope is on the move

Kim Smith

Wednesday, March 1, 2000 | 10:54 a.m.

A 15-year-old Las Vegas boy being tried as an adult in the shooting death of his father is getting new accommodations at the Clark County Detention Center.

District Judge Mark Gibbons Tuesday ordered jail officials to move Conan Pope from the west wing of the jail's second floor to the east wing after attorneys for both sides agreed that would be the best thing to do.

Gibbons and the attorneys on the case have been trying to figure out the best place for Pope to stay while he awaits trial in the Jan. 5 death of his father, Frank Pope, 62.

Under Nevada law juveniles charged with attempted murder or murder are automatically certified as adults and incarcerated at the Clark County Detention Center.

However, ever since Pope allegedly had a sexual encounter with a male prostitute while in the facility, his attorneys have been arguing that the jail is no place for a ninth grader.

Gibbons two weeks ago rejected Deputy Special Public Defender Kristina Wildeveld's suggestion that Pope be placed on house arrest, but the judge agreed Pope could be taken to the county's juvenile detention center if space became available.

According to Tuesday's order, Pope will stay at the Clark County Detention Center, but he will be housed in a cell by himself and will have limited contact with the general jail population. However, he will get as much free time and TV time as possible when the other inmates are on lock-down status.

In addition, Pope will be allowed to get visits from tutors or teachers from the Clark County School District's alternative education program.

If the school district or defense attorneys want to provide them, Pope will be allowed to have paperback books in his cell, the order says.

The man accused of engaging in a sex act with Pope, Reginald Fox, pleaded guilty Tuesday to voluntary sexual conduct between prisoners.

District Judge Joseph Bonaventure is scheduled to sentence him March 27.

archive