Lawsuit names police in LV raid, beating

Greg Tuttle

Wednesday, May 31, 2000 | 11:24 a.m.

A Las Vegas man claims in a federal lawsuit that four Metro Police officers splattered his walls with eggs, soda pop and bleach and urinated in his sink during a raid three years ago.

Roger Valdez also claims the officers blindfolded three children in his home before beating him for dating one of the officer's daughters.

The officer's actions "were taken pursuant to a de facto policy of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, which is implemented by officers ... to summarily punish persons who refuse to obey police orders, whether lawful or not, by means of unlawful arrests and seizures and a pattern of harassment," according to the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court.

The lawsuit was filed in March of last year, but amended Tuesday to include the name of one officer previously known only by the nickname "Diablo," a Spanish word for devil.

The lawsuit seeks damages from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the State of Nevada, Metro Sgt. Keith Carter and officers James LaRochelle, Vincent Hartung and Christopher Marlahan. LaRochelle was added to the lawsuit Tuesday.

Valdez is seeking $300,000 in damages in four claims against the officers, including invasion of privacy, mental and emotional anguish, malicious prosecution and assault and battery. He also is seeking $150,000 in compensatory and punitive damages.

The three children, Melissa Ortiz, Josiane Ortiz and Amanda Valdez, also are seeking unspecified damages.

Attorneys Cal Potter III, Thomas Pitaro and Robert Luchernini are representing Valdez and the children. None could be reached for comment Tuesday or this morning.

Metro Police spokesman Tirso Dominguez declined to comment on the lawsuit this morning. He said it's the department's policy not to comment on pending litigation.

According to the lawsuit, Valdez was dating officer Keith Carter's daughter and had given the officer's son some marijuana as a bribe not to expose the relationship. But the officer found out and "targeted" Valdez as a drug dealer, the lawsuit alleges.

On March 5, 1997, Carter and the three other police officers served a search warrant at Valdez's home located at 5325 Jose Ernesto St. The officers "destroyed the interior of the said premise by throwing eggs, bleach and soda pop against the walls and urinating in the sink," according to the lawsuit.

The officers then blindfolded the three girls and beat Valdez, the lawsuit claims, "all in retaliation for a romantic relationship" between Valdez and Carter's daughter.

A similar lawsuit was filed in federal court by a Las Vegas couple who allege four different Metro Police officers raided their home without a warrant in an effort to intimidate them.

Alexandra and Carl Bergh filed the suit last year following the March 30, 1999, raid at their home on West Charleston Boulevard.

The lawsuit alleges the officer went to the home the day before the couple was scheduled to name two other Metro officers in an unrelated lawsuit.