DA may not pursue Metro cases against McDonald

Erin Neff

Friday, Oct. 13, 2000 | 11:24 a.m.

Citing insufficient evidence to win a conviction, District Attorney Stewart Bell was expected today to decline prosecution of two Metro Police cases against City Councilman Michael McDonald.

Yet as of the Sun's deadline late this morning, Bell was sequestered in his office and had not contacted police as to the reasons behind his decisions.

A spokesman for the district attorney's office said Bell would not take telephone calls or speak to anyone until this afternoon.

Police have previously said they believed they had enough evidence to support prosecution of the case.

"If there was nothing there, we wouldn't waste our time," Undersheriff Richard Winget told the Sun when Metro filed their two cases with the DA.

Late Thursday reports began surfacing from the District Attorney's office that Bell had decided to dismiss the cases Metro brought. Yet Bell said only that his office had reached a decision and would not make the legal determinations behind that judgment public until sometime today.

Metro capped a six-week investigation into two separate cases involving McDonald by turning the case over to the DA on Oct. 2. Police requested that a grand jury be convened to allow witnesses a chance to discuss what they know without fear of reprisal.

Mayor Oscar Goodman asked for both investigations -- at separate times -- when certain statements and facts presented in meetings or in newspapers were at odds with what McDonald was saying.

In the first case, Metro was asked to examine whether anyone at City Hall played any role in helping a controversial church open in close proximity to a building seeking zoning to be turned into an adult club.

The Church for Universal Life Enhancement opened just two days before a council vote on the building, then owned by political consultant Sig Rogich. The church was run by Annette Marie Patterson, sister of Crazy Horse Too owner Rick Rizzolo.

Since Rizzolo is friends with McDonald, and since the new adult club could serve as competition for Crazy Horse, many believed McDonald played some role in helping the church find that spot.

In the other case, Metro was asked to examine the circumstances surrounding the proposed sale of a financially-strapped recreation center called Las Vegas Sportspark.

During the Aug. 16 City Council meeting, one of the minority owners of Sportspark, Don Schlesinger, discussed a May tour of the facility by McDonald, Rizzolo and Rizzolo's attorney, Dean Patti.

Schlesinger said the other minority partner, Larry Scheffler, led the tour of prospective investors. Scheffler is McDonald's boss at Las Vegas Color Graphics and is a business partner of Sportspark's majority partner, Linda Fernandez.

McDonald said the tour was merely to find the location for a charity softball tournament.

Reached on Thursday, McDonald declined comment, citing the advice of his attorney.

Two letters released by District Attorney Stewart Bell addressing his decision to not prosecute City Councilman Michael McDonald.

You will need the Acrobat Reader to read these letters.

http://lasvegassun.com/dossier/misc/mcdonald_investigation.pdf