LV Hilton sued over rape

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2000 | 10:31 a.m.

A Las Vegas woman sued the Las Vegas Hilton and its owner Park Place Entertainment Corp. in Clark County District Court, saying she was attacked, robbed and raped because of their alleged negligence and poor security.

The defendants also include Hilton Hotels Corp., Ed Roski Jr. and his company Majestic Realty Co. Roski, the owner and operator of the Silverton hotel-casino, announced in July he is buying the Las Vegas Hilton for $365 million from Park Place.

Richard Sooy, attorney for the 58-year-old plaintiff, a Hilton patron, said a 22-year-old Las Vegas man, Juan Garcia Diaz, followed her as she entered into a women's restroom in the Hilton's Sports Book area on Sep. 13, 1999, and subjected her to a "violent and gruesome assault ... for over thirty horrifying minutes."

Diaz, a stranger to the plaintiff, was arrested on Oct. 1, 1999, Sooy said.

Diaz was convicted of six felony counts -- first degree kidnapping, battery, two counts of sexual assault with substantial bodily harm, robbery and attempted grand larceny -- and was sentenced last month to life in prison.

Park Place officials declined comment.

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