Court briefs for August 7, 2001

Tuesday, Aug. 7, 2001 | 10:52 a.m.

Warrant issued for missing defendant

Two Clark County District Court judges have issued bench warrants for one of two men who pleaded guilty to trying to rob two off-duty police officers.

District Judges Michael Douglas and John McGroarty issued the warrants after Taro Mitchell, 20, failed to make sentencing hearings on Thursday and Monday.

Police said Mitchell and Chester Johnson, with guns drawn, entered the garage of Mike Springer's home where he and fellow police officer Jim Boubon were shooting pool.

Authorities said Mitchell held a gun to Springer's head, but Boubon was able to draw his weapon and fire four shots. Johnson was struck three times and Mitchell once.

After he and Johnson pleaded guilty to attempted robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery on May 24, Mitchell opted to plead guilty to carrying a concealed weapon as part of a plea agreement in the firearms case in June.

Douglas sentenced Johnson, 18, to three to 7 1/2 years on July 19 and indicated he intended to give Mitchell, who was out on bail, a harsher sentence.

The judge never got the chance to impose the sentence because Mitchell never arrived. He also never showed up in McGroarty's court on Monday.

McGroarty was scheduled to sentence Mitchell to one year in jail for carrying the concealed weapon.

Mosley-Flangas trial in December

The 5-year-old legal battle between District Judge Donald Mosley and attorney Peter Flangas may finally come to an end in December.

Visiting District Judge Peter Breen of Reno said Monday he will be available to hear a trial on the matter beginning either Dec. 10 or Dec. 17.

The battle began when Flangas ran for Mosley's spot on the bench and bought a variety of highly critical ads. The ads challenged Mosley's reversal rate by the Nevada Supreme Court and alleged that the judge beat up a motorist in Ely, assaulted an ex-girlfriend carrying his baby, got caught with someone shooting at a bald eagle and recruited a judge to hear his own paternity case.

Mosley sued Flangas for defamation, and Flangas filed a countersuit claiming Mosley filed the lawsuit to gain attention before the election, therefore misusing the court process.

Mosley's lawsuit charged that "Flangas knew that the false statements could have a devastating impact on Mosley's good name, reputation and profession and fully intended them to achieve that result."

Flangas responded that the allegations in his ads are "absolutely true and documented."

More troubles for Strip robber

A convicted robber who recently pleaded guilty to throwing a fellow inmate over a second-floor railing has pleaded guilty to beating another inmate with a mop.

Reggie Johnson pleaded guilty to battery with a deadly weapon Monday and faces between one and six years in prison when sentenced by District Judge Joseph Bonaventure Sept. 13.

However, he already has been sentenced to 130 years after pleading guilty in three robberies of Treasure Island.