News briefs for December 5, 2001

Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2001 | 10 a.m.

The Nevada Supreme Court on Jan. 12 will hear oral arguments in a case that could determine whether a university has the right to deny tenure to professors who may not get along with their colleagues.

Marcella McClure, a former assistant professor of biology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, sued the university system in May 2000 after she was denied tenure.

The case was originally thrown out by a lower court because of an earlier ruling that essentially makes the university immune from such lawsuits.

Bill receives congressional OK

Legislation that requires the Department of Transportation to study risks to public health and safety related to the shipping of hazardous chemicals and radioactive materials passed both houses of Congress on Tuesday.

The bill is awaiting President Bush's signature.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., who inserted the language, said the measure will ensure Americans are protected from hazardous shipments by road, rail or water.

Supreme Court levies penalty

Las Vegas attorney Shawn Hackman has been temporarily suspended from practicing law over allegations of misappropriating money from his clients.

"Documents before us demonstrate that Hackman poses a substantial threat of serious harm," the state Supreme Court said in pulling Hackman's right to represent clients.

Hackman cannot accept new clients but can continue to represent existing clients for 15 days, the court ruled.

Retired police officers indicted

Five men, including two retired Chicago police sergeants, have been charged with plotting to steal drugs and cash from drug dealers over the past decade.

The federal grand jury indictment was unsealed Tuesday, one day after the arrest in Las Vegas of Larry Hargrove, 57, who retired as a sergeant in March 2000 after 31 years.

Also indicted were Eddie C. Hicks, 52, a retired sergeant with 30 years on the force; Lawrence W. Knitter, 42, a former police motor pool mechanic; and Matthew L. Moran, 56, a former civilian employee.

A fifth man who was also indicted -- Albert M. Fontana, 45 -- never worked for the police department.

The indictment charges that Hargrove, Hicks, Moran and Knitter plotted to get cash, narcotics and other property from drug dealers through robbery, extortion and theft.

Court overturns murder conviction

The Nevada Supreme Court Tuesday tossed out the first-degree murder conviction of former Air Force Airman Brandon Parish, sentenced to life in prison in connection with the beating death of his girlfriend's baby.

The court ordered a new trial for Parish on the grounds that District Judge Joseph Bonaventure gave faulty instructions.

Parish was convicted in 1998 of slamming Samantha Storm against a solid object and killing her on April 17, 1997.

The court also overturned the second-degree murder conviction of Leroy T. Towner, who was sentenced to 10 to 50 years in prison for the fatal shooting of William Hall in Clark County.