Court briefs for February 2, 2001

Friday, Feb. 2, 2001 | 11:22 a.m.

LV man pleads in robbery case

A Las Vegas man suspected of taking part in a robbery that left a Metro Police officer blind in one eye cut a deal with prosecutors Thursday.

Terrence Winn pleaded guilty to robbery with use of a deadly weapon and attempted murder in connection with the June 14 robbery of a Macayo Vegas Restaurant.

Winn will receive a sentence of 20 to 50 years when District Judge Joseph Bonaventure sentences him March 1.

Police alleged that Winn was one of three men who ran into the Charleston Boulevard restaurant and robbed employees at gunpoint. When they came out moments later, police say they encountered Officer Pete Rossi, 26, and one of them opened fire.

A bullet struck Rossi in the face and he lost sight in one eye.

Marcus Weatherspoon is scheduled to go on trial next month and Darnell Harris in April.

Tamika Beavers, the getaway driver, has already pleaded guilty to robbery and is awaiting a sentence of 12 to 30 years.

Sentence levied in drug case

A Las Vegas woman who testified against a Metro Police officer who was later acquitted on drug charges received two years probation Thursday.

Lydia Gorzoch testified two weeks ago that Officer Jon Brown willingly took the designer drug Ecstasy during a night of partying in May 1999.

Brown was arrested on drug trafficking charges after he nearly died of a drug overdose at Gorzoch's apartment.

Brown and Gorzoch both testified that he drank the so-called date rape drug GHB accidentally, but they differed on whether he voluntarily took the Ecstasy.

A jury found Brown not guilty on Jan. 23.

Gorzoch, who was arrested at the same time as Brown on drug trafficking and drug manufacturing charges, struck a deal with prosecutors to avoid a mandatory life sentence.

Part of the deal was that she testify against Brown.

On Thursday, District Judge Joseph Bonaventure placed Gorzoch on two years probation and ordered that she attend drug counseling sessions and perform eight hours of community service a month unless she's employed full-time.