Eyes of France turn to LV courtroom

Keith Paul

Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 | 11:40 a.m.

On the eve of today's coroner's inquest into the death of a French citizen who died during a struggle with Clark County jail guards, the French government let U.S. officials know their country is watching.

The French foreign minister sent a letter Wednesday to U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft reminding him the politicians and people of France are following the case very closely, said Yo-Jung Chen, spokesman for the French Consulate in Los Angeles.

A Clark County coroner's inquest will decide if the Jan. 4 death of 33-year-old Philippe Le Menn, who died after a struggle with guards inside a cell, was criminal, excusable or justifiable homicide.

But Le Menn's cousin, Philip Moreau, is not expecting much from the inquest.

"It's outrageous. It's a one-side show here," Moreau said.

In more than 90 inquests since 1976, only one jury has found any law enforcement officer criminally negligent, but the Metro Police officer was later cleared by a Clark County grand jury.

Clark County Sheriff Jerry Keller said expects all the facts of the case to come out.

"Any death is a tragedy and our hearts go out to Mr. Le Menn's family," Keller said. "We look forward to the facts of this event to be brought out in an open court during the coroner's inquest."

But Gary Peck, executive director of the America Civil Liberties Union of Nevada, said the inquest isn't a truly independent review of Le Menn's death since the District Attorney decides what witnesses will be called and what questions will be asked and there is no cross examination.

Le Menn's family's attorney, Paul Hoffman, can submit questions, but a hearing officer will decide if the questions will be asked.

But even with those limitations, Peck said Hoffman will be further handicapped because Coroner Ron Flud decided not to release the autopsy report, fearing the jury may be influenced if the results are spread in the media.

Le Menn died from asphyxia and the manner of his death was homicide, prompting the inquest. Flud has said there was no trauma visible on Le Menn's body that could have caused his death and no drugs in his system. Nine guards -- have been on administrative leave with pay since the cause of death was released about two weeks ago.

For a change, this inquest will not be watched by just locals, Peck said.

"This is being played out on a much larger stage," said Peck, who along with the ACLU is representing the Le Menn family locally. "The French government is watching. The U.S. government is watching. The things that are past off here as creditable will appear as they are, incredible."

Las Vegas has always been a destination for many French citizens wanting to get married -- so much so that the French Consulate in Los Angeles has a person who handles all the calls. But lately, French citizens have been asking different questions.

"Now some are asking if it is safe to go to Las Vegas," Chen said.

Details of Le Menn's death have been written about in French newspapers and shown on French television, he said.

The events that led up to Le Menn's death began about 9 a.m. Jan. 4, when Clark County School Police arrested Le Menn at Marion Earl Elementary School after reports that he banged on the doors of a school bus, put his arm around a child and yelled at school police officers, "I'm here to help the children. I'm here to save them."

Le Menn was booked into the jail on three misdemeanors. Police said Le Menn stripped off his clothing, plugged up the toilet and flooded the cell. He was also making bizarre statements about being Christ.

Le Menn was handcuffed and taken to another cell that was equipped with a video camera, which enabled jail officials to watch him. Jailers were concerned about Le Menn's mental stability after the statements.

Once a guard took off one handcuff, the struggle with Le Menn started. As many as five officers wrestled with Le Menn in the small cell for about five minutes before he stopped moving. Guards started CPR, but Le Menn later died.

Moreau said he will never stop until there is an investigation into his cousin's death by the U.S. Justice Department.

"I will go home and grieve when justice is done," he said.