FBI joins investigation of French citizen’s death in Las Vegas jail

Thursday, Jan. 18, 2001 | 5:48 a.m.

"The FBI has been in contact with me," the Deputy Police Chief Bill Young, the jail's chief administrator, told The Associated Press Thursday. "They told me they've opened an investigation."

FBI officials would neither confirm nor deny whether the agency was conducting an investigation into the death of Philippe Le Menn, a 33-year-old Las Vegas restaurant manager who died in police custody on Jan. 4.

The U.S. Justice Department also is reviewing Le Menn's death as part of an ongoing investigation into Clark County Detention Center conditions.

Le Menn was the 25th person to die at the jail since 1997, when the Justice Department began its investigation. Young had previously said there were 24 deaths, but said Thursday that number was incorrect and that Le Menn's death was indeed the 25th.

There were 11 suicides and 13 deaths from other causes ranging from heart attacks and cancer to injuries received in fights, Young said.

Le Menn's death, which remains unclassified, has renewed criticism by the American Civil Liberties Union about the jail.

Le Menn's family alleges that he died of head injuries in a beating by jail guards and has asked French diplomatic officials to request an FBI investigation.

Police say a coroner's ruling will show if a crime was committed in Le Menn's death. State and local officials say they will rely on the coroner's ruling to show if anyone should be prosecuted.