Rhodes won’t face sexual charges

Kim Smith and Keith Paul

Monday, April 29, 2002 | 10:59 a.m.

Clark County prosecutors this morning announced they will not file sexual assault charges against former North Las Vegas Councilman John Rhodes.

In a memo to North Las Vegas Police, Chief Deputy District Attorney Ron Bloxham said prosecutors would have a difficult time proving an attempted sexual assault took place last month, in part because the alleged victim and Rhodes had been in a long-term relationship.

Just two days before the woman claims she was sexually assaulted by Rhodes, the two had consensual sex and discussed her moving in with him, the memo notes.

"The victim had been disappointed with John Rhodes since he had promised to marry her but had not followed through with his promise," Bloxham wrote. "Additionally, John Rhodes had belittled the victim because of her past actions. Therefore, the victim was angry at John Rhodes and had an apparent motive to fabricate."

Bloxham also states in his memo that the alleged victim, who was once a stripper, had told her psychologist she had been assaulted by her cousin. Moreover, she didn't report the alleged sexual assault by Rhodes until after she had spoken with a civil attorney about filing a lawsuit against the former councilman.

The prosecutor said the fact that the alleged victim ended up marrying the detective who took the police report would also have had a negative impact on the case had there been enough evidence to take it to trial.

However, "assuming Detective (Robert) Tanner had not become personally involved in the present case, our decision would be the same. As it presently stands, the evidence against John Rhodes is insufficient to support a criminal prosecution..."

Rhodes' attorney in this matter, Robert Groesbeck, said he is pleased to hear that prosectors will not move forward on the allegations.

"From the get-go this (police investigation) was clearly biased. This was a pathetic piece of police work," Groesbeck said. "It's something we're going to have to take a look at on another day."

The investigation was devastating to Rhodes, even though the the district attorney's office refused to prosecute the charges, Groesbeck said.

Lt. Art Redcay said the police respect the decision of the prosecutors, saying police investigate allegations and submit the cases to the district attorney's office to determine if the charges will move forward.

The criminal case is considered closed, Redcay said.

However, Tanner, who remained on paid administrative leave, still faces an internal investigation on misconduct for marrying the woman who leveled the allegations, Redcay said.

In an unrelated case, Rhodes faces felony counts of false claims for benefit and obtaining money by false pretenses.

He was indicted in 2000 on the charges in connection with two alleged burglaries of his home in 1997 and 1998. He was charged with filing insurance claims on items that were not stolen or he did not own.

Rhodes ran for re-election to the City Council while under indictment and lost in a runoff to Robert Eliason.