Court briefs for February 7, 2002

Thursday, Feb. 7, 2002 | 10:58 a.m.

Women claims rights violated

Two women have filed a lawsuit against the Nevada State Bar and the Nevada Supreme Court alleging their First Amendment rights have been violated because they have been prohibited from discussing a complaint they filed against an unnamed attorney.

According to the lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court Wednesday, Teri Bedford and Lois Matthews lodged a complaint against "Attorney X" with the state bar claiming he or she engaged in unethical behavior.

The bar's screening panel of its disciplinary board found that the lawyer had engaged in unethical behavior, but a second panel found a lack of evidence.

The women are asking a federal judge to stop the Supreme Court from enforcing a Supreme Court rule that bans them from ever talking about the case publicly.

DA to weigh possible charges

The Clark County district attorney's office is reviewing a case in which a 78-year-old Las Vegas woman is accused of running over a pedestrian and then leaving the scene of the fatal accident.

Police believe Anna Toscano was driving the first of three vehicles that struck Lynette Spiller, 42, as she was jaywalking on East Charleston Boulevard just west of Nellis Boulevard Jan. 1.

Sexual assault on bus claimed

A Citizen Area Transit bus driver arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a mentally challenged passenger in October is being sued along with the bus operators.

Antonio Gomez and ATC/ Vancom of Nevada are named in a lawsuit filed in District Court by attorney Douglas Cohen Wednesday morning.

According to court records and the lawsuit, the 24-year-old victim was sexually assaulted in the bus while she was being transported between Opportunity Village, where she works, and the group home where she lives.

Valerie Michael, a public information officer for ATC Las Vegas, declined to comment, saying she has not seen the suit. She said Gomez has been placed on leave, but did not say what type of leave.

Sentencing by judge sought

Convicted killer Ashley Bennett, just hours before a jury was to convene for his sentencing hearing, announced he would rather be sentenced by a judge. District Judge Michael Douglas will sentence Bennett next month, Deputy District Attorney Melisa De La Garza said.

Bennett, 28, was found guilty Monday of being one of a handful of gang members who killed Joe Williams, 26, March 3, 2001. He faces two consecutive life sentences with or without the possibility of parole, or a fixed term of 50 to 100 years in prison.

Driver indicted in accident

A 33-year-old Las Vegas woman was indicted in connection with a November accident that took the life of an 89-year-old pedestrian.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Gary Booker said blood tests show that marijuana was in Deborah Fong's system when her car struck a median on which Stella Hutchins was standing near Desert Inn Road and Cambridge Street.

Fong faces charges of driving under the influence of a controlled substance or with a prohibited substance in her blood, leaving the scene of an accident and involuntary manslaughter. A warrant was issued for her arrest.