News briefs for July 16, 2002

Tuesday, July 16, 2002 | 9:48 a.m.

Second trial set in rape case

A former Marine convicted of sexually assaulting a 32-year-old mother of three will go to trial again Dec. 2 -- 15 months after District Court Judge Kathy Hardcastle set Raymond Flores free and ordered a new trial.

In setting the trial date Hardcastle declined to set bail, and Flores remains free on his own recognizance. The judge said the 23-year-old has residency in Clark County and is under the close supervision of his family.

She ordered the new trial in part because of a now recanted confession of a fellow Marine to the rape, but she said last week that there were additional problems with the case that warrant a new trial.

Prison programs to get $1.9 million

Nevada will receive $1.9 million to support prisoner re-entry initiatives over the next three years, Attorney General John Ashcroft told Gov. Kenny Guinn on Monday.

It's the largest grant that the Nevada Department of Corrections has ever received, Guinn said. The department will receive $1.4 million of the funds. Another $521,000 will go to the state Department of Child and Family Services.

The project will enhance and intensify community involvement to prevent young parolees from returning to jail. In addition to parole supervision, mental health and drug or alcohol treatment would be available in communities.

Jumper dies in apparent suicide

A 21-year-old man apparently jumped off the Showcase Mall parking garage to his death Monday morning.

An autopsy is scheduled to be performed today, but Metro Police are investigating the death as a suicide.

Security cameras in the parking garage captured the man in the garage and evidence indicates the death was a suicide, police said.

Suspected bomb found with body

Metro Police found what they thought might be explosives in a car in which a man's body was discovered near downtown Las Vegas Monday morning.

But the device did not detonate when Las Vegas Fire Department's bomb squad set off a charge, leading officials to believe it was not a bomb, police said.

A passerby noticed a man slumped over the wheel of the car at Charleston Boulevard and 15th Street about 7:45 a.m. Monday. The area around the car was evacuated when the suspected bomb was found, police said.

Foul play is not suspected in the man's death.