Court briefs for May 6, 2002

Monday, May 6, 2002 | 10:36 a.m.

Federal court rejects claims

A man who may have suffered minor injuries while confined in the Clark County Detention Center cannot sue for mental or emotional injury, a federal appeals court has ruled.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week rejected the claim of Eric Oliver, who sued over what he called inhumane conditions in the jail.

The court permitted Oliver to proceed with his suit to be compensated for his physical injuries.

Oliver was arrested three times in 1997 and placed in a holding cell that did not have any cots, blankets or pillows. He complained the cell was overcrowded and that he had to sleep on the hard floor.

During his confinements, Oliver said he suffered severe back and leg pain and was beaten up by another inmate. His suit said the conditions were dehumanizing.

The court found Oliver suffered only minimal injuries and he could not invoke a federal law allowing him to sue for mental and emotional damages.

24-month sentence is handed down

A former U.S. Postal Service employee was sentenced to 24 months in prison Friday after pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce.

Thomas B. Natali was arrested on May 14 by the FBI after he allegedly posed as an Internal Revenue Service agent and tried to scam a local restaurant owner out of $1.5 million, according to court records.

Natali was arrested after Howard Hamada, co-owner of Hamada of Japan Restaurants, paid Natali $50,000 under the direction of FBI agents.

Hamada was told by Natali that the IRS was investigating his restaurants and that they owed $3 million in federal taxes, court records say.

Natali allegedly told Hamada that he would "make the case disappear" for $1.5 million.

Natali was also ordered to pay a $5,000 fine by U.S. District Judge Kent Dawson.

Court date set for suspect

Justice of the Peace Jennifer Togliatti Friday scheduled a preliminary hearing May 15 for double homicide suspect Timmy J. Weber, in the event prosecutors are unable to present their case against him to a grand jury May 14.

The judge also affirmed that Weber should remain in the Clark County Detention Center without bail.

Weber, 28, could face the death penalty in the April 4 slayings of his girlfriend Kim Gautier, 38, and her 15-year-old son, Anthony Gautier. Weber is also accused of sexually assaulting Kim Gautier's 14-year-old daughter on the day of the slayings and over a five-year period.

Weber was arrested April 28 while hiding in a vacant mobile home owned by Kim Gautier's father.