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November 24, 2009

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Public defenders testify against corrections officer

Kim Smith

Tuesday, May 14, 2002 | 9:29 a.m.

Jurors in a sexual misconduct trial this week will have the unique opportunity to hear three public defenders testify against a defendant.

District Judge Mark Gibbons ruled Monday that prosecutors will be allowed to call Deputy Public Defenders Liz Quillin, Brigid Hoffman and Nancy Lemcke to the stand in the Mark Bennish case.

Bennish, a former corrections officer, is accused of abusing his position of authority to take liberties with female prisoners at the Clark County Detention Center.

He faces three counts of voluntary sexual conduct with a prisoner, which carries a one- to four-year prison sentence.

Opening statements in the case were expected today.

The three public defenders testified Monday during a pre-trial hearing that Bennish, 39, sexually harassed them inside the courthouse, including kissing and hugging one attorney and making sexual overtones.

Deputy District Attorney Pam Weckerly asked for the right to put the women on the stand to show that Bennish habitually acted inappropriately and/or abused his position.

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