News briefs for May 29, 2002

Wednesday, May 29, 2002 | 9:45 a.m.

Suspect sought in beating death

Metro Police are seeking a suspect accused last week of beating a man who died after being found unconscious in the northwest part of town.

Calvin Greene, 46, was found on the ground near a bar on Jackson Avenue near Owens Avenue and Revere Street about 1:45 a.m. Thursday. A 911 call was made from the bar telling police that a man had been assaulted and was lying on the ground.

Greene was taken to University Medical Center with a head injury. He died about 12:20 a.m. Sunday, police said.

Anyone with information in this case is asked to call Metro's homicide unit at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.

James won't seek city manager post

Consultant Rose McKinney James, considered by some to be a front-runner for the Las Vegas city manager position, has decided against applying for the post.

In a letter sent to the City Council and mayor, McKinney James wrote that she had decided against applying for the position due to "personal and business commitments."

Earlier this month the city began a statewide search to replace Virginia Valentine, whose last day is Friday. Once applications have been collected, the human resources department will narrow the list of those people interested in the position. The council will ultimately vote on a replacement for Valentine.

Motorcyclist dies in accident

A 41-year-old Belgian tourist was killed Tuesday after losing control of his rented motorcycle and falling under the rear wheels of a trailer carrying an oversized load, the Nevada Highway Patrol said.

The motorcyclist was traveling eastbound on Lake Mead Drive between Gibson Road and U.S. 95 when traffic in front of him slowed due to another collision about 3:15 p.m., Trooper Daniel Solow said.

As the motorcyclist tried to stop, he went down, striking a second motorcyclist from Canada before falling onto the road. No one else was injured in the collision.

It appears that the driver failed to pay attention or was traveling too fast for traffic conditions, but an investigation is continuing, Solow said.

Helicopter crash injures pilot

A Grand Canyon tour helicopter crashed Tuesday about 15 miles east of Meadview, Ariz., injuring the pilot, federal investigators said.

No one else was on board at the time of the crash, a spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The pilot, whose name was not released, was treated at University Medical Center and released, a hospital spokesman said.

The Las Vegas- and Grand Canyon, Ariz.-based Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters sightseeing helicopter crashed in a remote desert area under unknown circumstances about 11:45 a.m, the FAA said.

Papillon also owned the sightseeing helicopter that crashed near Meadview last summer killing six people and seriously injuring another.

TV producer is guest at luncheon

Thomas Schlamme, executive producer of the NBC-TV drama series "West Wing" will be a guest at a Thursday luncheon of Hillel at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The luncheon will honor Zimmerman Leadership award recipient Michael Novick.

The luncheon, set for 12:30 p.m. Thursday, will be held at Chinois in the Forum Shops hosted by Robin and Danny Greenspun. Minimum donation is $1,000. Luncheon co-chairs are David Dahan and Robin Greenspun.

Hillel at UNLV is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Las Vegas.

Ex-investigator to pay $50,000

District Judge Michelle Leavitt Tuesday ordered former attorney general investigator Michael Anzalone to pay $50,000 to the defendants in his unsuccessful lawsuit against Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa and others.

Leavitt entered a summary judgment in favor of Del Papa, the state of Nevada and others in Anzalone's suit that alleged he was wrongfully fired. She also ordered Anzalone to reimburse the defendants for their costs.

Anzalone sought $1 million suit for damages on grounds he was wrongfully fired. He said Del Papa bounced him because he refused to obtain the bank records of then-Gaming Control board Chairman Bill Bible without a subpoena in 1996.

The Nevada Supreme Court earlier this year issued a pre-trial decision that rejected the Anzalone suit, saying the complaint lacked merit and could not be sustained. It sent the case back to district court for a final ruling.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Patrick King, who was a defense counsel in the Anzalone suit, said the decision by Leavitt "sends a clear message that meritless lawsuits should be terminated at the earliest possible stage of the proceedings and that a plaintiff who brings such a suit may be ordered to pay the defense costs."

Anzalone's attorney, Christine Manno, was unavailable for comment.

Inmate gets another sentence

A state prison inmate from Clark County has been given an additional sentence of 12 to 30 months for trying to smuggle in 24 grams of marijuana in a shoebox.

District Judge Mike Griffin imposed the sentence Tuesday on Eric Davis, who was initially convicted in Southern Nevada of sexual assault and robbery using a deadly weapon.

Davis, 25, sought to have the marijuana mailed to him while he was at the Northern Nevada Correctional Center. Investigators uncovered the plan before the drugs reached Davis, according to the state Attorney General's Office, which prosecuted the case.

archive