Regents question settling lawsuit by Williams’ wife

Jennifer Knight

Tuesday, April 29, 2003 | 11:23 a.m.

Regent Steve Sisolak is asking state university system officials to explain why they settled a lawsuit filed by an assemblyman's wife after the system's lawyer advised against it.

A racial discrimination suit filed by Zelda Williams, the wife of Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-North Las Vegas, was settled last month for $49,900.

The case was settled before it had reached the discovery phase, which typically gives attorneys a clear understanding of how strong their case is.

"I don't know what discovery was going to reveal," Sisolak said. "It didn't have any merit on the federal suit. How do I know her case was strong?"

The settlement left some regents with lingering questions about how the lawyers came up with that amount and why the case was settled so soon. Sisolak, along with Regents Mark Alden and Tom Kirkpatrick, are now asking for answers to some of the questions at the next board meeting on May 8 and 9.

"We just want to find out the rationale behind the settlement," Kirkpatrick said. "We just wanted to get it out in the open."

It's unclear whether the matter will be discussed in open session or closed session.

The issue drew attention because Assemblyman Williams chairs the Education Committee, which oversees university system policy issues. The settlement happens at a time when the university system is seeking more money to pay for growth and legislators are preaching fiscal conservation.While Williams does not deal with fiscal issues on his committee, he will ultimately sign off on the university system's budget along with the rest of the Legislature.

The case stems from a 2001 incident at the Community College of Southern Nevada. Zelda Williams, who was attending the college, overheard Mike Meyer, then associate vice president for athletics and development, utter a racial slur about her. Meyer apologized and resigned.

Soon after, Zelda Williams filed a racial discrimination lawsuit but the case was dismissed. She then sought damages for emotional distress and the university system settled.

Tom Ray, general counsel for the university system, believed in March that the case was not yet ready to be settled.

According to a letter he issued in March, he advised that "an offer in excess of $5,000 should not be extended at this stage of the litigation."Neither Zelda or Wendell Williams could be reached for comment.

One University of Nevada, Las Vegas professor says even if the assemblyman indirectly benefits from the settlement, because of Nevada's community property laws, it isn't really the ethical challenge that everybody is making it out to be.

"The offense didn't have to do with who (Zelda Williams') husband was," said Craig Walton, a UNLV ethics professor. "It had to do with the color of her skin. You have to suck it up and pay for your wrongdoing. It was the people of Nevada that hurt that woman, through our agent -- him."

Carole Vilardo, president of the Nevada Taxpayers Association, said the settlement should not be considered an outrage to taxpayers because of the amount involved.

"If it had been $200,000 or $300,000 I think we would be looking at an outrage," Vilardo said.

Still, some board members feel they were left out of the loop and want to hear for themselves what went on with the Williams case.

"Whether in open or closed session, I feel there should be some rationale given to the board because it's still taxpayers' money," Alden said.