News briefs for Dec. 19, 2003

Friday, Dec. 19, 2003 | 11:16 a.m.

Man dies from shooting wounds

A man shot Dec. 12 in drive-by shooting in North Las Vegas died Monday at University Medical Center, Officer Justin Roberts, spokesman for the North Las Vegas Police Department, said.

The victim was identified by the Clark County coroner's office as Vontrel Davis, 21, of North Las Vegas.

Davis was a back-seat passenger in a car when, at Cheyenne Avenue and Pecos Road, a vehicle pulled up and fired several shots at him and another man. No arrests have been made. Police said the shooting appears gang-related.

'Bambi' figure's hearing delayed

The Thursday pretrial hearing for Michael Burdick, the man who was the face of the "Hunting for Bambi" video production company, was delayed until Feb. 12 while he and his lawyers consider an offer from the city attorney's office.

Burdick is facing charges of operating a video sales business without a license. If convicted, he could be fined up to $1,000 and could be sentenced to up to six months in jail. His lawyer, Kalani Hoo, would not disclose the offer, and the city attorney's office was not available for comment.

"Hunting for Bambi" was the title of a video series that depicted naked women being shot with paintballs. The website that sells the videos still is operating. A post office box number in St. Petersburg, Fla., is listed on the web page for contacts.

Gazlay faces another trial

The alleged 311 Boyz gang member convicted in a crowbar attack on a young man will stand trial Feb. 5 on a felony charge stemming from a separate attack.

Steven Gazlay, 19, will go to trial on a single count of battery with use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm on Feb. 9. In that case Gazlay is charged with burning a teen with a red-hot butter knife.

District Judge Valorie Vega scheduled the trial during a status check hearing on Thursday. Gazlay did not attend the hearing and Vega waived his presence.

Prosecutors say Gazlay was partying at a house on May 17 when he placed a hot butter knife against Jason Cammilerri's right ear. Cammilerri has a permanent scar from the burn.

Gazlay's attorney, James "Bucky" Buchanan, denies that Gazlay played any role in the alleged attack.

Jurors earlier this week convicted Gazlay of battery with a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon stemming from a crowbar attack on two young men last summer. He faces up to 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on that charge. He could also receive probation.

Gazlay also faces 12 felony charges, including attempted murder, in the maiming of 17-year-old Stephen Tanner Hansen with a rock. Eight other teens are charged in that attack.

Allen faces attack charges

A convicted killer who assaulted a Clark County prosecutor faced a Las Vegas Justice of the Peace on Thursday on charges stemming from the attack.

Taiwan Allen, 29, was arraigned on a single count of battery by a prisoner during a hearing before Justice of the Peace William Jansen.

The charge stems from an attack on Deputy Public Defender David Stanton, who was handling a murder case in which Allen was convicted.

Jurors had convicted Allen of first-degree murder in the April slaying of his live-in girlfriend, 30-year-old Yashoma Clemons. Moments after the verdict was read, Allen lunged at Stanton and punched him in the back of the head.

Stanton was transported by ambulance to University Medical Center, where he was treated and released. He has since returned to work and is said to be doing fine.

Jurors on Wednesday sentenced Allen to life in prison without parole in the case involving Clemons. A preliminary hearing in the battery case was scheduled for Dec. 31.

Eleven plead guilty to thefts

Eleven defendants pleaded guilt Thursday and another was expected to plead guilty this morning in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas in connection with an international computer software piracy group dealing in more than $7 million in stolen video games, movies and software.

Twenty-one people from the United States and Canada are alleged in a June 2002 indictment to have belonged to the "Rogue Warriorz," an underground organization that illegally reproduces and distributes of copyrighted material over the Internet.

The pleas were to conspiracy to commit copyright infringement. Five of the other defendants had previously pleaded guilty to felony charges arising from the indictment.

The four remaining defendants, Bryan Ray Harshman, Jeffrey Sasser, Peter, Semadeni and Dean Wustenberg are scheduled to go to trial in Las Vegas on Feb. 17 before U.S. District Judge James Mahan.

Father files for custody of girl

The father of a 10-year-old girl who was paralyzed in a Mesquite stabbing attack asked a Family Court judge on Wednesday to give him custody of the child.

Kevin Bergeron filed paperwork to regain custody of Brittney Bergeron and take her back to California, where he lives. Tammy Bergeron, the girl's mother, is fighting that action, her attorney, Don Shreve Jr., said.

Family Court Judge Gerald Hardcastle is expected to rule on the matter Jan. 7.

Brittney was placed in the custody of Nevada Division of Child and Family Services after a Jan. 22 stabbing attack in a Mesquite trailer paralyzed her from the waist down and killed her 3-year-old sister, Kristyanna Cowan.

Beau Maestas, 19, and his 17-year-old sister, Monique, face murder and other charges in the attack. Beau Maestas allegedly told police he was angry because Bergeron and her boyfriend sold him table salt instead of methamphetamine.

Shreve said Tammy Bergeron took on the court battle because she intends to regain custody of the child. Bergeron has a full-time job and is drug-free, he said.

Man pleads guilty to manslaughter

The man charged in a bar fight that left a local firefighter dead negotiated his case with prosecutors on Thursday.

Richard Jero pleaded guilty to a single count of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Darron Van Dyke, 36, of the Clark County Fire Department, Jero's attorney, Peter Christiansen said.

The plea came during a hearing before District Judge John McGroarty. Jero will face one to six years in prison when he is sentenced on Feb. 12.

Van Dyke was reportedly at the Hurricane Bar and Grill, 10430 S. Bermuda Road, with his fiancee on Oct. 27 when he got into an argument with Jero. Jero allegedly punched Van Dyke once, authorities said.

Van Dyke died from his injuries days later at University Medical Center. He had been a firefighter for 13 years.