Inquest clears officer in killing

Erica D. Johnson

Monday, Feb. 3, 2003 | 9:42 a.m.

Metro Police Officer Bill Guesman was doing his duty and defending himself when he killed an alleged bank robber on New Year's Eve, a coroner's inquest jury determined Friday.

Guesman testified before Hearing Master Robert Lucherini that he had opened fire on Robert Nusbaum because the man had shot him and looked as if he was aiming to shoot him again.

The incident occurred when the officers noticed the suspect in a car in an apartment parking lot following a robbery at the Bank of America at 801 N. Nellis Blvd.

When Guesman and his partner, Joel Cranford, approached the car, the driver, Maxey Taylor, got out and ran, hopping over a brick wall, the officers testified. Taylor was later apprehended by police and is being held at the Clark County Detention Center.

Guesman testified that Nusbaum, the robbery suspect, appeared to be preparing to flee as well when Guesman noticed a chrome plated semiautomatic handgun in his hand, Guesman testified.

"At the same time I saw it, he pulled the gun out and fired it out of the driver's side," said Guesman, who was shot in the left knee during the incident.

Injured, Guesman had crouched behind the trunk of his police car for cover when the suspect tried to jump out of the other car's passenger-side door, Guesman said. Nusbaum did not obey Guesman's orders to put up his hands, the officer testified.

"I could see him climbing out. and I saw the same gun in his right hand pointing at me," Guesman testified. "I fired my weapon."

Eight bullets struck Nusbaum's torso. Immediately after the shooting, the officers noticed the money the suspects were alleged to have stolen.

"There was a lot of money," Guesman said. "Money outside the car. Money inside the car. It was a windy day. It looked like somebody had just thrown it."

Taylor, who faces murder and robbery charges, was expected to have a preliminary hearing this morning before Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo.

His attorney, Howard Brooks, on Friday filed a motion asking Abbatangelo to dismiss the second-degree murder charge against his client, saying Taylor cannot legally be charged with the shooting if the shooting is declared justifiable.

Brooks claims Taylor was unarmed and did not know Nusbaum intended to rob the bank.