Wife of former Goodman aide describes assault

Erica D. Johnson

Wednesday, May 7, 2003 | 9:42 a.m.

The estranged wife of William Cassidy, a former aide to Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, testified in secret court proceedings that Cassidy raped her and burned down her business in a jealous rage because he suspected she was cheating on him.

Cassidy's wife of one year, who testified before a grand jury through a Chinese interpreter, said Cassidy became angry Feb. 19 when he caught a prospective employee giving her a massage at her massage studio.

She said she was testing out the masseur's skills because the man was applying for a position at the studio. But Cassidy accused the two of having an affair, she said.

"William Cassidy came and he just grabs me," she said. "He said why are you here? You want to sex some man?"

Cassidy, 52, then forced her into a massage room, where he beat her and sexually assaulted her, she testified.

Two days later, she testified, when she went to retrieve her belongings from the couple's home in the 1300 block of Mont Clair, Cassidy, who had been drinking, stripped her of her clothes, beat her a second time and prevented her from leaving.

"I tried to grab hold, put on my clothes," she said. "I tried to leave. He just (kept) pushing me inside."

Authorities allege Cassidy that night returned to the business in the 2100 block of South Decatur Boulevard and set it on fire. The blaze gutted one room of the building and caused more than $100,000 in damage.

Cassidy was later indicted on nine felony counts, including first-degree arson, sexual assault, stalking and battery constituting domestic violence.

But Cassidy, who also testified in the proceedings, denied that he ever assaulted his wife, saying she was the one who struck him repeatedly, causing him to bleed from the nose and mouth.

He said his wife was wearing a towel and the man was naked when he confronted them at the studio. His wife threatened to accuse Cassidy of rape, he said.

"She's striking me at this point and pushing me away down the hall," he said. "She said, 'I'll show you. I know the law in this country. I'll tell police that you raped me.' "

She went to the kitchen and returned with a knife, he testified.

"I disarmed her at that time of the knife," he said. "And I will be very candid with you. At that point we engaged in mutual combat."

Cassidy said he wrote a letter to District Attorney David Roger asking Roger to prosecute his wife for domestic abuse.

Though he is not a licensed attorney, Cassidy will defend himself when he goes to trial before District Judge Lee Gates. At his arraignment last week, he told Gates his wife had filed for a divorce.

Gates was expected to decide this morning whether the public defender's office will be appointed as stand-by counsel in the case.

During her testimony, Cassidy's wife described a volatile relationship that often included physical abuse. She said she was afraid of Cassidy, who she said threatened to have her deported to China if she ever left him.

Cassidy claimed to be connected to organized crime and the CIA, she said.

"He was working for the mayor so I trusted him," she said. "I believed in him that he was a reputable person in this town."