News briefs for Nov. 18, 2003

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2003 | 10:46 a.m.

Escaped inmate believed to be in LV

A 43-year-old man who escaped from the High Desert State Prison near Indian Springs may be hiding in Las Vegas, authorities said.

Antione Jean, who had been serving a 16-year sentence after being convicted in Clark County of attempted murder and robbery, apparently left the prison in a vendor's truck Friday morning, Howard Skolnik, spokesman for the Corrections Department, said. Jean had been working in the kitchen.

"We are reasonable certain he is still in the Las Vegas area," Skolnik said. "We consider him to be dangerous."

Jean had been an inmate at that prison since May.

He is described as a light-skinned black man, 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighing 170 pounds. He has a tattoo of a cross on his right arm and a large scar on his left cheek.

Anyone with information on Jean's whereabouts is asked to call police.

Psychiatric hospital prompts meeting

Residents of at least three neighborhood groups plan to meet Wednesday as part of an effort to stop the construction of a state psychiatric hospital near the intersection of Jones and Oakey boulevards.

The hospital would have 190 beds. Supporters say the facility is long overdue. State administrators have said the national average is 33 state psychiatric hospital beds per 100,000 people; in Clark County, that number is 4.5 per 100,000.

The state plans to spend about $32 million on the hospital and hopes to open it in 2006. The property is adjacent to both its Desert Regional Center, which helps adults with developmental disabilities, and the Southern Nevada Adult mental health services center. Many other social services agencies are in the area, including Opportunity Village, which helps people with mental retardation find work.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday at Garside Junior High School, 300 S. Torrey Pines Drive, in room 703. For information, call 877-2438.

Man slain in Palms lot is ID'd

A man shot and killed Friday in the parking lot of the Palms has been identified by the Clark County coroner's office as Derrick Dwuan Nunley, 36.

Metro Police said Nunley and Frederick Dixon, 19, of Las Vegas got into an argument several hours earlier at a different nightclub and both ended up at the Palms Friday morning.

Police say that Nunley had a knife and Dixon allegedly shot him. Dixon was arrested and charged with murder.

Coroner identifies man hit by car

The Clark County coroner's office identified a man who died after being hit by a car Saturday on Boulder Highway as Charlie H. Medlin, 58, of Henderson.

Medlin was trying to cross the highway against traffic near Lowery Street when he was hit by a car driven by Patrick McDonnell, 40, of Henderson. McDonnell is an assistant Metro editor for the Las Vegas Sun.

Medlin was taken to University Medical Center, where he later died. Police believe alcohol was not a factor, and McDonnell was not cited.