News briefs for Oct. 9, 2003

Thursday, Oct. 9, 2003 | 9:40 a.m.

Hearing delayed in 311 Boyz case

A hearing in Juvenile Court to determine whether an alleged member of the 311 Boyz gang will be considered an adult when he faces felony assault charges was postponed Wednesday and will be held Oct. 22, the prosecutor said.

Jeffrey Hart faces two felony counts of battery causing substantial bodily harm in connection with a July 3 fight in which two teens were injured. The fight was videotaped.

Hart, who is under house arrest, is also one of nine alleged members of the 311 Boyz who face several charges including attempted murder, coercion and mayhem in connection with the July 18 fight in which 17-year-old Stephen Tanner Hansen's face was crushed with a large rock.

Those charged in connection with that case are Hart, Chris Farley, 18; Scott Morse, 18; 16-year-old twins Anthony and Brandon Gallion; Ernest Bradley Aguilar, 17; Steven Gazlay, 18; Dominic Harriman, 19, and Matthew Castello, 17.

Pair sought in killing in Pahrump

Metro Police and the Nye County Sheriff's Office are looking for two suspects in a homicide in Pahrump and a bar robbery in Las Vegas.

Nye County deputies are searching for Ronald Garren, 39, and Janet Nitting, 21, after George Webber, 34, of Pahrump was shot to death Sunday afternoon, Nye County Detective Ed Howard said. Both Garren and Nitting are Pahrump residents.

Webber was flown to University Medical Center, where he died of bullet wounds, Howard said.

Metro Police would like to question Garren and Nitting in the Sept. 21 robbery of Goldfingers Bar and Grill at 1511 E. Pyle Ave., Lt. Ted Snodgrass aid.

Garren is 6 feet tall, weighs 230 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. He is also known as "Shotgun."

Nitting is 5-foot-4 and weighs 155 pounds with red hair and blue eyes. Nitting was last seen with blonde hair and also uses the last names of Adams and Dion.

Anyone with information about the crimes can call Metro Police at 229-3111 or the Nye County Sheriff's office at (775) 751-7000.

Appeal rejected in defamation case

The Nevada Supreme Court has rejected the appeal of Lori Irish, who filed a defamation complaint against the Merryhill School of Nevada and its principal, Donald Parker.

Irish complained that Parker allegedly told another teacher that Irish was crazy and accused Parker of saying that Irish was a danger to her son, who was a student at the school.

The court, in upholding the decision of District Judge Michael Douglas to dismiss the suit, said the claims by Irish "do not rise to the level of defamation per se."

It said Irish argued in District Court that the comment she was crazy would damage her business. But there is nothing in the record, the court said, to indicate what business or profession she was in, although she referred to herself as a doctor.

Irish also argued that the "danger to her son" comment implies she had committed a criminal act involving her son. The court, in a decision Tuesday, said this claim was unsupported.