News briefs for Oct. 30, 2003

Thursday, Oct. 30, 2003 | 10:57 a.m.

Arraignment held in lewdness case

The former missionary charged with sexually abusing two girls during a religious service was arraigned on three felony charges Wednesday in Las Vegas Justice Court.

John Misseldine, 21, was arraigned on one count of sexual assault with a minor under 14 and two counts of lewdness with a minor under 14. The hearing took place before Justice of the Peace William Jansen.

Misseldine, who is out of custody, was not present during the hearing. A preliminary hearing in the case was scheduled for Dec. 2.

Authorities say the charges stem from an incident that occurred at a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel off Christy Lane.

Prosecutors say Misseldine touched a 7-year-old girl under her dress and touched both her and her 4-year-old sister over their clothing.

The alleged assaults were reported to police after the girls told their aunt that Misseldine had touched them, according to court records.

Gazlay charge dismissal denied

A motion to dismiss one of the indictments against alleged 311 Boyz gang member Steven Gazlay was denied this morning by District Court Judge Valorie Vega.

Attorney James "Bucky" Buchanan argued that his client, Steven Gazlay, 18, should not be charged with battery with a deadly weapon or battery with substantial bodily harm in connection with a teen who was allegedly burned with a butter knife by Gazlay.

"We don't think that heating a butter knife and putting it to someone's ear could cause death or is (use of) a deadly weapon," Buchanan said. "We have a witness who was there and said Gazlay didn't do it."

Chief Deputy District Attorney Christopher Laurent told Vega that Buchanan was grandstanding.

Gazlay faces four felony charges involving three separate attacks in northwest Las Vegas, and allegations that he rammed a gate with a car. He is not in custody and has posted $90,000 in bail in the cases pending against him.

Reid's son hired by Greenspun Corp.

The Greenspun Corp. has hired Key Reid as vice president and general counsel for the company, chief operating officer Phillip C. Peckman said Wednesday.

Reid, the son of Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., ran the day-to-day operations of the Washington, D.C., office of Lionel Sawyer & Collins, the state's largest law firm.

He will handle legal issues for the company and work on lobbying efforts, Peckman said.

The Greenspun Corp. is owned by the Greenspun family. The family also owns the Las Vegas Sun.