News briefs for May 25, 2004

Tuesday, May 25, 2004 | 8:45 a.m.

Two charged in slaying of man, 19

Two men were charged Friday with murder in the death of a 19-year-old Las Vegas man and attempted murder of another man during a confrontation inside a Las Vegas home in February.

Rodney Evans, 19, and Jim Holden, 24, were arrested in the slaying of Michael Panek, the attempted murder of the surviving victim, conspiracy to commit murder and two counts of kidnapping with a deadly weapon, according to Metro Police.

On Feb. 6, when homicide detectives responded to a shooting in the 5500 block of White Cap Street near Charleston Boulevard and Christy Lane, they were told that the occupant of the home shot two men in self-defense and that one of the victims died at the scene.

Investigation revealed that Panek and the surviving victim had been involved in a previous, unreported fight with Evans, who lived in the home.

On Thursday the results of the investigation by Metro's homicide section were forwarded to the district attorney's office requesting criminal charges be filed against Evans and Holden.

Holden was already in custody in connection with a March 27 slaying in North Las Vegas, police said. Evans was arrested in Las Vegas Friday by the Criminal Apprehension Team, police said.

Driver enters plea in bus stop crash

A 38-year-old man accused of running a red light and killing a man after crashing into a bus stop while under the influence of alcohol on Christmas Day 2003 pleaded not guilty Monday.

John Olney is charged with driving under the influence of intoxicating liquor causing death, reckless driving, leaving the scene of an accident and involuntary manslaughter for the crash that killed Bruce Kirton.

As the courtroom bailiff handcuffed Olney and prepared to take him into custody, he asked District Judge Stewart Bell to reconsider the $200,000 bail and place him under house arrest. Olney asked Bell to take into account that he has been a "good citizen" in Las Vegas for 30 years and had no prior record.

Bell said that District Judge Joseph Bonaventure had set the bail and he could not change it. Bell did tell Olney he could file a motion to reduce bail before Bonaventure at a hearing scheduled for June 2.

Judge rejects killer's appeal

District Judge Stewart Bell on Monday rejected the appeal of a man convicted of murdering his friend and then stealing his PlayStation 2 video game system.

Bell dismissed all three issues raised by Cedric Flemons, 21, who was seeking a new trial for the shooting death of 19-year-old Robert Lashley. Bell did grant Flemons' request to represent himself in his future appeals.

Flemons is serving a prison term of 32 years to life for the Dec. 28, 2001, murder and robbery. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and robbery with use of a deadly weapon in August 2002.

Flemons sought a new trial claiming that he didn't know the elements of his offense, that mistakes occurred during the sentencing for the charge of robbery with murder and that his public defender failed to adequately investigate the case.

According to prosecutors, Flemons got into an argument with Lashly, knocked him out, shot him to death and then stole the video game system.

Flemons maintains that he shot Lashley in self-defense.

Plea entered in molestation case

A Las Vegas man accused of luring two 13-year-old girls into a closet with a promise of lollipops and then molesting them pleaded not guilty to child molestation charges on Monday.

Timothy Ellerbe, 39, is charged with 40 counts of lewdness with a minor, seven counts of sexual assault of a minor and two counts of kidnapping. He will next appear before Justice of the Peace W.D. Jansen for a preliminary hearing on June 7.

Ellerbe was arrested May 19 at his home near Spring Mountain Road and Durango Drive after one of the 13-year-old girls told a guidance counselor that Ellerbe had molested her on numerous occasions at his residence.

Parties fan out to register voters

Political parties were out in full force over the weekend to plan grass-roots work and register new voters.

Republican volunteers walked northwest and southwest Las Vegas Valley neighborhoods on Saturday and registered about 128 people, party executive director Chris Carr said. The party had previously sent out registration forms through the mail and registered at least 900 new voters, Carr said.

The party typically targets new homeowners but this year is appealing to unregistered households as well, Carr said.

Democratic congressional candidate Tom Gallagher also sent out volunteers to register voters on Saturday morning before he held a barbecue to celebrate the opening of his new Henderson headquarters. Spokesman Josh Geise declined to say how many voters were registered.

Republicans hold a 1,456-voter advantage in the district.