Supreme Court rules suit against Metro

Friday, Nov. 12, 2004 | 9:14 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court has dismissed a false-arrest lawsuit filed by a Chicago man against Metro Police and two officers.

In May 2000 two women said they were sexually assaulted in their motel room in Las Vegas and reported the crime to police. One of the victims picked John Little out of a police photo lineup.

Little, of Chicago, had been in Las Vegas at the time.

Officers B. Jensen and M. Jackson were investigating the case, according to court records. Jensen prepared an arrest warrant for Little and it was signed by a judge.

Little was arrested in Chicago and extradited to Las Vegas where he was charged with burglary while in possession of a firearm, two counts of first-degree kidnapping with the use of weapon, sexual assault, robbery and battery, court records say.

After several months in jail, Little produced evidence he was on an airplane at the time of the alleged assaults, and the charges against him were dismissed.

He then sued, alleging false arrest, false imprisonment, defamation, emotional distress and negligence.

District Judge Sally L. Loehrer dismissed the complaint. The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed, saying the false arrest and false imprisonment claims fail because Little was arrested on a valid arrest warrant.

The court said the remaining claims also fail because they rely on the success of his claims for false arrest and imprisonment. The court also said the department and officers were immune from suit.