News briefs for January 25, 2005

Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

Woman killed apparently in fall

A Las Vegas woman was killed early Monday morning when she apparently fell from a ladder into her swimming pool, Metro Police said.

Officers said the woman, Lisa Guan Fong, 46, was found in the swimming pool in her backyard in the 5300 block of Cartaro Drive near Flamingo Road and Decatur Boulevard by her 16-year-old son about 7:30 a.m. Monday.

The Clark County coroner's office on Monday had not determined a cause of death, although a ladder found nearby indicated to detectives she may have fallen into the pool, Sgt. Chris Jones, a Metro spokesman, said.

Jones said he did not know why Fong was on a ladder.

Fong's death appears accidental, he said.

Man faces trial in crash that killed 2

A driver of a stolen car who ran a red light while being chased by police and collided with a car killing a mother and her daughter pleaded not guilty to 10 charges Monday.

Vernon Morrison is scheduled to stand trial before District Judge John McGroarty on April 4 in the deaths of 42-year-old Marisa Djaya and her daughter, 14-year-old Putri Marsitaningrum on Nov. 2.

Morrison is charged with two counts each of involuntary manslaughter, reckless driving, driving under the influence causing death or substantial bodily harm and one count each of grand larceny auto, possession of a stolen vehicle, stop required on signal of police officer and assault with a deadly weapon.

Concluding a high-speed chase of about half a mile, Morrison, driving a stolen Cadillac, failed to stop at a red light and collided with the Ford Escort driven by Djaya. Morrison was going about 60 mph at the time, police said. Djaya died at University Medical Center a short time later, and her daughter died at the scene.

Hearing scheduled on Sobel complaint

The state Judicial Discipline Commission has set March 15 for a hearing on a complaint that former District Judge Jeffrey Sobel tried to pressure lawyers into contributing to his unsuccessful re-election campaign in 2002.

The hearing is to be at 9 a.m. at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority Boardroom.

Mary Boetsch, a special prosecutor for the Discipline Commission, filed the three-count complaint in September accusing Sobel of misconduct in trying to get political contributions.

Sobel could not be reached for comment Monday. But he said previously that it was his sense of humor got him into trouble.

If found guilty, Sobel could be fined or ordered never to run for a judicial office. At age 60, Sobel said previously he has no intentions of seeking another elective office.