Halverson’s condition improving after husband’s attack

By Mary Manning (contact)

Published Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 | 7:23 a.m.

Updated Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 | 4:48 p.m.

Metro Police

Edward Halverson

File photo

Elizabeth Halverson

Sun archives

Aug. 17, 2008 -- Cost of benching Halverson tops $200,000

Judge Elizabeth Halverson, who was attacked with a frying pan by her husband last night, is in critical condition Friday afternoon in intensive care at Sunrise Hospital, but her condition is improving.

Metro Police detectives have not been able to interview Halverson because she is heavily sedated after head, shoulder and chest blows, authorities said.

The suspended judge's husband, 49-year-old Edward Halverson, was arrested for attempted murder and battery after he allegedly used the frying pan to attack her Thursday night, Clark County Detention Center records show.

Metro Police responded to their home in the southeast Las Vegas Valley after Judge Halverson called 911 about 10:50 p.m. Thursday.

She reported that she needed help because her husband was going to beat her to death, police said.

When officers arrived at the home in the 4100 block of Oxnard Circle, near U.S. 95 and Tropicana Avenue, they found Edward Halverson in the living room area, police said.

The judge was found in a rear bedroom with severe injuries to her face, chest and upper arm area, police said. She was being treated for injuries at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Police said Edward Halverson had used a frying pan to beat her.

"She stated to the officers that her husband, Ed, had beat her up and had tried to kill her," the initial police report said.

Police spokesman Jose Montoya said he had no immediate information about Halverson's medical condition. A spokesman at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center said he could release no information about Halverson's injury or her condition.

Edward Halverson was arrested in connection with attempted murder, battery with substantial bodily harm and battery with a deadly weapon, the detentions center's records indicated. Records show he is a felon and has been arrested in the past on a charge of a felon in possession of a gun.

Halverson was suspended in July 2007. She lost a recent bid for re-election in the August primaries.

She is awaiting a decision by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, which could permanently bar her from the bench after two weeks of hearings in August. Among a dozen complaints about her heard by the commission, the judge was accused of sleeping on the bench and treating her staff like servants.

Edward Halverson has been in trouble with the law since an arrest in Las Vegas during 1979 when the 20-year-old man went to jail on burglary and auto theft charges. The charges were dismissed in 1980.

Halverson was arrested in Las Vegas on a fugitive warrant from New Mexico in 1986 for possessing cocaine.

In 1988 Dallas County, Texas authorities arrested him for possession of cocaine.

He pleaded guilty in June 1989 and received five years' probation, court records show.

In early 1991 authorities charged Halverson with parole violation, but he had gone to Colorado.

In October 1991 Halverson was arrested in Las Vegas on a fugitive warrant from the Texas drug case. The outcome of that case is unclear.

A Jefferson County, Colo., judge sentenced Halverson to 10 years in prison for burglary during December 1992. He served four years on the charge and was paroled in September 1996. He came to Nevada and his parole ended in May 2000.

Discussion: 22 comments so far…

By mikeg

9/5/08 at 8:20 a.m.

Comment removed by staff.
By casinokid

9/5/08 at 8:31 a.m.

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If I were in eds shoes I would plea temoprary insanity on the grounds of her belittling me to the point i could not take it any more, She calls me evil because i refuse to be her slave rubbing her feet for her all the time and preparing food for her at her beackning scratch her back wash clothes it never ends NEVER!

HELP! ME! I'am the real victom here.

P.S. The baliff is telling the truth
By robert_lv

9/5/08 at 10:07 a.m.

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Out of the frying pan and into the fire?
By williamtomany1

9/5/08 at 10:11 a.m.

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By homer

9/5/08 at 10:28 a.m.

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By Renoh2ohoutz

9/5/08 at 10:46 a.m.

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Another example proving Pigs are not smarter than Dogs.
By robert_lv

9/5/08 at 10:53 a.m.

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Seriously, you can't make this stuff up. There are some people in the world that are so disgusting that they become fascinating and Las Vegas has more than its fair share of them.
By Rverp1

9/5/08 at 3:40 p.m.

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Seriously....Does anyone think that she is the victim here??? OMG this poor guy was probably threatened on a daily basis..."I will tell them you beat me and you will go to prison forever under 3 strike laws...." Will someone please get this woman out of our town! She is disgusting. With her husband's record how did she even get that job? Her marrying that slug just showed how bad her judgment is....We need to lock her right next to him......
By Rverp1

9/5/08 at 3:43 p.m.

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Attempted MURDER??? Really if he wanted to kill her you don't think that he would use something a bit more deadly like say A KNIFE OR A TIRE IRON OR A CHAIR???? This sounds like a crime of frustration...This was a reaction to an attack on on him....
By hereinvegas

9/5/08 at 5:14 p.m.

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By hereinvegas

9/5/08 at 5:16 p.m.

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By cignetti

9/6/08 at 3:44 a.m.

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I thought that "Whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." Why is this being broadcast to the world???????
By speedstar94486

9/6/08 at 4:13 a.m.

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Some would call it Karma!
By annienonymouse

9/6/08 at 7:11 a.m.

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What goes around, comes around.
By vegasj

9/6/08 at 10:52 a.m.

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I think he wanted bacon for breakfast.
By Dianecg4

9/6/08 at 10:54 a.m.

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By homer

9/6/08 at 12:18 p.m.

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No one has accused her of being smart. Ed needs theraphy after the abuse this animal put him through.
By Barb

9/6/08 at 2:33 p.m.

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Wow!!! The soap opera in Vegas continues...or so it seems. They really deserve one another, in my view. She, I'm sure, drove him "over the edge," but to beat on a woman (any woman) is wrong. That's what divorce courts are for, right? Am really looking forward to those proceedings if as and when. While I find her a pitiful excuse for a human being and far from "judgeship material," she didn't totally deserve this. Note the word "totally." Bacon and eggs anyone??!!
By standingdead

9/6/08 at 11:01 p.m.

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PETA is going to be so pissed at Ed.
By standingdead

9/6/08 at 11:08 p.m.

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By VegasSmitty

9/7/08 at 11:10 a.m.

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Whaling is illegal in Nevada, he should have known better.
By Norridge

9/9/08 at 5:23 a.m.

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I watched the hearing of Judge Halverson on CNN a few weeks ago and I have to say she is a mean horrible person! She makes excuses, talks down to people, thinks she has done nothing wrong, plays the poor disabled me game. It's a bunch of crap. She just wants everything to be her way and ONLY her way. I believe her husband just snapped. Give the poor guy probation and tell her to shut her yap.