Family accepts NBA award for Metro officer killed in crash

James Manor honored for service to West Las Vegas community

Jeff Pope

James Manor’s 10 siblings, mother, 8-year-old daughter, fiancee and former basketball coach attend an awards ceremony for him Sunday at Cox Pavilion.

By Jeff Pope (contact)

Sunday, July 12, 2009 | 8:47 p.m.

Jeff Pope

Anthony Manor speaks to the crowd before a summer league basketball game Sunday after accepting an award on behalf of his younger brother, James. James Manor's former Clark High School basketball coach, Brad Query (left), called him a natural born leader and very intelligent person.

Officer James Manor

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D.A. drops charges in fatal police collision (6-5-2009)
Police release 911 calls that preceded officer’s fatal crash (5-22-2009)
Police: Officer killed in crash drove 109 mph with no lights, sirens (5-20-2009)
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Metro Police Officer James Manor is well known because of how he died. But on Sunday, the NBA Summer League honored Manor for how he lived.

His 30-year-old brother, Anthony Manor, accepted the NBA's Heroes Among Us award on his behalf before a summer league game at the Cox Pavilion.

James Manor's 10 siblings, mother, fiancee and 8-year-old daughter also attended the ceremony.

Afterward, Anthony Manor talked with the media for the first time since James died in a high-speed car crash on May 7 while in the line of duty. The 28-year-old officer was 13 days shy of celebrating his second year with Metro.

"We're a close-knit family. One of the 11 is missing. That's a tough drill for us," Anthony said.

The NBA selected Manor for the award because of his involvement in the West Las Vegas neighborhood where he grew up.

James, the ninth of 11 children, coached basketball and football at community centers and schools for a city outreach sports program. He also mentored children through a juvenile detention program and was active in his church.

His advocacy for his community is what led him to join the police force, Anthony said.

"We grew up in the projects. It's a tough life, especially for 11 kids," he said. "We're positive people, we're a positive influence in our community and I believe he wanted to get the riff-raff out of his community to bring more positive to this Las Vegas community."

James starred in football and basketball at Clark High School and the bigger the game, the better he played, Anthony said. "Jamie" would have loved to receive the NBA's award in person.

"He's always a big-stage person, big game on the big stage, that's what he was always about. So this is right up his alley," he said.

Brad Query, Manor's Clark High School coach and a family friend, said James was an intelligent player, a natural born leader and the product of a strong family. "I remember Jamie just said something and they listened.

He's kind of like the second coach, on the floor, and just very bright," he said. "Everything he did was 100 percent.

"I have two daughters ... and I hope that one day when they get married that they could marry somebody even close to the quality of man that he was. I'd be honored."

Officer Manor was responding to a domestic violence call after midnight in the west valley. He was eastbound on Flamingo Road when his cruiser collided with a Chevrolet Silverado truck making a left turn. Both vehicles were turned upside-down and caught fire.

At the time, police said the driver of the truck ignored the emergency lights and siren even though several witnesses said they never heard the sirens.

The 45-year-old driver of the truck, Calvin Darling, was arrested for driving under the influence. After an investigation, Sheriff Doug Gillespie said Manor drove at speeds reaching 109 mph and the lights and sirens were off. Police dropped the charges against Darling.

The incident generated a lot of media attention, which the Manor family shunned, preferring to remain positive, Anthony said.

"We're not negative people. We're very positive people. There's such a negative connotation lingering over something that's so positive," he said.

"The man was on his way to save someone's life. Whether he was in the church saving lives, whether he was in the community doing community active stuff, saving lives, he was on the job."

Discussion: 20 comments so far…

By sunset

7/12/09 at 9:58 p.m.

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The entire family is a class act. May his memory live on. Jamie was a good man. I will miss him dearly.
By dollarbillz

7/12/09 at 11:31 p.m.

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Yes ,rest in peace officer Manor because your family and the man you hit while dis-obeying the same traffic laws you were sworn to uphold will get NO PEACE. Shame on you James.
By 70aarcuda

7/12/09 at 11:37 p.m.

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yeah...wasnt he speeding with no sirens or lights?
By labdaddy

7/13/09 at 4:13 a.m.

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My heart and prayers goes out to Manor's family, but yeah, it was suicide by cop car.
By mikenyc

7/13/09 at 6:08 a.m.

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I can't wait to see the award Darling gets when he sues Metro.
By maybevegas

7/13/09 at 6:22 a.m.

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Politics aside, you can only muster a pair of open toed flip flops to honor your brother? Nice.
By Some_Internet_Person

7/13/09 at 8:14 a.m.

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I work with the grandmother of this guy's daughter.

She's a nice woman, they are a nice family.

James messed up and it cost him his life. He thought he was racing to save a young girl from a beating. Does that excuse his actions? No. But he's already paid the ultimate price.

What we should be asking ourselves is how we put up with a police department that lies to the public and shoots fleeing suspects in the back.
By goingbust

7/13/09 at 10:32 a.m.

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He got a award for reckless driving and causing a terrible and ultimately fatal crash?

Congratulations, officer.
By true_rebel_fan

7/13/09 at 12:15 p.m.

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what kind of cowards are leaving comments today? it could happen to any of us. like we all know, he made a mistake AND HE DIED. why do you feel it to be appropriate to disrespect him after he's gone? you are such big people by being hateful and rude to a guy that can't defend himself. COWARDS..... COWARDS.......
By goingbust

7/13/09 at 12:36 p.m.

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True_rebel_fan, I am sorry the guy is gone. He was too young and he looks like he was one of the good ones. That's not the point, though.

When I make a big mistake, I don't get an award. Unless it is really stupid, then possibly I might recieve a Darwin Award. But this guy is getting an award basically for killing himself.

The article says "The NBA selected Manor for the award because of his involvement in the West Las Vegas neighborhood where he grew up.". Oh, bull. I doubt they heard of him before he became a front page news story with his tragic error. Officer Manor would have gotten any recognition if he was still alive. His claim to fame is getting on the front page of the local newspaper and being an officer killed in the line of duty, not his community service.
By mred

7/13/09 at 1:41 p.m.

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A hero is a professional, not a reckless ego-driven person. A hero pilot is one that avoids the risky take-off or landing, not the one that makes the daring landing risking the lives of others. What if there was a kid on a bike that night? The heroes are the witnesses than came forward despite Gilesspee's lies.
By labdaddy

7/13/09 at 1:56 p.m.

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true_rebel_fan - Take just a moment and think about one of your loved ones in the path of that out of control cop that night. They may not have been as lucky as Mr. Darling and I guarantee they wouldn't have received an award, let alone a million dollar funeral on the taxpayer's dime.
By henderson

7/13/09 at 3:18 p.m.

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While Officer Manor's behavior the night he died was inexcusable, it definitely softens my heart to know that he actually followed through on giving back to his community and trying to make a difference in kids' lives. I truly believe that he was a good man that made a tragic, fatal mistake and I have no problem with him being honored for all of the good deeds that he did.

How many people posting today are out in the world volunteering their time to make it a better place?
By labdaddy

7/13/09 at 5:07 p.m.

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I, for one, am making the world a better place...I'm not driving like an idiot endangering innocent people.
By henderson

7/13/09 at 6:06 p.m.

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I'm usually with you Labdaddy but I just can't ignore the good things this man did throughout his life and judge him based on this final act.
People make mistakes, some more than others. But I think he must have been a good person to give his time like that. Not enough people do.
By stevem

7/13/09 at 10:12 p.m.

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a mistake is leaving the gas cap in the little holder thingie when you get gas and you drive a way.

a selfish, ignorant, act is barreling down flamingo road in a cop car with no lights or siren.

given the conduct of the nba fans and athletes when they were here for the all star game, i would be ashamed to accept or endorse anything related to the nba.
By TheBonyFish

7/14/09 at 8:13 a.m.

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gee, when we screw up while driving, the cops fine us. He deserves a fine, not accolades. We can take it out of his estate...
By llxii

7/14/09 at 11:32 a.m.

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Think people think! Sirens or lights, on or off, would not have made a difference. When you travel 109 mph, nobody is going to see you, nobody is going to hear you until it's too late. Both Manor and CD are heros! But, one of them made a bad judgment that day. RIP.