Las Vegas Sun

November 22, 2009

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Officer’s plan for guilty plea blocked by denial of sex allegations

Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009 | 2:12 p.m.

Click to enlarge photo

James Vernon Clayton

A former North Las Vegas police officer was set to enter a plea agreement today in Clark County District Court on allegations of misconduct but the hearing hit a roadblock when he denied seeking sex in return for the dismissal of traffic tickets.

James Vernon Clayton, 40, allegedly sought dates and sexual favors from women he stopped for traffic violations while on duty as a patrol officer.

Clayton was set plead guilty to five misdemeanor counts of misconduct by public officer and oppression under color of office. Under the agreement, he could see as many as five years in jail – one year for each count – and could face monetary fines.

“I never asked for any sex, your honor,” Clayton said while walking through the plea agreement in front of Judge James Bixler. In Nevada, a person pleading guilty must openly admit guilt and explain the circumstances of their crimes.

The allegations stem from Clayton’s alleged interactions with five adult women. He was arrested after a five-month investigation Dec. 23, 2008, and was fired Jan. 28 after months of being on paid administrative leave.

Bixler gave Clayton an additional 30 days to work out an agreement with prosecutors. His next appearance is scheduled for Dec. 8.

Discussion: 17 comments so far…

  1. James 'BLOCKHEAD' Clayton. Either he's too dumb to understand what a plea agreement is or his ego is too large to accept that a cop isn't above the law.

    BTW, his head actually resembles a block.

  2. Think he's TOO DUMB...........

  3. Are we to believe this is a unique case? I can assure you that it's not. Cops are just as depraved and sexually driven as anyone else, and they use their power to that advantage and that end.

  4. 1st - I totally disagree with the paid administrative leave BS - I can see 1 woman's account, but 5? Come on he's getting a break if you ask me and that's BS! If it had been anyone else (and you know who and what I mean) he would have been incarcerated immediately. Talk about special treatment - As a CRJ Student, this BS kills me....

  5. A sociopath is a sociopath and always will be. Unfortunatly they show up in all walks of life.
    I am sure that some will reflect this creature onto all police officers, and that is unfortunate. The fact that over 99% of all serial killers are white males does not make me one.

  6. Soft on Crime District Attorney David Roger has his minion Giancarlo Pesci offer this human detritus a great deal, a deal he does not deserve. Why? Because he is a cop. 5 different women all alleged the same thing, so it is not a coincidence.

    So, why not take it to trial? Judge Bixler should not accept any deal that calls for less than at least one felony.

    Here is what will happen. Deputy District Attorney Giancarlo Pesci will let this rat cop plead pursuant to the Alford decision. Then, the rat cop can simply concede the State would prove the case against him if the matter went to trial, but he does not have to say he is guilty.

    Then the cop can go through life thinking he fooled everyone and say he was really "innocent" but his loser lawyer shystered him into taking the deal. He'll then say he regrets ever taking any deal, blah blah blah...all the complaining women were b.t..es, they all really wanted him, and just got mad he turned them down....blah blah blah.

    This is inexcusable behavior for any man, but for a cop acting under authority of law it demands prison time.

    Pesci should grow a pair of, a, a, what't the Italian word for BALLS?...is it testicoli, or stugatz? And when that happens, Pesci whould take this mope to trial, bring in all five victims, and hammer him.

    Per favore Giancarlo, grow a Pair will ya. The coffee at Starbucks can wait. It will be there when you're done with trial.

  7. NOT A COP! "REALLY" NAH!

  8. Rodjerks never saw a cop he didn't cut a deal with, remember the NHP killer who whacked into the back of the illegals? Woodbury was the fixer on that one. Hopefully the LA Times will investigate Vegas area cops like they did Vegas area judges.

  9. You would be surprised how many people attempt to "plead guilty with an explaination". Kudos to Judge Bixler for doing his duty under the plea canvas. True, this will probably settle prior to trial, but that's not exactly surprising, as most criminal cases *do* settle.

  10. When did they go hire Matt Damain as a cop?

  11. He's got a name and can ask for professional help in anger management classes that police and their brothers go through when needing such counseling.
    He is a professional in need of professional help for him and his brothers.

  12. To Protect and Serve. The only ones the cops in this community seem to serve are themselves.

    This paid administrative leave stuff is getting out of hand. Last week eight more metro cops got paid administrative leave.

    More public servants on welfare sucking off the taxpayer's money.

    Cops breaking the law, speeding, no sirens, no lights, no seat belts, endangering the lives of others and they get "killed in the line of duty" and taxpayers pay for their big flash funerals. They are criminals breaking the law!

    Crooked cops, cops like this punk, ruin it for good cops and they make the community go bad.

    Why should anyone else obey the law if cops don't?

    We have corrupt cops, corrupt judges, corrupt prosecutors and corrupt politicians. We need to enact the death penalty to bring justice from public servants who violate the law.

    We need to end the unions that protect these jerks and see if they still serve. We need to stop giving these criminals free lunch and paid time off.

    Put them in front of a firing squad and that will stop these nasty criminal cops in Vegas Valley from breaking the law and the oath of office and duty.

  13. The judge should make him serve in Afghanistan as part of the deal. He is already trained and can use his training and serve the length of his sentence in the battlefield. But then again he might make a deal with the taliban women terrorists and sell his country out.

  14. "Never asked for any sex," since when?

    When pulled over at night, only go to a well lit and public traffic place. Alone on the side of a quiet road is this POS playground.

    Males are not as vulnerable, but it happens.

  15. I simply cannot understand why anyone in this discipline chain gave this individual anything other than the most strict interpretation of the law without any benefit of the doubt. I am not suggesting we become a mean spirited society but when, in our effort to be more civilized and cultured, we look like fools to the bad guys I suggest it is time to reconsider our approach. By the way: unions always fight for their members - right or wrong - and with the civil law that protects the integrity of today's worker, these same unions waste our time and resources defending poor employees and under performers, are now a detriment to justice, productivity, and American competitiveness.

  16. I'm just glad the scumbag is off the police force. The female residents of NLV now have one less predator on the streets to worry about.

  17. where's stevenm at? he dident comment on this one did he ..lol

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