Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Trial delayed for man who shot 3 officers during SWAT raid

Emmanuel Dozier

Emmanuel Dozier

A man charged with shooting three Metro Police officers during a narcotics-related SWAT raid on his Seven Hills home in Henderson nearly two years ago has had his trial delayed.

The jury trial for Emmanuel Dozier, which was to have been this week, has been continued to May 2, 2011, before Judge Valerie Vega in Clark County District Court.

Vega continued the trial at the request of the defense and because she is in the middle of another trial. Dozier is free on $75,000 bond he posted March 5, 2009.

Dozier has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, three counts of battery with a deadly weapon and three counts of selling cocaine.

Police have said a warrant was issued for Dozier's arrest after Metro narcotics detectives bought cocaine from him on three occasions in December.

A SWAT team raided the home on Dec. 28, 2008. Prosecutors say that as the officers were trying to break open the front door, Dozier fired at police from inside the house.

Three officers were shot and taken to University Medical Center. They were later released.

Metro Sgt. James Causey testified during Dozier's preliminary hearing on Jan. 20, 2009, that he and his fellow officers repeatedly shouted, "Police, search warrant!"

But Dozier's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Joseph Abood, said his client never knew it was the police and acted in self-defense. The SWAT team fired three times with a specialized shotgun in an attempt to get the front door open.

Dozier's girlfriend and her 13-year-old daughter were also in the house at the time of the incident. Each testified they never heard the words "police" or "search warrant."

"Mr. Dozier was acting to save his own family and save himself," Abood said during the preliminary hearing.

Dozier, a former worker at a sheet metal factory in Las Vegas, was arrested after he put down his handgun and left the house through the garage.

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