No Business Driving

  • Law

  • Judge Bita Yeager sentenced the driver of the box truck that killed 5 cyclists to a minimum of 16 years in prison. [RJNews3LV]
  • Governor Sisolak signed a bill that will make Nevada the second state in the nation to offer a public option health insurance plan. [News3LV; TNI]
  • The manager of the Alpine Motel Apartments has failed to respond to two subpoenas. [RJ]
  • Closing arguments were heard in the Hogs and Heifers case. [RJ]
  • Policy issues remain as killer of homeless man pleads guilty. [New to Las Vegas
  • The Family Court is having a bench-bar meeting today at noon. [via @LasVegasCourts]
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Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 5:10 pm

I know nothing about criminal law (thank God!), so is the sentence in line with what Nevada hands out for the slaughter of five innocents? It was a terrible tragedy that could have been easily avoided. I cry for the families.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 6:28 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

No but it is the maximum for 2 counts which is what he pled to.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 7:12 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Jessica Williams got 18-48 years for killing 6 kids. Served 19 before getting out on parole.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 7:58 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

And ultimately under the law should never have spent a day in jail. The case is tragic for the loss of the kids but 19 years of this woman's life for something that ended up being thrown out. https://www.8newsnow.com/news/local-news/jessica-williams-convictions-vacated-in-deaths-of-6-youths-run-down-in-i-15-median/

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 8:19 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I get the sense that it's pretty much accepted that the DA's office over charges everything to get plea deals that make them look good. At what point do the prosecutors in cases like Jessica Williams' get held accountable? I remember that case. I was away at college, but I remember my mom followed it and even wrote letters in support of her. Terrible case. No doubt the DA who chose to charge and prosecute her like that has been walking around enjoying life all these years. Why? When are they accountable for prosecutorial misconduct? They destroy lives…for what? A win in criminal court? ffs

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 9:06 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Prosecutors enjoy complete immunity. They can destroy lives at will. Next question?

Jessica was smoking hot, and they took away her fertile years, leaving her a barren excon. I also remember the case back then and she no doubt deserved a severe beating or something for being so epically stupid, but not 19 years and the loss of motherhood.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 9:37 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

2:06 PM-Prosecutors like judges have qualified immunity. If what they do is reasonable even if fairly debatable they are immune. However, as a former prosecutor there is a lot of pressure to protect the public and do the right thing. More so than being a defense attorney where I was also a deputy public defender. Prosecutors have gotten into trouble in some jurisdictions for things like hiding evidence and bringing bogus charges. A mistake, however, if reasonable is not actionable. Mistakes happen all the time.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 10:19 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Mistakes happen. People lose decades of their lives. Oh well (Elmo shrug). State put kids in harms way on a highway; those idiots who made that decision slept in their own beds for the last 22 years. Jessica Williams falls asleep and loses decades of her life.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 14, 2021 4:58 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I agree that Jessica's case was a travesty of justice. But, the THC levels law at the time (and currently) is a joke and not even remotely related to intoxication or impairment. Its not necessarily the fault of Prosecutors and lies at the feet of the legislature who pass and fail to amend arbitrary laws. This was a huge argument at the time and the people (Yes! The people!) were calling for her head.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 5:20 pm

En banc NSC affirmed Judge Gonzalez's order in the Stavros/Ross Miller case. No redo.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 5:36 pm

re: yesterday's topic, are any LV civil judges doing tentative rulings? Which ones? Are they doing them well? What does doing them well mean to you?

SOrry, but since family court is not in my sphere, I am only interested in civil division

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 10:24 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Nadia Krall does them-but only orally. She says what she is inclined to do before hearing argument Parties can adjust their argument accordingly.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
June 10, 2021 8:03 pm

I tried to log in to the Family Law bench bar meeting and could not do so. Did the meeting take place?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 10:19 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Good luck finding those numbers in Las Vegas for a first year… seriously, is there any firms in town that pay anywhere near $200k to a first year associate?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 11:23 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Heck no. No idea why someone would even post that here.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 10, 2021 11:28 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

3:19, we don't really have "big law" here in Vegas. At least not like you would see in LA, Chicago, NYC, etc. So no, you wont see those numbers.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 11, 2021 5:21 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

What are first years getting at the "big" regional firms in town? Back when I came out of law school in the early '10s it was around $100-$125k. If it has bumped up closer to $140k then I guess it makes sense that a Skadden first year in NYC would be at $200k.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
June 11, 2021 5:31 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

@10:21, Snell & Wilmer has $130k posted as starting salary for entry-level associate (https://www.swlaw.com/careers/law-students/benefits). I assume there are firms that are around $140k range, but nothing near the "big law" numbers of NYC, LA, etc.

Anonymous
Guest
Anonymous
June 10, 2021 10:22 pm

2:06 are u kidding? Are u a troll? The reason shouldn't matter at all if u have 1/1000000000 or responsibility for killing 6 kids it should be behind the courthouse execution, no excuses, if a freak hurricane wound pushed her into the kids she should have been watching, I hate the legal fictions of prorating guilt