Justice
Is it a crime to forge a vaccine card?
Schools, businesses, the military and local governments are requiring proof of vaccination. Yet, unlike the European Union and Australia, which have secure digital proof of vaccination, the United States has not created a systematic way to track vaccinations around the nation. Most places in the U.S. instead rely on paper cards with handwritten notes, which […]
Don’t panic, Nevada renters told after evictions ban struck down
“Nevadans should not panic,” a legal aid advocate said after the U.S. Supreme Court late Thursday struck down a Centers for Disease Control moratorium on evictions that had been scheduled to last through Oct. 3. “Apply for rental assistance, respond to all eviction notices by filing an ‘Answer’ with the court, include that you have […]
Prisons cracking down on visitation to stem Covid while ignoring unvaccinated staff, critics say
Families and prisoner advocacy groups are questioning Nevada Department of Corrections’ Covid-19 mitigation efforts they say places the burden of preventing outbreaks on inmates and those visiting rather than on corrections staff, which have struggled to boost vaccination rates. In order to control Covid spreading within Ely State Prison following multiple positive cases among staff […]
Inmates eligible for release stuck in Nevada prisons
Nevada’s carceral system is housing inmates who are eligible for parole but lack the money to pay rent at a halfway house or other state-approved housing. As of July 9, the last report available, 57 inmates “had exhausted all residence options and were without means to parole” according to a statement from the Department of […]
Wolfson defends reform record, announces reelection effort
Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson, proclaimed as a “21st Century Prosecutor” in the news release announcing he’ll seek a final term, says it’s not fair to say his office opposed criminal justice reforms in the 2021 Legislature. “We were supportive of some bail reform matters. We were supportive of decriminalizing traffic tickets. We were […]
LaPena granted compensation for false conviction in 1974 murder
A man who spent 20 years in prison for a murder he did not commit will receive just under $2 million from the state, according to Attorney General Aaron Ford. Frank LaPena was arrested in 1974 for the murder of Hilda Krause, wife of Caesars Palace executive Marvin Krause. He was convicted in 1977 after […]
Metro predominantly white and male as it nears milestone
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department marks its 50th anniversary on July 1, 2023, a landmark it may reach without ever having a woman in the highest ranks of leadership — sheriff, undersheriff or assistant sheriff. Black police of both genders are also a rarity among Metro’s hierarchy, evidenced by the department’s organizational chart featured […]
Sisolak, Ford press corrections officials on low vaccination rates among prison staff
Less than half of corrections staff within the Nevada Department of Corrections have been vaccinated, which Gov. Steve Sisolak called “atrocious and not acceptable” during a meeting Tuesday. The Nevada Board of Prison Commissioners, which includes Sisolak, Attorney General Aaron Ford and Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, was informed 41.9% of the 2,393 prison staff […]
ACLU, NV Press Association sue to assure NDOC transparency at execution
The ACLU of Nevada filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of the Nevada Press Association against the state to assure Zane Floyd’s pending execution is conducted in a transparent manner. The complaint, Nevada Press Association v. Sisolak, scrutinizes limitations on witnesses, specifically members of the press, observing the execution, saying that the state’s “procedures violate […]
Wolfson, Lombardo panned for ‘generic responses’ at NAACP forum
Toward the end of an NAACP Las Vegas panel on race and the justice system, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson and Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Joe Lombardo were asked by an audience member how their respective offices identify and address racial disparities in arrests and convictions. Earlier in Saturday’s forum, which was […]
Metro sued in federal court over death of Byron Williams
It’s been nearly two years since Byron Williams, an unarmed Black man who was pursued by officers because of a broken bicycle light, died in police custody after uttering “I can’t breathe” more than 20 times. Williams’ family is still seeking answers and trying to find justice after Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson decided […]
NDOC hasn’t implemented law capping deductions on inmate bank accounts
To test if a new law restricting deductions on inmate bank accounts was working properly at the beginning of the month, Jodi Hocking deposited $10 for her husband, an inmate with the Nevada Department of Corrections. Since September 2020, Return Strong, a prisoners advocacy group Hocking started, along with the ACLU of Nevada and other […]