In December 2011, Metro Officer Jesus Arevalo fired the fatal shot that killed disabled Gulf War veteran Stanley Gibson. During the confrontation that preceeded Stanley's death, officers on the scene failed to communicate and bungled the plan that might have prevented Gibson's death.
After months of deliberation, the Clark County Commission finally came up with a revamped process for coroner's inquests into deaths caused by police. But for more than a year, the police unions have tried to kill the new procedures in both the state legislature and the state and federal courts. So far, the process has survived. It faces one more review in the Nevada Supreme Court but the first of the new inquests is scheduled to begin Thursday. We look at how the process will change and what we should expect to hear.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal has undertaken a year-long review of police shootings in Clark County. The series has documented a culture reluctant to change as well as training and personnel procedures inadequate to change the system. The reporters as well as critics of the system join us to discuss the findings on the culture of local police departments and the failings of the inquest process to bring out the facts in police shootings.
The Las Vegas Review-Journal has been investigating police shootings for the last 12 months. The reporting team has looked at patterns and circumstances and created a database of all the details of police shootings. So what does all this data tell us about police shootings? Are they as justified as inquest juries usually say? Are there stories that need re-investigating? Do police gun procedures need reform?
Sheriff Doug Gillespie says we need to overhaul the coroner's inquest process. He even wrote a guest column in the Las Vegas Sun last week, explaining why it needs more transparency. But he's facing opposition from the Police Protective Association, and dealing with the effects of a lawsuit from that same police union. So where does Sheriff Gillespie want to improve the inquest process? How will this deter future shootings? Do you have a question for Sheriff Gillespie on the inquest process?
It has been a tough year for the Metro Police Department: fatal police shootings, a controversial inquest process, a DNA lab error, and public outcry. But Sheriff Doug Gillespie says he just wants his department to move forward. So what is he doing to train his officers and improve public relations? And with recent meth and marijuana busts, what are they doing to make the community safer and drug-free? Sheriff Doug Gillespie joins us live in the studios. Do you have questions for Sheriff Gillespie? Call or write to us.
On July 10, 2010, three Metro police officers fatally shot Erik Scott at the Summerlin Costco. The shooting sparked rallies, an investigation, and a reworking of the inquest process.
The Clark County Commission appointed a special panel last year to revamp inquests for police shootings. Now the Legislature is considering a bill to abolish all inquests.
