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Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Back issues
Courthouse News Service Courthouse News Service

Bikers’ Claims Against Cops Thrown Out

LAS VEGAS (CN) - A federal judge this week dismissed with prejudice Las Vegas-area bikers' civil rights claims against police and the sheriff, finding the bikers had stopped participating in their error-filled lawsuit.

The Southern Nevada Confederation of Clubs and dozens of bikers in 2012 sued Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, the Clark County sheriff, the state, 14 officers and North Las Vegas Police Department on 15 counts, including false arrest, defamation, constitutional violations, and interfering with contracts at events sponsored by the Vagos, the Mongols and other bike clubs.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware granted a joint stipulation to dismiss all claims with prejudice, with each party to pay its own legal fees and costs. Boulware said the original complaint, of June 25, 2012, had several filing errors, and the plaintiffs stopped participating in the action.

"I was looking forward to going to trial, but they just quit," police attorney Craig Anderson said.

Anderson said he spent a significant amount of time and money preparing the defense, but the Southern Nevada Confederation of Clubs and individual plaintiffs stopped participating as the case entered discovery.

Anderson said the case essentially consisted of four complaints combined into one, in which members of four clubs accused police were accused of violating their members' civil rights,

illegally shutting down their planned events and harassing club members.

Las Vegas attorney Stephen Stubbs filed the complaint, but filing errors led to partial dismissals in August 2013.

Anderson said Stubbs and plaintiffs did not respond to discovery requests and made none of their own, and simply stopped participating in the action, so both sides agreed to end it by agreeing to dismiss all claims with prejudice.

The Southern Nevada Confederation of Clubs describes itself as a nonprofit organization that advocates for the rights of motorcyclists.

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police declined to comment on the dismissal.

Stubbs did not return a phone call seeking comment Wednesday.

Attorney Anderson is with Marquis Aurbach Coffing, in Las Vegas.

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