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Sep. 06, 2008
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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ALLEGED: Halverson husband arrested

Suspended judge undergoes surgery for beating injuries

By DAVID KIHARA
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Edward Halverson, 49, brings his wife, suspended District Judge Elizabeth Halverson, a note pad during a Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission hearing in August.
Photo by John Gurzinski



Edward Halverson
Suspect jailed pending an initial appearance in Las Vegas Justice Court on Tuesday



Elizabeth Halverson
Judge in intensive care at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center



Neighbor Richard Isitt looks at District Judge Elizabeth Halverson's motorized scooter at the judge's home near Tropicana Avenue and U.S. Highway 95 on Friday morning.
Photo by Craig L. Moran

The husband of suspended District Judge Elizabeth Halverson is known as a devoted, patient spouse who would cook, shop and dote on his wife.

But on Thursday night, Edward Halverson, 49, was arrested and accused of beating the judge with a frying pan.

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    • Nicknamed "Evil Ed" by his wife, Edward Halverson was booked into the county jail on charges of attempted murder and battery with a deadly weapon and battery with substantial bodily harm.

    Elizabeth Halverson, who suffered severe injuries to her face, chest and upper arms, was taken to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center, authorities said.

    A hospital spokeswoman declined to comment on her condition, but Las Vegas police said her injuries were not life threatening. News reports stated that she underwent surgery and was in the intensive care unit at the hospital.

    "It looks like she had been beat pretty bad," one police officer said.

    Elizabeth Halverson, 50, called 911 at 10:50 p.m. to report that her husband was beating her and threatened to kill her, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.

    Police went to her house, in the 4100 block of Oxnard Circle near Tropicana Avenue and U.S. Highway 95, and forced their way inside. Edward Halverson was in the living room, and Elizabeth Halverson was found in a rear bedroom with severe injuries.

    The judge told officers that Edward Halverson beat and tried to kill her, police said.

    Police took a shirtless Edward Halverson into custody and transported the judge to the hospital. Edward Halverson is scheduled to appear in Las Vegas Justice Court on Tuesday morning.

    Elizabeth Halverson's motorized scooter, which she uses to get around, sat in the driveway of the house early Friday morning. A bloody towel was in the scooter's seat.

    Richard Isitt, a neighbor and family friend of the couple, said he was shocked to learn that Edward Halverson was accused of beating his wife. He and others who know the Halversons described Edward Halverson, an electrician with an extensive arrest history, as a dedicated husband. Isitt said Edward Halverson drove his wife everywhere because she can't drive and even served subpoenas on people in her behalf.

    "We thought he was going for sainthood," he said.

    Isitt, who has known the Halversons for three years and worked on Elizabeth Halverson's 2006 campaign, said the couple didn't fight and he never heard yelling or screaming from their house.

    "They were as normal as everybody else, to tell you the truth," he said.

    The Halversons have been married since 1998.

    Edward Halverson has been arrested at least 10 times in three states on various charges, including cocaine possession and breaking into a house and stealing property. He was convicted of three felonies and served almost four years in prison.

    Elizabeth Halverson has been suspended from the bench since July 2007 but continues to draw her $130,000 yearly salary.

    She recently lost her primary bid for re-election and is facing a Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission complaint that she mistreated staff, slept on the bench and improperly communicated with jurors.

    She is awaiting a commission decision on whether she will be permanently barred from the bench.

    People who worked with the judge testified at her August disciplinary hearing that Halverson screamed and berated her husband on the telephone in front of staff and said she wanted to kill him.

    Her former bailiff, Johnnie Jordan, testified at the hearing that she said to her husband, "I am sick of your ass. Why don't you do what the (expletive) I tell you."

    Elizabeth Halverson has said she suffers from diabetes, Crohn's disease, congestive heart failure and the after-effects of cancer. She has difficulty walking and uses oxygen to assist her breathing.

    Michael Schwartz, a Michigan-based attorney who represents her in the disciplinary complaint, said he was stunned to hear that Edward Halverson was being charged with attempted murder.

    "I am absolutely bewildered," he said. "I have no reason to believe anything like this would occur."

    Isitt said he too was surprised by the arrest because Edward Halverson was so attentive to the judge's needs. Edward Halverson took time off from work to care for her and even cut back socializing with others because of her, he said.

    "There's no doubt in my mind that he loves her to death," Isitt said. "I wouldn't have been able to put up with it."

    Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.

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    prasad wrote on March 20, 2009 12:32 AM: The person was adevoted husband. Doing all the house hold activities and was serving his wife . Why he got irritate against his wife? was the behaviour of the wife was so untollarative that the husband who was working like a servant to the wife was rebaled ?


    jm0405 wrote on December 22, 2008 09:45 AM: Just a thought on something:

    At the age of nineteen, Elizabeth was accepted to the University of Southern California Law Center. She graduated in 1980 with a Juris Doctorate (JD). It was a proud day for the La Macchia family when Elizabeth was sworn in as an attorney in California and in U.S. District Court.

    If the aforementioned is true, why is it she was an alleged lawyer for 28 years, never tried a case EVER, just went from law clerk to the bench? Few steps missed in the middle here? With this education, why didn't she pursue a legal career?? Obviously as a judge, she was clueless and fired for being inept, incapable, irresponsible and unprofessional. A few steps missing in the middle of Halverson's career path, don't you think? Get de-throned in CA so she moved to NV maybe?


    Tim wrote on September 13, 2008 04:53 PM: I'm amazed by this. Ed is a very nice guy. I was his neighbor for many years, and I'm just shocked by this. He would do everything for her, he wouldnt even feed his dogs dog food, and would prepare food for them as well as for her. Listening to the 911 tape it didn't sound like he was trying to murder anyone. It almost sounded as if he was amazed she was bleeding. I'm not denying anything happened, as obviously it did, knowing the guy I just cant comprehend it. He must have just snapped for a moment, as she was rather "demanding".


    Bobbi Tackett wrote on September 12, 2008 01:46 PM: David Kihara. Are you excited you got the first article out after this tragedy happened? Just think how much hate you were able to arouse in some of the nice citizens here in Las Vegas. I take it you really hate overweight people; you must not go to our buffets here. You are writing a story from one side how clever and fair. When the other side comes out hopefully they will offer you a job at the National Enquire. I’m not ashamed to sign my name to this, because I know the truth. I’ve sparked an interest in Michael Moore. Hopefully if he comes here, there will be a lot more people looking for jobs.
    Sincerely Yours,
    BOBBI TACKETT


    Bobbi wrote on September 12, 2008 01:26 PM: I'm sorry for you Ali G. I hope nothing like this ever happens to someone you care about. Your hate make me physically sick. But just remember what goes around comes around, and I put an order in to the guy upstairs that you come back as a real pig. Because you sure sound like one already.

    (Ali G wrote on September 08, 2008 08:25 AM:
    Booyakasha! This bloke din't do nottin' wrong. Ees just outta bacon and be chasin this fat pig with d' fryin' pan for his break-fast. Dat is why he be beatin that big beast. He musta mistaked er for a heiffer.)


    Tonja wrote on September 11, 2008 08:38 PM: I've heard that Judge Charles McGee will be overseeing the case. He should not be judge presiding over this case for two reasons. First he was with Judge Weller when he was shot and to me would make him bias with regard to the attack on a judge.

    Secondly, and more importantly Judge McGee committed a crime himself back in 1996 when he along with Judge Mills Lane and Detective Carson conspired to conceal the disappearance of DNA evidence. I have a letter written to Judge Mills Lane on how they were going to handle the disappearance of filter cigarette butts. Then McGee held the hearing on the matter of the tampering of the evidence and then dismissed it. He should have never heard that because, because according to the chain of custody records, there werew two requests made for the filters after trial, one by then DA Mills Lane and one by the court- McGee, thereby, making McGee a suspect in the tampering of the DNA evidence to eventually, covering it up. Then there is the sworn testimony of former Chief of Police who tried to obtain an arrest warrant for judge McGee and it wasn't for his DUI. As the evidence tampering, this is true and will be coming out on Channel 4 in Reno next week on the Tad Dunbar Report.
    Personally, from what I know about the judge, I've heard that she treated her husband badly and he probably snapped.


    JD wrote on September 11, 2008 02:03 PM: YOU GOT IT RIGHT RYAN!!! IRONIC SHE WAS BEATIN WITH AN OBJECT THAT PROBABLY BROUGHT HER SO MUCH JOY.


    soooo wrote on September 09, 2008 08:00 AM: So much sickness in one household.


    fallleaf wrote on September 08, 2008 10:10 PM: Judge Halverson seems to have become a lightning rod for a generalized hatred that other humans feel. But, to be so obese as to need a scooter and oxygen, indicates to me that this is a very sick woman. I have no idea why she cannot get ahold of herself, but this much I know: this is a woman who is already in tremendous emotional pain. Obesity is not pleasant to look at, but she is a human being & deserves respect as such.

    It is terribly sad that she is as bright as she is, yet she obviously has a great hand in bringing about the controversies and indignities that seem to follow her in myriad contexts. It is clear that she can be abusive. It is also clear that others have been abusive to her.

    Judge Halverson should not have been beaten nearly to death - no one should suffer that fate. What I cannot get my head around, is why she and her husband did not part - either now, or long ago. As with so many marriages with two people who have many individual problems, I think they filled needs in each other's lives: she supported him, largely; and he gave her what appear to be massive numbers of personal services.

    In the end, this is just tragic. Of course I hope that Judge Halverson does recover; and also that, in the course of this hospitalization, that she may receive some help for her emotions and her physical problems, including her obesity. I will pray that this happens.

    The bottom line with her husband is that he is responsible for his actions, as we all are. May he have a fair trial, and may both of them separate and learn from this.


    Ali G wrote on September 08, 2008 08:25 AM: Booyakasha! This bloke din't do nottin' wrong. Ees just outta bacon and be chasin this fat pig with d' fryin' pan for his break-fast. Dat is why he be beatin that big beast. He musta mistaked er for a heiffer.

    -Ali G


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