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Grieving dad would punch bailiffs again

Courtroom scuffle lands father in jail for about six months

Given the chance, the father charged with decking several bailiffs in Family Court would wallop them again.

"The same situation would result," said Geoffrey Wells, who was convicted of three battery-related gross misdemeanors and one misdemeanor in the altercation.


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  • District Judge James Bixler on Thursday ran the sentences concurrently. With the 127 days in custody that Wells already has served, that gives him about six months in jail.

    The offenses were probational, but defense attorney Casey Landis said Wells, 36, did not want to be released under supervision.

    His ex-wife, Maria Wells, said she hoped for at least a year in custody.

    "As you can see, he hasn't changed," she said after the sentencing.

    The couple's 12-year-old son killed himself in 2005 with one of Geoffrey Wells' guns, which he previously had been ordered to keep locked up.

    At a divorce hearing in December in which Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss admonished him for failing to lock up his guns at the time of his son's death, Wells began talking back to the judge.

    When a bailiff approached him from behind to restrain him, Wells, who served as a Marine in Somalia and the Persian Gulf War, turned around and hit him as well as other bailiffs who had hurried over to provide backup.

    "Emotionally you're a wreck over the whole situation, which is understandable but not an excuse," Bixler said.

    Prosecutor Eric Bauman asked for a 3 1/2-year sentence for Wells, who was on probation for child neglect -- a charge stemming from his son's death -- when the fight occurred.

    "Mr. Wells showed a shocking lack of respect for the justice system," Bauman said.

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    Report abuse

    Geoffrey Wells wrote on November 17, 2007 03:32 PM: To finish what I was saying, the 8th Judicial District does not conduct any known forms of proper law. You have to understand, I was not mad at the Judge, she was dragged through the mud just like I was, this fight had everything to do with a bunch of asshole bailiffs, and nothing but. I despise them, and any lowlife who thinks he is an officer just because they found a 5 dollar tin badge in a cracker jax box. This fight was started by norm adams touching me, not the judges decision. I will say this, we use to talk in her court, after my sons death that didnt happen anymore. She says I lied to the court, that is a matter of opinion, and she doesnt have any facts, nor have any judges have ever talked to my kids, not once. The truth, all the courts know is what is said by lying police or lesbian counslers, hardly truth.


    Report abuse

    Geoffrey Wells wrote on November 17, 2007 03:21 PM: I wish it were all that simple, what you see on that video is not correct. It is a fake, done by the bailiffs to cover-up an illegal arrest, they were not ordered to arrest me, they threw the first punch, and they refused to arrest me when I offered to let them. They broke my ribs, this was in court, then dragged me down the judges hallway and rammed my head into every courtroom door jam, not to mention the torture by 3 of these lowlifes that went on for several minutes in the holding cell. Nothing like watching someone try to break your arm with a nightstick while being beaten by two others. The 8th judicial district has some serious competency issues.


    Report abuse

    mark hough wrote on May 11, 2007 03:13 PM: Geoff, (Mr. Wells). It is clear the judge in this case deliberately and intentionally intimidated you at your divorce hearing. Firstly, this no backbone, heartless person decided it was ok to reraise the death of your son at your divorse hearing. Please note you lost your case the day your son died from what was a terrible mistake or even a preventable mistake on your part. you and only you will have to live with that the rest of your life. I do no and do not have to ask, because I know what you are feeling....it's a feeling that so called judge will never feel, because quite frankly she has forgotten about you. Your wife obviously has some great hate to you, giving the circumstances, this is understandable on her part. Putting you in jail because, you decided to exercise your right to be heard in a court of law just goes to show the law in Nevada works only one way. Geoff, the baliffs, in your situation, are hard nose ( low grade police acadimic Flunkies). ( they love people like you ) they get the thrill out of
    beating people up. They built you up, and ,up and up then waited a time to get you. Geoff, freedom of speech no longer exists within the State of Nevada. I think in this case judge Bixler wanted to let you go,and let you get on with your life. Unfortunately, this prosecutor was proberly force by his boss Dave Roger build a case against you. This in short, clearly demonstrates you can not, and will not obtain fair justice, and proper judicial
    review within the state of Nevada.


    Report abuse

    joe wrote on May 11, 2007 12:54 PM: The guy is a violent nutcase who thinks he's right and everyone else is wrong. I guarantee you he blames the wife for the son's death even though it was his irresponsible sorry self that left the firearms and ammo out in the first place. Sadly I'm sure this delusional moron will go after his wife after he gets out of jail.


    Report abuse

    M Simmons wrote on May 11, 2007 12:44 PM: M. Ward and Jon Hamel, did you miss the part about how the 12 year son shot himself with one of his father's guns? One of several guns that the father was ordered to lock up??? hello!!! obviously there is more to this man's story. And did you read the ex-wife's comment, "As you can see, he hasn't changed."?? She should know how he is, having been married to him. This is not the story of a remorseful or grieving man. This is a man who doesn't like to hear about his poor decision-making. His poor decision to disobey the order to lock up the guns, gave his son access to use it to take his own life. His poor decision to "talk back" to the judge, caused the bailiffs to do their job and move in, in case he did something stupid, which he did. His poor decision to attack the bailiff(s), resulted in a short sentence. I believe he should be locked up for longer than a year. A truly remorseful, grieving father would have been nodding in agreement with the judge and crying his eyes out, not talking back.


    Report abuse

    M Ward wrote on May 11, 2007 07:20 AM: There's nothing to respect at the injustice center.You only get the amount of justice you can afford to pay for. We employee a bunch of low life lawyers that only want as much of your money as they can steal. Respect for our justice system? Yeah right,nothing to repect, only fear.


    Report abuse

    Jon Hamel wrote on May 11, 2007 07:15 AM: What I see is a shocking lack of respect for a father grieving for the death of his son by Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss. I say this entire affair was provoked by Family Court Judge Cheryl Moss when she “admonished him for failing to lock up his guns at the time of his son's death”. What she said was clearly not appropriate, and was also clearly the cause of this incident. I think if I were in the court room I too would want to take her to the wood shed to give her a real good attitude adjustment. Her crime, A.I.P. under color.