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Fatal shooting of Erik Scott set for inquest in September
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38-YEAR-OLD FATALLY SHOT
Erik Scott
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Aug. 20, 2010 | 7:19 a.m.
The Clark County coroner's inquest into the fatal shooting of a West Point graduate outside a busy Summerlin Costco has been set for Sept. 22-24, a county official said Thursday.
County spokeswoman Jennifer Knight said a jury will be convened at 9 a.m. at the Regional Justice Center for the inquest into the fatal shooting of 38-year-old Erik Scott on July 10.
The seven-person jury will determine whether the actions of three Las Vegas police officers who shot Scott were justified, excusable or criminal.
The inquest, which is open to the public, was initially set for Sept. 3 but was delayed after the Clark County district attorney's office said police had not submitted appropriate paperwork, including witness statements, needed to subpoena those who saw the shooting. Also, concerns existed about scheduling the inquest the Friday before Labor Day weekend.
Meanwhile, an inquest into another officer-involved fatal shooting, of 21-year-old Trevon Cole, will start at 8 a.m. today at the courthouse at 3rd Street and Lewis Avenue. Cole was shot June 11 by Detective Bryan Yant during a late-night drug raid at Cole's Las Vegas apartment.
Ross Goodman, a lawyer representing the Scott family, said he is relieved an inquest date has been set in the Scott case because that means police finally will make public the evidence involved.
Goodman has been adamant that store surveillance cameras might have caught the shooting and that the 911 call made by a store worker will shed light on what transpired before the shooting.
"The family is happy to know two months after their son was fatally shot by police they (Las Vegas police) are finally in a position to produce all the facts and circumstances surrounding his death," Goodman said.
Citing the investigation, police Thursday declined to release the 911 recording, and the hard drive from the store surveillance system remains under forensic review by a police agency in Southern California.
Bill Scott, Erik's Scott's father, said in a telephone interview that although he is skeptical of the inquest system, he is holding out hope.
"We're willing to give the process a chance to provide the truth and to ensure justice is done by holding those responsible for his killing accountable."
Erik Scott's family and friends have launched a campaign that includes digital billboards placed in high-traffic areas throughout the Las Vegas Valley. Among messages the billboards have flashed: "Let the Truth Be Known!"
The family had planned to scatter Erik Scott's ashes in the Pacific, but his father said cremation has been postponed and the body is being preserved.
Goodman said the body has been preserved so an independent autopsy can be done if the family finds fault with the autopsy conducted by the Clark County coroner's office. The results are expected to be released at the inquest.
Police said they have interviewed about 50 witnesses to the shooting. The inquest is expected to last for three days because of the large number of people expected to testify. County officials have said the inquest could extend past Sept. 24 if needed. It also could take less than the three days.
Police spokesman Marcus Martin said Thursday his department's Homicide Section, in search of additional witnesses, sent 120 letters to Costco members who were shopping at the store the day of the shooting. Martin said the effort was standard police work.
Police said they were called to the store because they received reports from store workers about an armed man acting erratically.
Scott, a medical device salesman who had a concealed-weapon permit, was carrying two pistols. He reportedly was involved in some kind of altercation with a store worker and was asked to leave the store because he had a weapon.
There have been conflicting accounts of whether Scott ignored police commands to get down on the ground and put his hands in the air and of whether Scott drew a gun on police. Police have said Scott pointed a pistol at an officer.
Three officers have been placed on routine paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation and an inquest. They are William Mosher, 38, a five-year veteran of the department, Joshua Stark, 28, and Thomas Mendiola, 23, both two-year veterans.
The shooting was not the first for Mosher, who in April 2006 was one of two officers who shot and killed a suspect in a car.
Contact reporter Antonio Planas at aplanas@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.
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As reported on KLAS, Erik Scott has quite a past with charges of domestic violence by two ex spouses and a charge that he pulled a gun and pointed it at a neighbor and his dog. Metro did the right thing.
Sorry for typos below.. Typing on my iPhone.. Those that have iPhones will understand..
I was there that day. I have returned twice to that Costco. It's very difficult walking in and out. There are spots all over that area from different spills and such but where I saw Erik laying there are still colorless splotches. Regardless of where those spots came from costco nerds to reseal that whole area. When I called and requested this from manager named Sam I was informed "we gave plans to reseal the area. The company that originally did the front entrance is out of California and we are still trying to get in touch with them." Costco and the police dept need to come out and show some compassion for us as the public, for shoppers, for the Scott family and friends. Regardless of who is at fault remaining silent and not expediting the process of resealing the entrance and exit is imho inexcusable and inhumane. Find some way of communicating the preciousness of human life. Regardless of fault. You can find a way to communicate human care and concern. I do not believe that the officers are criminally at fault. It's really a tragedy for all involved. I hope it effects change within metro. There are some great officers out there. Now is the time to educate yourself on the offices that are coming up for election. Vote for the candidate that best represents how you feel. This all starts with you and me.
I just went to the centenial Costco last night and noticed they have a sign forbidding firearms in the store. I hadn't noticed this before since I usually carry a concealed weapon and tend to watch for these signs. Can anyone confirm it this has always been here or if it has been added as a result of recent events. If this is truely the case I may need to switch my membership to Sam's Club since I know Wal-Mart allows concealed firearms.
kriminalz.suk, either cite your source, or explain: unless you've been on metro's paid administrative leave yourself, how would you know that $500 Per Diem is incorrect...? Repeating advice you've received in previous threads, go back now, and RE-read the proviso, "If that number's accurate..."....Because if it is, it yields the calculated SUM provided. Unless you or any other reader can dispute the number provided and cited from the prior post by citing an empirical source, that $500's as good as your word...Which is not above reproach, at this point.
JANE DAUEX... cops dont make $500 per day sitting around while waiting for the inquest... you are sorely overestimating how much they make... .the average patrol guy on the street (80% of the depts) make between $23-$34 bucks per hour they get paid their daily (40 hour work weak) salary while they are off. that is less than a plumber, electrician, mortgage agent, realtor , insurance agent, ect ect ect... so get your FACTS straight before you pull them from some erroneous blog!!
Frank,Salerno, the pay-out on administrative leave, as posted by someone here a few days ago, is $500 per diem. How's that for holiday pay. If that number's accurate, and not counting the day of Scott's death, on which they performed their duties, seems the tally for Admin Leave paid the 3 officers involved in Scott's fatal shooting will have earned a combined and sobering $114,000 thru the last day of the Inquest. As has been observed in these posts over the last several days, if you wish to know what some metro members think of metro's victims (albeit taxpayers who, dead or alive, who paid their salaries), you have only to read posts like ryanslions', Jules.Winfield's,and fantasy.kingpin's, to see in black and white the loathing and the arrogance toward those they took oaths to Protect and Serve. Never forgetting that Erik Scott Paid With His Life for Power Gone Horribly Wrong, it remains helpful to know that, like a runaway train, karma's on it's way...
I never did understand why the cops are placed on administrative leave. This is nothing more than another paid vacation/holiday. Just how much money is paid to Metro officers placed in that category. Bet no one can come up with a figure. Coroner's Inquest? delaying tactic.
@Tanker, it's not worth trying to explain to "RealityKingpin"--he thinks that the two officers who disobeyed direct orders from their sergeant and then lied about were in the right and at one point claimed that Scott was carrying three guns. His blind willingness to support Metro in cases where they are blatantly wrong does more to undercut support for Metro's position than he does to support it.
@reality kingpin... Yes COSTCO DOES need to have a written policy AND have it posted... A CCW gives you the right to carry a concealed weapon inside a private business UNLESS the business has a sign POSTED saying not too. Even 5 days after the shooting, there was no sign posted on that COSTCO's property, so you would be allowed to conceal carry in the store. If asked to leave then that is a different story, but don't make it seem like he had no right to take his guns into the store.