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Prosecutors frustrated by release
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SUSPECT EXTRADITED FROM CHICAGO HAD BEEN HELD WITHOUT BAIL and DID NOT APPEAR IN COURT TUESDAY WHEN THE JUDGE CALLED HIS NAME
Ocie Harris
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LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Updated: Mar. 10, 2010 | 8:26 a.m.
Las Vegas prosecutors said they are frustrated they weren't included in bail discussions for a felony suspect who previously fled Nevada from a criminal investigation.
Ocie Harris, a known associate of boxing champ Floyd Mayweather Jr. and a suspect in an August shooting at a roller rink, was extradited to Nevada from Chicago on Saturday on attempted murder and assault charges after a six-month Las Vegas police investigation.
But Tuesday in Justice Court, Harris was absent when Senior Judge Joseph Bonaventure Sr. called his name.
"Well, I don't know where he is," Bonaventure said. "Maybe it was a mistake from the jail."
But it was no mistake: Harris, 27, had posted bail on Sunday, less than 24 hours after arriving at Clark County Detention Center. A bench warrant for Harris was not issued Monday because of confusion on the court calendar regarding his warrant hearing. The case will be heard today.
Harris was arrested in Chicago in February and was being held without bail, but when he arrived in Las Vegas, Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo set bail at $7,500 without consulting prosecutors.
"The state is surprised at the $7,500 bail setting, especially when the state was never contacted to give any input on what the appropriate bail setting should be," Deputy District Attorney Sam Bateman said.
Harris is the suspect in a shooting that occurred about 10 p.m. on Aug. 23 outside the Crystal Palace Skating Center on Boulder Highway, north of Flamingo Road.
Two men in a vehicle, Quincey Williams, 25, and Damein Bland, 36, reported being shot at while leaving the parking lot after a confrontation with Mayweather in which the boxer threatened Williams over a text message he'd sent a few months earlier. No one was injured in the shooting.
Mayweather told Williams, "Do you know who I am? I could have you trumped," an arrest report said.
Williams and Bland told police the shooter was a Mayweather employee named "O.C." who was the boxer's bodyguard.
More than 30 witnesses were interviewed in the investigation.
"While most of the witnesses did not observe all the events that led to the shooting, they all collectively told a story which was consistent with that of both victims," the report said.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Roy Nelson said it's frustrating to build a case, arrest a suspect in another state, extradite the suspect back to Nevada and then see the suspect given bail without a hearing.
Nelson said charges as serious as the ones Harris is facing -- attempted murder with a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon -- generally bring a high bail amount.
The amount is usually around $100,000, prosecutors said, and a suspect can be held without bail, especially if he is a flight risk.
"He's already shown he's a flight risk, but here we are, on a Saturday, giving him bail. And he's already out," Nelson said.
"Bail is usually set in court, and for a charge like this, it's usually a heck of a lot more than that ($7,500)," he said.
Why Abbatangelo set bail is unknown. Messages left at his office were not returned.
Harris' lawyer, Tom Pitaro, said he'll answer bail questions in court today.
Pitaro was asked if he requested a bail reduction from a judge, despite the fact the state had asked no bail be set pending the warrant hearing.
"The Constitution doesn't say he can't (receive bail), does it?" he said, adding that the charges Harris face do not prohibit bail. "If that's going to be an issue I'd rather make my arguments to the court."
The relationship between Abbatangelo and Pitaro has not always been judge-counselor; it was once defendant-lawyer.
Pitaro was Abbatangelo's attorney during Abbatangelo's domestic violence case in 2008 and 2009.
Abbatangelo was accused of attacking his wife at the couple's home in November 2008. His wife of 13 years told authorities that he grabbed her by the neck, choked her and screamed at her during a fight.
He was sentenced to spend two days in jail after he pleaded no contest to one count of misdemeanor battery domestic violence.
Pitaro did not respond to later calls seeking comment about his relationship with Abbatangelo.
There have been few official statements regarding Mayweather's involvement with Harris. Mayweather is not a suspect in the investigation.
The boxer told police he was at the skating rink the night of the shooting but "didn't know an Ocie and was unaware of any shooting," a police report said.
But when police searched Mayweather's Southern Highlands home, they recovered surveillance footage from his security gate that showed Harris at the residence on four separate occasions before the shooting, the report said.
A representative for Mayweather did not answer calls seeking comment Tuesday.
Nelson said Harris' bail was paid by Chicago resident Nate Jones. Police have confirmed that Jones is a former Olympic boxing teammate of Mayweather's, and currently works with Mayweather as a trainer in Las Vegas.
Bail will likely be discussed in public today, when attorneys meet before Bonaventure for the warrant hearing.
Nelson said it's possible Bonaventure could revoke bail, but he could defer to Abbatangelo, who was absent Tuesday but is the sitting judge in this case.
Lt. George Castro, who oversaw the investigation into Harris, said it was unfortunate detectives were not given a chance to question Harris about the case before bail was set, but he remains certain police have presented a strong case to the district attorney.
"We can't worry about parts we can't control," he said.
Contact reporter Mike Blasky at mblasky@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0283.
MAYWEATHER'S UNCLE GETS ONE FELONY CHARGE DROPPED
A district judge Tuesday dropped one of three felony charges against the uncle of famed champion boxer Floyd Mayweather, Jr.
Roger Mayweather still faces one count each of battery with substantial bodily harm and battery after being accused of choking a former female trainee.
The 48-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Judge Valerie Adair agreed with defense attorney Jack Buchanan that prosecutors did not present enough evidence during a preliminary hearing to support a charge of coercion against the defendant, according to court records.
Authorities allege Roger Mayweather choked and punched 26-year-old fighter Melissa St. Vil on Aug. 2 at her apartment in the 700 block of Rock Springs Drive, near Rainbow Boulevard and Washington Avenue.
Roger Mayweather owned the property and rented it out to a man who was letting St. Vil live there.
Prior to the incident, St. Vil had trained under Roger Mayweather until May when she left for a new trainer.
Authorities allege Roger Mayweather was upset that St. Vil was still living at his property. He allegedly confronted her and a physical altercation took place.
He remains out of jail on $13,000 bail. A trial date was set for Aug. 2.
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
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@Paul-
Just a little advice- if you're going to use a word in a written medium, use a word you actually know.
"Bucco"? Seriously? Perhaps the word you were (over)reaching for was "beaucoup", a French word meaning much or many.
Use of a dictionary or thesaurus is helpful as well to avoid appearing muy estupido.
"Paul wrote on March 10, 2010 11:37 AM: This is simply an allegation by two other thugs saying they got shot at, no witnesses and almost zero evidence. The guy spends bucco bucks on one of the most distinguished attorney's in town attorney, and you think he is going to run?"
Uh, no witnesses? Read the story -- more than 32 witnesses were interviewed who corroborated the story.
Douche. This fugitive is on the lose on Floyd's pocket change, all because a judge is doing his buddy a favor.
Judge Abbatangello and Tom Pitaro are close personal friends, this is not conjecture, it is a well known fact.
The fact that this "judge" even hears cases that this attorney is involved in, is purely and simply an ethics violation.
Furthermore, Judge Abbatangelo recently plead no contest to a severe domestic violence charge, with his wife as a victim.
I implore all voters to support whomever challenges this criminal, yes, crimianl judge. This will send a hard message to those in the legal community that enough is enough. Otherwise it will send a strong message that enough is never enough when it comes to pure judicial corruption.
Mike Tyson use to make BILLIONS of dollars for the Las Vegas economy.
What happened to Iron Mike?
Oh yeah! He started to act like a "Dark skins" and started raping the "Light skins." He must anot got the memo that acting like an APE wasn't tolerated at the Beauta-ma-pagences.
Every Circus has an organ grinder. I do believe that when Cus D'amato died and those JEWISH BOYS took over, they forgot to get a fatter chain for their growing science steroid project.
Oy Vay!
I thought they'd get rid of Judge Tony Abbatangelo when he was arrested ! Guess there's a shortage of judges.......
Chicagoans now think Las Vegas is a very corrupt place. LMAO
Abbatangelo figured he could do this low-bail/quick-bail favor for his buddy, and then not show up on Tuesday or answer his phone, that no one would even notice.
This will be an interesting one to watch.