OFF THE WIRE
agingrebel.com
The legal fight between Las Vegas attorney Stephen Stubbs and Boulder City
Police Chief Thomas Finn got a little more interesting today when Stubbs filed a
motion in Clark County Court that accuses Finn of yet another felony. This time
Finn seems to have violated Nevada Revised Statute 199.520, which translates
into English as “disclosure of information to the subject of an investigation”
or obstructing justice.
The crime is a Class D felony and in Clark County it is typically punishable
by up to four years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. Realistically, Finn
could wind up doing six months in the Clark County Detention Center if he is
convicted of the crime.
In public documents attached to this ballooning case, Finn is described as
someone who “just pisses on the Constitution.” Stubbs is described as “some
chappy-lipped little mouth breather (who) thinks he can make a name for
himself.”
In yet another part of the paper blizzard Finn is “a police administrator who
has had nothing but a sterling reputation throughout his entire professional
career.”
In a phone conversation that Stubbs alleges was illegally recorded last
October, Stubbs calls Finn’s behavior as “a definition of cluster fuck.”
Where Did This Come From
The group love began when Stubbs filed a federal civil rights lawsuit on
behalf of the Southern Nevada Confederation of Clubs that alleges numerous
incidents of illegal police harassment of bikers in Clark County. The suit
argues that the complainants “were willfully, maliciously, and intentionally
prevented from associating and/or assembling without justification or compelling
state interest as a result of their status as a motorcycle club or motorcycle
club member.” Damages in the suit could amount to more than $5 million.
About the time Stubbs filed that suit the Mongols Motorcycle Club held their
National Run in Boulder City. Stubbs represents the Mongols in Nevada.
Finn has openly admitted that he intended to give the Mongols a hard time for
buying hotel rooms in his city and Stubbs thought that conduct typified what the
federal law suit was about. Finn encouraged Boulder City officials and employees
to destroy public documents before Stubbs could subpoena them. Stubbs sought to
have Finn investigated and Finn filed a defamation lawsuit November 21 against
Stubbs as well as the Boulder City Attorney, a City Councilman and two police
sergeants. In that suit Finn admits to illegally eavesdropping on a conversation
between Stubbs and City Attorney Dave Olsen. The police chief asks for “in
excess of $10,000” in general damages; more than $10,000 in special damages;
punitive damages, attorneys fees and costs.
SLAPP
Stubbs then filed a motion to dismiss Finn’s suit under Nevada’s
anti-Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation, or anti-SLAPP statute.
SLAPPs are lawsuits that are filed to intimidate or censor critics of public
officials by forcing those critics to defend themselves against the lawsuit
until they abandon their criticism.
Finn filed a motion opposing Stubb’s motion on December 19. Finn attached a
copy of Stubb’s complaint against him. In the motion filed today, Stubbs argues
that Finn obstructed justice by gaining access to Stubb’s complaint.
The Boulder City Council asked the Nevada Division of Investigation to
investigate Finn’s conduct about a month ago.
Finn has been the Boulder City Chief of Police since 2006. He told reporters
last month the dustup with Stubbs had “destroyed” his career. “I was planning on
staying here another three to five years,” he said, “but it’s quite obvious I’ll
be gone.”
There will be a hearing in the defamation suit January 4.
