Las Vegas police sergeant fails in effort to get judge removed from cases
Attorneys for Kevin Menon, 43, filed a motion to disqualify Clark County District Court Judge Ron Israel, citing allegations of abuse from his daughter. Clark County District Court Judge Mark Denton denied Menon's motion in an order Wednesday.
Menon is charged in three separate criminal cases.
In his first case, the Clark County District Attorney's Office alleges Menon abused his power by creating fake scenarios that resulted in citizens, mainly Black men, being detained on the Las Vegas Strip.
Detectives said when they seized Menon's electronic devices for the investigation, they found child sexual abuse material, also known as child pornography. This resulted in a second criminal case against Menon for child pornography-related charges.
As a result of an additional search warrant, police said they found hidden cameras in bathrooms Menon's home. This resulted in the third criminal case.
Israel is overseeing the first two criminal cases.
'The court cannot find the defendant has met his burden to establish actual or implied bias or lack of impartiality warranting disqualification of Judge Israel,' Denton wrote in his order.
Menon's attorneys, Dominic Gentile and Austin Barnum, filed a 644-page document on March 10 arguing for Israel's disqualification.
'Judge Israel is publicly accused of criminal conduct by his daughter,' they wrote.
The motion included links from YouTube and TikTok where a woman, identified as Israel's daughter, Sarah, claimed Israel abused her.
'My dad has stalked me and terrorized me at my house to the point where I developed agoraphobia, because, like the last time I saw him at his house, he tried to pull a gun out on me, and I had to run for my life,' the woman claimed. 'I am scared. I am scared, beyond belief.'
Israel responded in a court filing on March 11, stating he should not be disqualified, he does not have any personal bias or prejudice toward Menon, and he was unaware of any active investigations regarding his daughter's claims.
'If an agency wants to investigate the matter, they are welcome to; I am unaware of any facts that would even remotely create any bias,' Israel wrote. 'I cannot comment on my daughter's mental health issues based on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.'
Menon has claimed in court documents that he tried to expose racism within the police department, and he is being retaliated against.
According to the motion to disqualify Israel, Menon tried to report his superior for being 'overtly racist and using the 'n-word' freely,' but a detective and sergeant turned the investigation against Menon and accused him of being untruthful and refused to look at text messages to verify his allegations.
The motion included copies of text messages about the individual Menon reported.
'I do believe he's playing the system to get you fired,' one text, which appeared to be from another officer, read. 'None of us will lie to protect him.'
'He targeted me, he spread lies about me, and he said racist, offensive about Indians, and black people (knowing my wife is black),' Menon texted, according to the court filing.
Menon is currently in custody after Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus, who is overseeing the third criminal case, increased his bail to $500,000 cash on April 14.
A jury trial in the third case was scheduled for June 2. A jury trial in the second case was scheduled for Aug. 18.
Hearings with Holthus and Israel are scheduled for May 5 to address Menon's 'indigent status,' which has been filed under seal, according to court records.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CNN
2 hours ago
- CNN
Under attack from all sides, armed clans try to protect aid coming into Gaza
The Middle East The UNFacebookTweetLink Follow Securing the trucks carrying aid into Gaza is a tight balancing act for the Abu Mughsaib clan. Getting too close to the Israeli military checkpoints can turn deadly. But staying too far away gives looters a chance to get to the precious cargo first. 'This is the biggest challenge we face. We cannot approach army positions any closer, as doing so would put us at risk,' a member of the group that acts as a protection for the trucks told CNN. Two weeks ago, Hamas killed one of his team members and last month two were injured by Israeli fire, he said. As law and order further breaks down and famine takes hold across Gaza, agencies trying to get aid to warehouses and distribution points in the territory rely on groups such as Abu Mughsaib. 'Once the trucks enter (Gaza), we receive them before they are intercepted by looters or overwhelmed by crowds,' said the man, who asked to remain anonymous for security reasons. 'As for our weapons, they are simple family-owned firearms, and we also carry sticks and batons.' Aid convoys are increasingly being attacked by armed looters seeking to resell the aid at exorbitant prices, as well as crowds of starving people who are just hoping to feed their families. The UN said this week that it was still struggling to deliver aid to where it is needed most, and blamed Israel for delaying convoys by making the procedures too cumbersome. While the World Food Program said on Sunday that Israel has agreed to streamline the process and allow the use of alternative routes, the UN says a large proportion of trucks are still being blocked. Faced with allegations of purposefully starving the Gaza population, Israel has in turn blamed the UN, saying it is not distributing the supplies properly, and Hamas, which it accused of stealing aid. In the absence of official security, the Abu Mughsaib clan and other groups are stepping in. A member of the clan told CNN that international organizations including the World Health Organization had asked for security in delivering their aid. 'After we succeeded, our family-based group was formally established to serve that purpose,' the clan member told CNN, adding that the family is part of the Tarabin tribe, a prominent Bedouin family. 'We coordinate with a few other families and handle the securing of aid deliveries,' he said, adding that unlike other groups, the Abu Mughsaib are not working with either Israel or Hamas. A spokesperson for WHO said the organization works with 'various community elders' and the health ministry in Gaza to ensure that 'when critical aid is passing through… communities are informed and understand the items are lifesaving medical aid.' Accompanying the trucks is a risky business. The clan sent one video to CNN, which it said shows its members escorting a convoy of 10 trucks delivering aid. It shows armed men – some of whom are masked and some wearing high-vis vests – sat on top of the vehicles speeding along the Salah al-Din road in Deir al-Balah, shooting in the air. People can be seen running alongside the road, but nobody tries to intercept the convoy. The clan also said it has partnered with a third-party transport company in Gaza, which it claimed moves aid for humanitarian groups including the World Central Kitchen. A spokesperson for the World Central Kitchen said the organization does not work with the Mugaiseb Clan. The clan member who spoke to CNN said that while they do receive payments from some groups, they sometimes provide protection for free. 'Like with the World Health Organization, when it involves medicine or infant formula, we work on a voluntary basis. For private sector shipments and commercial goods, we are paid in return for the risks we take. Some organizations also provide small payments to cover fuel, ammunition, and similar costs,' he said. The UN said that the time-consuming approval process to get aid into Gaza often leaves trucks stuck in one location for a long time, attracting large crowds of people. Olga Cherevko, from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), was accompanying one such convoy as it tried to deliver aid from the Kerem Shalom border crossing earlier this week. She said the convoy was held for two and half hours at an Israeli checkpoint. 'By the time we were allowed to pass, we were met on the road by tens of thousands of hungry and desperate people who directly offloaded everything from the backs of our trucks,' Cherevko said. According to its own data, the UN and its partners have offloaded 2,134 trucks of aid at Gaza crossings since May 19, when Israel partially lifted a blockade that was imposed in March. While the UN said a vast majority of them, some 2,010 trucks, had been collected, only 260 arrived at their intended destinations. More than 1,750 were intercepted – either peacefully by hungry people or forcefully by armed gangs. Israel has accused Hamas of stealing aid, but an internal US government review found no evidence of widespread theft. More than 1,060 people have been killed and 7,200 injured while trying to access food in Gaza since May, according to the United Nations. Most died in the vicinity of distribution points set up by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), a controversial private venture backed by the United States and Israel. Far too little aid is reaching those most in need, according to humanitarian agencies. Eyad al-Masri, a 31-year-old father of two with a third child on the way, used to buy food from people who got it at the notoriously dangerous aid distribution points. The prices were high, but still lower than at the market. But on Saturday, with no money left, he decided to go to the point near Netzarim in central Gaza himself. His is a common story. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), a UN-backed initiative said Tuesday that 'worst-case scenario of famine' is unfolding in Gaza. The health ministry in the territory also said on Tuesday that 900,000 children are going hungry, and 70,000 already show signs of malnutrition. 'I felt I had no other choice,' al-Masri told CNN. 'When the trucks arrived, I was shocked by the number of armed thieves, some carrying knives, others with firearms, operating in large groups.' Al-Masri managed to get a box of food, and was overjoyed at the prospect of giving his children and pregnant wife at least some of what they so desperately needed. 'But as I was leaving the area, a man armed with a knife came at me and tried to take the box by force,' Al-Masri said. He offered to split the contents, but the attacker insisted on taking the entire thing. 'When I refused, he stabbed me multiple times in the head,' he said. Running after the thief, al-Masri didn't realize he was bleeding. He was focused on getting at least some of the food back – which he eventually managed with the help of others. 'There are starving people who come to these distribution areas, but they can't get anything because of the armed groups,' he said. The Abu Mughsaib clan member said attacks against his group are coming from all sides – from other families, organized gangs of looters, Hamas and the Israeli army. He said that in July, a member of the escort team was shot dead by Hamas, who later said the killing was a mistake. 'A month ago, (the Israeli army) opened fire on a vehicle carrying members of our escort team, injuring two of our men,' he added. He added, however, that the group will continue to provide security for as long as necessary. 'Vulnerable people urgently need food and medicine. We are not an alternative to any authority, nor do we aim to replace anyone,' he said. But he admitted the group's power only goes as far. 'We are under strict instructions not to harm any civilians. … Even if they manage to seize a truck in such cases, we let them take it without confronting them.' CLARIFICATION: This story has been updated to reflect the World Central Kitchen's statement that it does not work with the Mughsaib clan.
4 hours ago
Cincinnati officials discuss city crime and widespread response to video of violent fight
Days after a brawl that injured six people in Cincinnati, the mayor and other city leaders said Friday they would beef up law enforcement patrols but criticized how the much-shared video of the fight had portrayed the city in what they see as an unfair and cynical light. 'Let me be clear, there is no place for violent crime in Cincinnati, whether it's a fight or gun violence,' Mayor Aftab Pureval said. 'We will pursue those responsible and we will hold them accountable no matter who they are.' Video of the fight quickly went viral, and conservatives leaders and influencers seized on the brawl to point out what they see as lawless urban areas in America. Those voices included Vice President JD Vance, Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and the vice president's half brother, Cory Bowman, who is running to be mayor of Cincinnati. A video of the fight shows a crowd milling about before several people start throwing punches. One man falls to the ground and is repeatedly punched and kicked by bystanders. Another woman is punched in the face and falls to the ground, lying motionless before another woman helps her. She can be seeing bleeding from the mouth. The mayor acknowledged on Friday the perception remained that the city was dangerous, but he pointed out that data showed the violent crime was declining in the city. Pureval also said 'there's a concerning increase in burglaries and breaking and entering, and shootings in some specific areas' without providing the data. 'Currently too many Cincinnatians don't feel safe,' he said. 'All of us, especially me, are clear-eyed and working urgently to fix that.' Pureval said he was working with Republican Gov. Mike DeWine to deploy state highway patrol to work highways into the city, which should free up more police officers. He also said police units like SWAT and the Civil Disturbance Response Team will expand their reach in the city. Cincinnati Police Chief Teresa Theetge said five men and one woman 'were subjected to unimaginable physical violence' in the brawl. She didn't identify them. She also said six people have been charged with assault and rioting for playing a role in the brawl, three of whom are in custody. 'This remains an open investigation, and I want to assure you, we will not stop until justice is finally served,' she told reporters, adding that they plan to release footage of the brawl, including body camera footage next week. But several speakers, including a pastor and a council member, talked about how the fight had been racialized and several blamed conservative Republicans for fueling that narrative. 'We would not be here and this will not be national news if this was a group of Black people that jumped on other Black people,' Pastor Damon Lynch, III told reporters. 'Obviously it's national news because it's been racialized.' Lynch said critics were focused on the Black participants but haven't mentioned a white man who, he says, could be seen in a video of the brawl slapping a Black man during the fight. 'Nobody's asking why didn't he just walk away?" Lynch said. Council Member Scotty Johnson also criticized the media for playing the brawl on a loop all week. 'What role do you play in quoting misdirected national leaders talking about a city that is on the right track, but they are doing everything they can to try take us off that track,' Johnson said. Toward the end of the press conference, a reporter asked Pureval how he would deal with the racial tensions in the city that have been exacerbated by this brawl. 'It's overt racial tensions that have been claimed by irresponsible leaders, who have unfortunately cynically tried to take advantage of this awful fight and try and divide us,' he said, noting that Cincinnati 'has a long history of being, on the on the very front foot of racial justice' including as a stop on the Underground Railroad.
CBS News
6 hours ago
- CBS News
New York activist returns home after reportedly being detained by Israeli forces on aid ship to Gaza
A New York labor advocate and American citizen is home after a harrowing journey. Chris Smalls was one of 21 activists the Freedom Flotilla Coalition says were detained by Israeli forces in international waters while on board an aid ship bound for Gaza on July 27. The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel says Smalls was held for five days in an Israeli prison. The Freedom Flotilla organization accused Israeli forces of discriminatory treatment of Smalls while in their custody, saying he was "physically assaulted by seven uniformed individuals. They choked him and kicked him in the legs, leaving visible signs of violence on his neck and back." Smalls told CBS News New York only that he was exhausted and had been on a hunger strike, but did not discuss his treatment while in Israeli custody. The Israel Defense Forces referred us to the Israeli foreign ministry for comment. So far, we have not heard back. Smalls was greeted by his family and hundreds of supporters at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Friday. "Free Gaza. Free the people of Palestine. That's all it's about," Smalls said. "We're happy that it's over. He's safe, so that's all that matters," Smalls' mom said. Smalls first received notoriety in 2020 for his efforts to unionize Amazon workers on Staten Island and later co-founded the Amazon Labor Union. "He's a working class hero in the tradition of Nat Turner. He took a stand for Palestinian freedom, not knowing whether he would be able to come back or not. We salute him," supporter Stephen Millies said. "As a person who is a part of a union, it's just very inspiring that he crossed the seas to support," another supporter said. "We're gonna send another flotilla. Another one after that. And we're never gonna quit and give up," Smalls said.
