OFFICERS CLEARED OF INFRINGING ON FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Two Las Vegas police officers accused of infringing on the
First Amendment rights of a group of Fremont Street petitioners have been
cleared of any wrongdoing.

The police Internal Affairs Bureau's action infuriated an American Civil
Liberties Union official who said the investigation was slanted in favor of
the officers and disregarded the most serious allegations.

"This was a sham," said Gary Peck, executive director of the ACLU of
Nevada, after Friday's announcement. "The results of this investigation are
yet another example that too often Metro's (Internal Affairs Bureau) is
more interested in protecting their officers instead of finding out what
really happened and ensuring police do their job."

On May 22, five people attempting to gain signatures on a petition to force
a statewide vote on the medicinal use of marijuana were ordered off the
street by security guards working for the Fremont Street Experience. Police
called to the scene detained the petitioners for an hour while their
backgrounds were checked.

One petitioner, Amy Donaldson, claimed an officer wrenched her wrist and
took her pen away when she attempted to write down the officers' names and
badge numbers. The group, with the assistance of the ACLU, subsequently
filed complaints with internal affairs.

Police Lt. Rick Alba said Friday the two officers, whom he declined to
identify, were cleared of any wrongdoing. The officers, assigned to the
Downtown Area Command, were both accused of discourtesy and one was also
accused of using excessive force.

But Peck said police bungled the investigation by ignoring the fact that
the officers had no right to detain the petitioners and that they also
threatened the group with arrest if they ever returned to Fremont Street.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski