Casino sued over shooting death in bathroom

Stefon Clark

Stefon Clark

Security was inadequate at a North Las Vegas casino when a patron was shot and killed during a 2010 robbery, family members of the victim allege in a new lawsuit.

The family of Mario De Jesus filed suit on Friday in Clark County District Court against the Opera House casino. They also sued the alleged shooter, Stefon Clark, whose murder trial is set to begin Nov. 13.

According to police, a witness reported being robbed of $200 on Oct. 22, 2010, in the casino restroom.

De Jesus then entered the restroom and was confronted by Clark, the witness said. After De Jesus said he had no money, Clark shot him multiple times, the witness said.

Security guards held Clark until police arrived and arrested him.

Friday’s lawsuit, filed by the Richard Harris Law Firm, says family members of De Jesus are entitled to unspecified damages from Clark after suffering extreme grief and sorrow because of the killing of De Jesus.

The suit says the Opera House failed to have adequate security in place, that it didn’t install video surveillance in the restrooms that could have detected and deterred criminal activity, and that the shooting was foreseeable “because of notice or knowledge of prior incidents of multiple similar wrongful acts.”

The wrongful death suit seeks unspecified damages against the Opera House.

Officials at the Opera House parent company, Fifth Street Gaming, said Tuesday that they could not comment on the suit as they generally don’t comment on pending litigation.

Legal

Share