By MARK WAITE
PVT
The Nevada Supreme Court didn’t impose disciplinary action against Nye County District Attorney Bob Beckett’s law license after his reckless driving conviction in June 2008.
However, the court will be notified again if he is convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol after his arrest Sept. 7, according to Phil Pattee, assistant counsel for the State Bar of Nevada.
Beckett, 51, was arrested while reclining behind the wheel of his county-issued vehicle in the 1400 block of Fort Churchill Road after a complaint by resident Heidi Fleiss about a suspicious vehicle. Beckett failed a field sobriety test and a preliminary breath test.
His blood-alcohol level was .118 percent, well above the .08 percent permitted by law.
It was Beckett’s second DUI arrest. On Father’s Day 2008, Beckett was arrested on Highway 127 in California for DUI, but pleaded guilty in March 2009 to a lesser charge of misdemeanor reckless driving.
Pattee said pursuant to rule 111, when an attorney is convicted of a crime the State Bar has to refer it to the Supreme Court. Beckett’s previous arrest was referred to the Supreme Court, which remanded it back to the State Bar Disciplinary Board in January. The State Bar declined to impose a temporary suspension of Beckett’s law license, Pattee said.
“We shall report everything to the Supreme Court except minor traffic infractions like speeding that don’t include alcohol. He’s not being treated any different because he’s Bob Beckett,” Pattee said.
The Jan. 8, 2010 order, signed by three Nevada Supreme Court justices, said Beckett’s previous conviction was for a misdemeanor that isn’t included in a category of crimes mandating automatic, temporary suspension of his law license. But it is a crime subject to referral, they said.
The justices wrote: “We note that on the day of the offense, Beckett was involved in a single rollover accident while driving a government-issued vehicle. The vehicle was towed to Beckett’s home and approximately six hours later, Beckett was driving his personal vehicle on the same highway where the first accident occurred, when he had another accident.”
Beckett pleaded guilty to what the justices called “wet reckless driving.”
“We conclude that under these circumstances it is appropriate to refer this matter to a panel of the State Bar Disciplinary Board for determination of the discipline, if any, to impose,” the order said.
Pattee said if Beckett is convicted of the latest DUI arrest he will have 30 days to self report his conviction. The Supreme Court will decide what action to take from there.
Beckett lost his bid for a fifth term as district attorney by finishing last in the June 8 Republican primary. He will finish his term at the end of this year.
Nye County Sheriff Tony DeMeo said Beckett’s latest arrest has been turned over to special prosecutor Pete S. Christiansen, a Las Vegas attorney who has already been appointed by a visiting judge to see if any charges should be filed against Beckett over the bad check program after his arrest May 5.
Beckett is facing 20 counts of fraudulent appropriation of property, 20 counts of misconduct of a public officer, one count of embezzlement and one charge of malfeasance of office in connection with that program.
Christiansen didn’t respond to phone calls seeking comment.
Beckett didn’t respond to messages left on his county cell phone nor to messages left at the district attorney’s office. His home phone number has been disconnected.
Mike Iglinski, an attorney for Leslie Stovall, who represented Beckett in the past, said his firm is no longer representing the D.A.
DeMeo said Beckett’s arraignment on the charges will be handled by Christiansen and hasn’t been scheduled yet.
“There’s no hurry, he’s out on bail. They can review the case,” DeMeo said.
Beckett was released on his own recognizance after spending 12 hours in a private cell.
The arrest doesn’t affect the normal business of prosecuting criminals, the sheriff said.
“We’re working in a professional relationship with the deputy district attorneys in their new offices to move cases along,” DeMeo said.
Workers in the district attorney’s office recently moved into their new offices in the former county clerk’s area of the courthouse.
In Barstow, Calif., the Superior Court of California in San Bernardino County is awaiting a copy of Beckett’s criminal complaint to decide what action to take, In his March 2009 sentence, Beckett was given a revocable release for three years, with various conditions.
Hiz nickname is Town Drunk
Yep….and so what is Sheriff DeMeo’s nic? SMILES
We call him Sheriff Tony DimeBago.
You can bet if it was anyone else the punishment be worse, its apparent he has a severe drinking problem, also a lying problem, and a problem keeping his hands out of the cookie Jar, good thing he was voted out.
Mr. Beckett is obviously a chronic alcoholic and needs to be treated as such. I only hope he enters into a treatment program before it is too late. Mr. Beckett has served this community with distinction for many years and deserves recognition for his years of service. Whatever the cause of his alcoholism needs to be addressed in treatment. Mr. Beckett deserves to be be treated with respect and dignity as anyone would be else would is they were diagnosed with a chronic disease. Mr. Beckett thank you for your service I wish you a speedy recovery.
I Think it if funny… Here he is with his 3rd DUI not to mention the fraud with the embezzlement. HAHAHA!!! This is our DA what does that say about our town? Well, be glad to know I did not vote for the TOWN DRUNK… The real funny thing is that Heidi Fleiss called the police on him. I guess pay back is a bitch…
Yet I am on 3 years supervised probation for a Marijuana Charge…
What Marijuana is still a crime! WTF
At Least it is not Alcohol…
Legalize IT!!! Lets Get The Dispensaries opened!!!
Bob, There is no excuse, You are a man of power and are old enough to know the differance from right and wrong! I too am an acholic and always will be. The differance I hit my bottom 21 years ago when I was 35 and I quit!
The first thing You have to do is ADMIT IT. Yes it’s tough, but I am sure you are too. Get a grip if you need help ” JUST ASK ”
I’m sure you have many friends and family who love you.
Best of luck, Terry C.
P.S. I started drinking at 15 it took 20 years for me to quit and I wish I could have those years back. STOP TODAY AND THANK YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sure thing, Bill W. Hell, I drink smoke snort and tap a vein daily and I turned out just fine. Beckett just needs to stop driving…let him carry on with the drinking, loose whores, and gaming tables at the Nugget!!!
What the bottom line is a NYE county detective who,did his job diligently,and got the evidence against Beckett, is still being charged at last count (20) or so counts against him for getting the computers etc… and the evidence for the fraud,embezzlement etc…he had proper search warrants and so forth,,,PEOPLE don’t forget that this man is fighting for his job and credibility !!!!!!My father was a LAPD detective 2,who for 20years specialized in child molestations!!! This kind of work can leed to depression and all sorts of personal problems!!!I hope well start talking more on these BOGUS charges of the DETECTIVE
I.say lock his ass for A year just like anyone else.
Mr. Beckett has many credits to his name in Pahrump. How sad that so many forget that. However, there is NO excuse for his DUI’s and he should be treated as everyone else would be under the same circumstances. This man, unfortunately, has pretty much lost everything at this point. He has made terrible choices and he will now pay for those decisions. He is depressed and has a drinking problem. He should step down while he has even a shred of self respect, get treatment and move on. Bob – As Tony said, I too wish you a speedy recovery and hope you can pull it together for yourself and your family.
Thank you, Dr. Phil.
Dont be a hater, he now will experence { CARMA }
Beckett is a corrupt person. God will see to him. The voters already did. LOL
Thank God for the accident..wet as it was…he could have been a Judge.
Had it been you or me, We would not have not gotten off so easy.
The Judicial Branch is a club that protects its own.
Corruption starts at the top, They decide what they will do with you.
Bob is a hypocrit and its coming back to haunt him. Kharma kharma kharma.
The really sad part is that he will be the D.A. until the end of the year. I wonder how many other people would be able to keep their jobs after having done what he has, so many times. As a taxpayer if he truly works for “me”, then he’s fired right now. No position and definitely no paycheck. I also find it very hard to believe that none of his collegues were aware of his actions. Especially the Sheriff – while he was out cruising around getting drunk in a company car. I even wonder if he ended up on Heidi’s block by accident or was he looking for a place to “sleep it off”. She stated she would have let him. I hope it comes out how many people covered for this loser. He’s ruined so many other people’s lives – now it’s his turn. The arrogance of these people is sickening.