Special prosecutor to take on Chad Whelan’s alleged DUI case
A special prosecutor will be handling Chad Whelan’s alleged DUI case since he is employed at the Nye County District Attorney’s Office as an investigator.
Whelan was arrested last month on suspicion of driving under the influence and on suspicion of possessing a firearm while under the influence, according to a Nye County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) arrest report. NCSO administration said that Whelan was released on cash bail the day following his June 14 arrest.
Nye County District Attorney Brian Kunzi told the Pahrump Valley Times in an email Sunday that a conflict is present with prosecuting one of his employees, so obtaining an outside attorney is required, following the Rules of Professional Conduct for Attorneys.
The Board of County Commissioners approved a contract with Frank Coumou on July 7 to have the Las Vegas-based lawyer investigate Whelan’s case and other related charges as special prosecutor. Up to $5,000 from the county has been authorized for the contract with Kunzi adding in the email that he expects the matter to be done for far less than the allocated amount.
Kunzi further clarified that the county is only paying for a substitute prosecutor and not providing Whelan with defense counsel. The district attorney explained that the court may appoint a public defender if Whelan qualifies, but that his office is not involved in that decision since the process of defendants requesting public defenders is at the sole discretion of the courts.
Even if a public defender is provided to Whelan, it will be at no cost to the county as public defenders work on a fixed-cost contract, Kunzi wrote in the email.
Whelan first joined the district attorney’s office as an investigator in early 2024, served as a district court bailiff from 2022 to 2024 and was previously an NCSO detention deputy from 2016 to 2021, Nye County Public Communications Manager Arnold Knightly confirmed last month.
Contact reporter Elijah Dulay at edulay@pvtimes.com
