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Show about DA’s office would depict Las Vegas as ‘safe community’

A television show about the Clark County District Attorney’s office could help solve cold cases such as the nearly 20-year-old murder of rap legend Tupac Shakur.

Steve Wolfson, the county’s top prosecutor, has been in talks with the president of MY Entertainment for about six months. And in two weeks, he plans to present the idea to county commissioners.

He’s been approached several times about television programs on the district attorney’s office, but Michael Yudin, who owns MY Tupelo Entertainment, convinced Wolfson that he would depict Las Vegas as a “safe community.”

Wolfson envisions a show that would “tell the world what a safe city this is, and how we play such an important role with our justice partners in ensuring that.”

His office must approve the content. Off limits: any pending cases, confidential information, factual inaccuracies, and “any portrayal that could bring the county into disrepute.”

The New York-based production company has produced shows on various cable networks, including Discovery, Scripps and Viacom Networks. Those programs include King of Vegas, Pros vs Joes, Wreck Chasers, Baggage Battles, Ghost Adventures, Paranormal Paparazzi and Paranormal Challenge.

For the most part, Wolfson said the show pitched to him would cover cases that had been resolved or have never been brought to justice. He pointed specifically to the murder of Shakur, who was gunned down in 1996. The slaying remains unsolved.

In cases that have worked through the court system, prosecutors and defense lawyers might be asked to perform re-enactments, Wolfson said. That shouldn’t be a difficult task for attorneys.

“Trial lawyers don’t need to take acting lessons,” he said. “They were born to act.”

Commissioners are expected to consider the television contract at a Nov. 5 meeting.

If approved, production would start “very soon,” Wolfson said. But the show still would have to find a network and come up with a name.

“Please don’t write that it’s a done deal, and it’s going to be a TV show,” Wolfson said. “We have steps that we have to go through.”

In a letter to commissioners, Wolfson said the agreement would be similar to one that Clark County Coroner Michael Murphy made for a show called “Postmortem in Vegas,” which first aired last week on the Lifetime Movie Network.

Murphy said it took about two years between presenting the idea for his show to the Clark County Commission and the day the pilot episode aired. He still doesn’t know whether the network will pick up the show or replay the pilot.

Murphy is willing to work with Wolfson on the show about the district attorney’s office.

“Anything that would bring attention to cold cases or anything like that is a good thing,” Murphy said.

Contact reporter David Ferrara at dferrara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039. Find him on Twitter: @randompoker.

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