Guilty plea unsealed in Reba animal abuse case in Las Vegas

A judge has unsealed the guilty plea agreement of one of the defendants in the high-profile death of Reba the bulldog days after the Las Vegas Review-Journal filed a motion seeking access to the document.

Markeisha Foster, 30, entered her guilty plea to a count of attempt to kill, disfigure or maim an animal of another on June 5, before District Judge Susan Johnson.

Her plea came a day after District Judge Ronald Israel kicked the public out of his courtroom and tried to hold a secret hearing in her case. Israel said in his Monday order unsealing the plea that he had determined that the issue of the secret plea document was “appropriate for summary adjudication.”

“We’re very pleased that Judge Israel recognized the importance of transparency in the courts,” said Review-Journal Executive Editor Glenn Cook.

An exhibit attached to Foster’s plea shows she has agreed to “cooperate voluntarily” with the Clark County district attorney’s office and the Metropolitan Police Department. The case against Isaac Laushaul Jr., 32, who has also been charged in connection with Reba’s death, is still pending.

“This agreement requires from Markeisha Chanpale Foster an obligation to do nothing other than to tell the truth,” the document said.

The news organization filed a motion to intervene in the case and have records unsealed on Thursday.

In the motion, the Review-Journal argued that the denial of access “is causing ongoing, irreparable First Amendment harm” and that hidden documents must be released immediately because constitutional steps to seal them from public view were not followed.

“The public needs access to the plea agreement and the amended indictment to determine whether the government’s investigation and prosecution of Defendant Foster was adequate,” the filing said.

In exchange for her plea, prosecutors agreed to release her on Monday.

Foster appeared in court out of custody and dressed in civilian clothes Monday. Laushaul remains behind bars.

Defense attorney Philip Singer, who represents Laushaul, said Foster’s release may lead her to testify “more favorably.”

“They want to give her more incentive to testify how they want her to,” Singer said.

Singer said he was not suggesting prosecutors intended Foster to testify falsely.

The Clark County district attorney’s office did not respond to a request for comment. Chief Deputy Public Defender Shane Zeller, who represents Foster, declined to comment.

Laushaul and Foster each were indicted in December on a count of cruelty to animals. Authorities accused them of abandoning a pet bulldog, Reba, in a plastic tote that was sealed shut and left outside a Las Vegas supermarket in July.

Reba died of heatstroke, and her case became a rallying cry for animal rights advocates that led to “Reba’s Law,” which Gov. Joe Lombardo recently signed. The new law is intended to increase penalties for animal cruelty.

Foster had filed a motion to dismiss her attorneys, which was scheduled to be heard Monday.

Zeller told Chief District Judge Jerry Wiese that Foster wanted to withdraw the motion, which Foster confirmed.

Wiese heard the case in place of Israel, who was overseeing a trial.

Contact Noble Brigham at nbrigham@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BrighamNoble on X.

Markeisha Foster plea agreement by Las Vegas Review-Journal on Scribd