Judge Gregory, 74, dies

Judge Toy Gregory, who had a reputation for fairness during more than 24 years on the Las Vegas Municipal Court bench, died Thursday night. He was 74.

Gregory suffered a heart attack Dec. 28 and had been hospitalized.

Gregory was fondly remembered by city and court officials who praised him as a patient, humble man who treated everyone equally.

"As a lawyer, he was a gentleman and a learned scholar," said Mayor Oscar Goodman, a former defense attorney who was friends with Gregory for more than 40 years. "As a judge, he was fair and always brought credit to the bench, both as a jurist and administrator as chief judge. Most of all he loved Las Vegas, and we will sorely miss him."

City Councilman Steve Wolfson, who is also an attorney and argued cases before Gregory, echoed Goodman's remarks. "He was the best of the best of the best of them. He was a Southern gentleman in its best definition."

Originally from Lancaster, S.C., Gregory had lived in Las Vegas since 1946. He was appointed as a judge for Las Vegas Municipal Court's Department 1 more than 24 years ago and won re-election to each subsequent term.

His current term was set to expire in June 2009.

The City Council will appoint an interim judge within 30 days of Gregory's seat being vacated.

Former interim Municipal Court Judge Dayvid Figler, a defense attorney who currently serves as an alternate judge, said Gregory was one of the "old guard" who ensured that everyone who came before him was treated with respect.

"Even though they (the cases before Gregory) were misdemeanors, he appreciated and understood that it impacted those people before him," he said.

Gregory received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and in 1958 he graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Law.

Gregory practiced law with his father from 1958 to 1983 under the firm name Gregory and Gregory. He also served as the general counsel to the Nevada Savings and Loan Association and the Better Business Bureau of Southern Nevada, and was a deputy attorney general from 1967 to 1970.

Gregory presided over several high-profile cases during his time on the bench, including the case of Veronica Schmidt, the woman who crashed into a bus stop in 2005 and killed four people.

In 2006, he found John Wayne Bobbitt -- who became famous in 1993 when his first wife, Lorena Bobbitt, sliced off his penis -- not guilty of domestic battery. Bobbitt had been accused of pushing his wife at the time, Joanna Ferrell, to the ground twice.

Gregory also was the subject of bribery allegations by former strip club owner Michael Galardi, who leveled similar accusations against several local officials. During a 2003 interview with authorities, Galardi claimed he had given campaign contributions and cash to local judges, including Gregory.

Gregory said at the time that he had accepted legitimate campaign contributions from Galardi in 2003 but never accepted any money illegally.

"In my 23 years as a judge, I have never had my honesty or veracity questioned," Gregory said.

Supreme Court Chief Justice William Maupin described Gregory as a fine lawyer, judge and human being.

"All of the members of the state Supreme Court are very sorry for the loss of Judge Gregory, both for his family and the judicial system," Maupin said Friday. "The court and the city of Las Vegas are very fortunate for his commitment as a municipal court judge."

Gregory is survived by his wife, Gala, five children, two stepchildren, 11 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

A viewing will be held at Palm Mortuary, 7600 S. Eastern Ave., on Jan. 11 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Services will be held on Jan. 12 at 10 a.m. at Palm Mortuary.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or (702) 380-1039.