CCSD police officer pleads no contest in death of his K-9 partner

A Clark County School District police officer has entered a no contest plea after being accused of causing the death of his K-9 partner by leaving the animal in his vehicle for more than six hours.

James Harris entered a no contest plea Oct. 28 to a misdemeanor charge of confining an animal in a vehicle, according to Las Vegas Justice Court records. Other charges — failure to provide for a confined animal and torture, injure, abandon or starve an animal — were dropped by prosecutors or dismissed.

Justice of the Peace Nadia Wood gave Harris a time-served sentence after parties made a joint recommendation, a docket sheet indicates.

Harris was assigned to Foothill High School for the school day on Nov. 14, according to a CCSD police affidavit.

K-9 Marley was also on duty that day and was in the kennel of Harris’ vehicle, but was not seen leaving with Harris when he arrived at the school, records said.

Harris said in a statement that he had left air on for the dog, but admitted to not checking on Marley and to disconnecting a heat sensor designed to open the windows, turn on a fan and sound an alarm if the vehicle reached a temperature dangerous for the animal, according to police.

“The subsequent autopsy and necropsy performed on K9 Marley state that K9 Marley is likely to have died from heat related illness, as no other health or medical contributing factors were observed,” police wrote.

The school district said “an administrative investigation is ongoing.” Harris remains a police officer, but “is currently assigned to home,” according to a school district spokesperson.

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