‘It was devastating’: Suit alleges Henderson police used excessive force, broke teacher’s leg

A lawsuit filed against Henderson police Monday alleged that officers used excessive force and violated a woman’s constitutional rights while trying to arrest her following a misunderstanding.

Attorneys said this was not an isolated incident.

“The pattern of unconstitutional behavior from (Henderson police) stems not just from a few rogue officers, but from deliberate indifference, failed oversight, and a leadership structure that rewards dishonesty and shields wrongdoing,” the lawsuit filed by De Castroverde Law Group alleged.

As a result of officials’ “systemic, top-down failure,” Henderson officers Nicklaus Hamby and Raymond Canales violated the rights of Marisela Quintero-Violante, a 28-year-old third grade teacher at Mater Academy in Las Vegas, the complaint claimed.

While trying to arrest Quintero-Violante and her boyfriend, the two officers knocked her to the ground, the suit said.

The complaint also said Hamby, who fatally shot a knife-wielding veteran in 2019, stomped on her leg so hard that it broke. Quintero-Violante said she had to have a metal rod placed in her leg and spent time in a wheelchair.

The suit comes amid turmoil in the Henderson department.

The city of Henderson declined to comment. Hamby and Canales could not be reached for comment.

Henderson police chief Hollie Chadwick was fired this year after clashing with the city manager. Sources told the Las Vegas Review-Journal earlier this month that deputy chief Jonathan Boucher was told to resign or be fired, too. The city said he retired Thursday.

“Public records, internal affairs files, and independent investigations show a clear pattern: officers with multiple sustained complaints continue to serve without accountability,” the lawsuit said. “Some have been promoted despite violating core policies around truthfulness, integrity, and public safety. In dozens of cases, officers have engaged in conduct that would result in termination in any other public or private institution, yet HPD’s disciplinary apparatus routinely fails to act.”

The lawsuit cited a number of journalistic investigations, including Review-Journal reports about how Henderson officers accused of misconduct kept their jobs and how officers were accused of trying to cover up a colleague’s off-duty DUI.

‘Stomped on her leg’

Quintero-Violante and her boyfriend were celebrating his birthday in September 2023 in downtown Las Vegas, according to her and the suit.

She said she and her boyfriend were “just kind of bar-hopping,” but not attending the Life is Beautiful festival then underway.

Asked if either of them was intoxicated, she said, “Of course. We’re in downtown. We’re having a great time. We’re celebrating his birthday.”

As they tried to leave and return home, the filing said, they approached a gate for the festival.

“We were trying to go through there and security was there and there was a small misunderstanding between the security guard and my boyfriend,” Quintero-Violante said.

Alejandro Torres Marquez, Quintero-Violante’s boyfriend, and the guard had a misunderstanding about “an alleged trespass that resulted in a verbal argument,” according to the suit.

Hamby and Canales, who were in uniform and working on an overtime assignment, “aggressively approached,” the complaint said, “escalated the situation” and pushed Quintero-Violante and Torres Marquez backward while telling them to leave.

The two officers were trying to arrest the couple and pushed them “with enough force to knock them to the ground,” the lawsuit said, then Hamby “used a double leg takedown” on Quintero-Violante that made her fall down again and, while she was down, “stomped on her leg causing it to break.”

Orlando De Castroverde, an attorney for Quintero-Violante, thinks the officers may have mistakenly thought the couple was trying to sneak into the festival.

But Quintero-Violante was unarmed and posed no threat to the officers, said Ryan Samano, another attorney representing her. “What happened to her was completely unreasonable,” and it’s not clear if the officers were disciplined, he said.

‘It was devastating’

After her leg was broken, she said, she fell unconscious and woke up in handcuffs. She said she was not arrested or charged, but instead taken by ambulance to University Medical Center for emergency surgery.

Her boyfriend was charged, according to Samano, but the charges were dismissed.

Samano said the officers involved were wearing body cameras but attorneys have not received video. Body camera footage exists for officers who arrived after the incident, he said.

Of the leg injury recovery, Quintero-Violante — who cries talking about the incident — said, “Emotionally and physically, it was very hard. It was devastating.”

She had to have a metal rod and screws installed because her bone fracture was so severe. She said she used a wheelchair for about 1½ months and had to attend physical therapy.

“I just simply want them to be (held) accountable,” Quintero-Violante said of the officers. “I wish they could get better training for things that happen like this.” She said she thinks Henderson police need a better discipline system and “more compassion.”

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