Lawsuit dismissed against former Metro officer accused of groping woman

One of two civil rights lawsuits filed against a former Las Vegas police officer was dismissed this week after the plaintiff and her attorney failed to show up for a court hearing.

A trial in the case, which pitted Rebecca Portillo against former officer John Norman, was scheduled to start Monday in U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey’s courtroom.

Portillo’s lawyer, former Nevada Assembly Majority Leader William Horne, said he could not comment on the dismissal without consulting his client. The Las Vegas Review-Journal could not reach Portillo.

Norman, who had been accused of groping Portillo and two other women during traffic stops, pleaded guilty in June 2012 to oppression under the color of office and open or gross lewdness, both gross misdemeanors.

In January 2013, District Judge Abbi Silver imposed a two-year jail sentence after telling Norman, “You are nothing short of a sexual predator with a badge.”

Portillo filed her lawsuit against the former officer and the Metropolitan Police Department in June 2013, shortly after two other women filed a separate lawsuit.

Last year, Dorsey granted summary judgment in favor of the department in the Portillo case, eliminating the agency as a defendant before the case went to trial. In its motion for summary judgment, the department’s lawyers argued that Portillo had failed to conduct any discovery — the process of gathering evidence before trial.

The case proceeded against Norman, who was representing himself, but U.S. Magistrate Judge Peggy Leen recommended its dismissal in March based on Portillo’s failure to comply with multiple court orders and her failure to keep in contact with her attorney.

“Plaintiff’s willful failure to comply with the court’s orders is an abusive litigation practice that has interfered with the court’s ability to hear this case, delayed litigation, disrupted the court’s timely management of its docket, wasted judicial resources, and threatened the integrity of the court’s orders and the orderly administration of justice,” Leen wrote.

Dorsey issued an order of dismissal Tuesday. In the order, she noted that Portillo had filed no objections to Leen’s report and recommendation. In addition, the judge noted that neither Portillo nor her lawyer had appeared in court on Monday afternoon for the last hearing before trial.

Norman came to court on time and announced that he was ready for trial, according to Dorsey’s order. After waiting 30 minutes to start the hearing, the judge vacated the trial date and directed the clerk of court to close the case.

No trial date has been set in the other civil rights lawsuit, filed by Victoria Murnane and Melissa Davis. U.S. District Judge Miranda Du recently denied a defense motion to dismiss the Metropolitan Police Department from the case.

Attorney Maggie McLetchie, who represents the plaintiffs, said the case is in the discovery phase. She is scheduled to depose Norman later this month.