IN BRIEF

FRAUD, MONEY LAUNDERING CASE

Jury to be seated in local attorney's trial

Attorneys spent Tuesday afternoon poring over questionnaires filled out by 77 prospective jurors, a handful of whom will determine the fate of Las Vegas attorney Noel Gage.

Twelve jurors and three alternates are expected to be seated today. Opening statements are expected in the afternoon.

Gage faces fraud, money laundering and other felony charges in relation to what the federal government claims was a multimillion-dollar scheme to inflate settlements and judgements in personal injury cases.

Last year, a grand jury indicted Gage and medical consultant Howard Awand. The indictment against the two says they conspired with each other and Las Vegas doctors to boost medical bills and pad their own pockets.

Gage and Awand will be tried separately.

Attorneys expect the Gage trial to last at least a month.

MAN FOUND IN ALLEYWAY

Police seek killers, witnesses in shooting

A man shot Tuesday in and found in an alleyway of the Buena Vista Springs Apartments off of Martin Luther King Boulevard later died of his injuries.

The victim, whose identity was not released, was found about 30 yards from a Chevrolet Monte Carlo that police believe he had been driving when he was shot, said Mark Hoyt, a spokesman with North Las Vegas police.

Hoyt said the victim was in his 30s. He was found lying on the pavement by police about 2:15 p.m. Hoyt said the man died either on his way to University Medical Center or at the hospital.

Police still were looking for witnesses and suspects.

The apartment complex is near Martin Luther King Boulevard and Cartier Avenue. Hoyt said police often have a difficult time getting witnesses of homicides in that part of town to speak to them.

"They're scared," Hoyt said. "They don't want to talk."

Anyone with information on the shooting can call Crime Stoppers, 385-5555, or North Las Vegas police, 633-9111.

CUSTODY DISPUTE

Spears lawyer's bid for gag order rejected

A lawyer for Britney Spears was turned down Tuesday in Los Angeles in a bid for a gag order on attorneys in the pop star's child-custody dispute with ex-husband Kevin Federline.

Superior Court Commissioner Scott Gordon rejected the request after attorney Anne Kiley argued that media coverage was "emotionally and physically" dangerous to Spears.

Federline's lawyer, Mark Vincent Kaplan, contended that Spears' children aren't in jeopardy without the gag order and that Spears is more concerned about the paparazzi frenzy that follows her.

Kaplan noted that the paparazzi swarms existed before Spears filed for divorce in November 2006.

Neither Spears nor Federline were present at the hearing.

Spears has not been allowed to see sons Jayden James, 1, and Sean Preston, 2, since an incident at her home that led to the first of her two hospitalizations in a psychiatric facility this year and a decision by another court to put her father, James Spears, in charge of her affairs.

RENO CASE

Mack's lawyer urges judge to toss pleas

Darren Mack's lawyer is asking a judge to reconsider his motion to throw out his client's guilty pleas and the life sentence that Mack received for killing his wife and shooting the judge who handled their divorce.

District Judge Douglas Herndon already has rejected the request to toss the pleas.

Herndon on Feb. 8 sentenced Mack to life in prison with possible parole after 36 years for killing his estranged wife, Charla, in June 2006 and shooting Family County Judge Chuck Weller.

In a motion filed Friday, attorney William Routsis argued that Mack deserved a new sentence because special prosecutor Christopher Lalli committed misconduct by saying during sentencing that Mack "almost sliced or slashed Charla's head off."

FORMER FIRST LADY

Nancy Reagan returns home from hospital

Former first lady Nancy Reagan was released Tuesday from a Santa Monica, Calif., hospital, two days after falling at her Bel-Air home.

Reagan, 86, was released from St. John's Health Center and was "very happy to be back in her home," her spokeswoman Joanne Drake said in a prepared statement. Reagan has resumed her daily activities, Drake said.

The former first lady fell Sunday morning and was taken to the hospital, where doctors determined that she did not break a hip as previously feared.

ESTIMATE DOWNGRADED

Hollywood writers strike costs $2.5 billion

The 100-day Hollywood writers strike took a $2.5 billion toll on the Los Angeles County economy, which was less than had been estimated.

The figure includes wages lost by writers and other entertainment industry workers when the strike shut down production, according to Jack Kyser, chief economist of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.

His Tuesday estimate also represents damage done to Hollywood-dependent businesses such as limousine services and caterers in the area.

Last week, Kyser pegged the cost of the walkout at $3.2 billion. The revised final number reflects a reassessment of data and the fact that entertainment is a difficult industry to track.

CONGRESSIONAL BRIBERY CASE

Defense contractor gets 12 years in prison

A defense contractor was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison on Tuesday for bribing former U.S. Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham with cash, trips, the services of prostitutes and other gifts in exchange for nearly $90 million in Pentagon work.

Californian Brent Wilkes, 53, showed no emotion as U.S. District Judge Larry Burns delivered the sentence.

The judge said he was troubled that Wilkes insisted on his innocence even as he was about to go to prison.