Judge denies claim of abuse, declares he loved accuser
Embattled Family Court Judge Nicholas Del Vecchio on Wednesday fired back at the woman who had accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a minor and later sexually harassing her as an adult, saying he tried to help the woman financially and was in love with her.
In February the special prosecutor for the Nevada Judicial Commission filed a complaint against Del Vecchio, accusing him of sexual misconduct and abuse of power, including coercing his accuser, a judicial assistant, into having a sexual relationship with him.
In a response filed Wednesday, Del Vecchio attorney Bruce Shapiro described his client’s relationship with the woman, Rebeccah Murray, as consensual.
Del Vecchio hired Murray as his assistant because he wanted to help her with her legal career, the response states. It says their relationship grew beyond “just being friends” to the point where Del Vecchio wanted to marry her.
That version of the relationship is vastly different from Murray’s.
She accused Del Vecchio of taking nude photos of her when she was between the ages of 14 and 16 and had her perform oral sex on him.
When she later worked for him beginning in 2002, Del Vecchio allowed her to work an adjusted schedule on condition she have sex with him, the complaint with the Judicial Commission states.
Del Vecchio, 51, also became hostile toward Murray and threatened to fire her when she tried to break off the relationship, the complaint states.
Neither Del Vecchio nor Murray could be reached for comment late Wednesday. Attorneys representing Del Vecchio and Murray couldn’t be reached Wednesday night because their offices were closed by the time Del Vecchio’s response was released publicly.
Del Vecchio, who was elected to the bench in 2000 after seven failed attempts, is running for re-election and faces a primary challenge in August 2008.
Only the Judicial Discipline Commission has the authority to remove a sitting judge. It hasn’t taken any action against Del Vecchio, and he remains on the bench.
On Wednesday, Del Vecchio asked the commission to hold off going forward with Murray’s complaint until a similar civil lawsuit against him in District Court is resolved.
That suit, filed March 31 by Murray, accuses Del Vecchio of assault, invasion of privacy, inflicting emotional distress and other charges.
In the complaint, she alleges Del Vecchio was hostile and abusive toward her when she refused to have sex with him. Del Vecchio also threatened to publicize “compromising” photos of her taken when she was young, the complaint states.
Murray is asking for more than $50,000 in damages.
Del Vecchio’s relationship with Murray dates back more than 15 years. In 1991, Del Vecchio married Murray’s mother, Imogene Serranto, but they divorced within a year. Del Vecchio later made inappropriate sexual remarks about Serranto when she was his law clerk in 2005, the Judicial Discipline Commission complaint states.
Del Vecchio remained friends with Murray after the divorce. In May 2002, Del Vecchio hired Murray as his judicial executive assistant because he “wanted to give Rebeccah the opportunity for a meaningful career,” his response stated.
During that time, Del Vecchio provided Murray with financial support and she started law school. He claims she began to take advantage of him and broke off their relationship.
In April 2004, Murray threatened Del Vecchio by saying she “had evidence and that if (she) wanted to (she) could take him down,” his response states. It doesn’t explain what the evidence is.
In May 2006, Murray filed a complaint against Del Vecchio with the Clark County Office of Diversity accusing him of sexual harassment. The office investigates allegations of workplace sexual, racial and religious harassment.
About two months later, the Office of Diversity concluded the judge’s relationship with Murray was consensual and his conduct “did not rise to the level of sexual harassment under the law,” his response states.
Murray’s civil lawsuit in District Court confirms the Office of Diversity’s investigation found there wasn’t evidence of sexual harassment. She states, however, that the county failed to thoroughly and fairly look into her allegations.
The Judicial Discipline Commission complaint against Del Vecchio alleges a myriad of offenses. It states he called a Hispanic bailiff a “lazy Mexican,” asked a bailiff who had a part time job with an airline to get him free airline tickets, and coerced staff to buy him free lunches.
Del Vecchio’s response says he hasn’t been accused of any wrongdoing from the bench aside from making offensive comments and using poor judgment.
Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.