Judge rules governor must hand over phone records

Gov. Jim Gibbons’ phone records will be handed over to the woman who accused him of assault in the run-up to the 2006 gubernatorial election, a federal judge ruled this week.

Federal magistrate judge Peggy Leen rejected Gibbons’ request for a protective order preventing Chrissy Mazzeo from obtaining his phone records.

Her attorney earlier had subpoenaed the phone records from the Clark County district attorney’s office.

The agency kept Gibbons’ phone records and other documents in connection with a 2006 police investigation into Mazzeo’s claims that Gibbons assaulted her in a parking garage after a night of drinking. Leen ordered the records be turned over to Mazzeo by July 3.

But Leen also ordered that the records can’t be given to anyone not directly involved in the lawsuit.

“It’s a great victory,” said Robert Kossack, Mazzeo’s attorney. He said the records may show whether Gibbons talked to anyone about the Oct. 13, 2006 incident.

Mazzeo is suing Gibbons, former Clark County Sheriff Bill Young and others in federal court. She claims her rights to due process were violated when Gibbons allegedly attacked her. She also claims Gibbons and others orchestrated a cover-up in connection with the incident.

Pat Lundvall, Gibbons’ attorney, said Gibbons fully cooperated with authorities during the investigation and handed over all his records when asked by the district attorney’s office.

She said she’s pleased with Leen’s ruling because it ensures the records won’t be used for anything but the lawsuit.

“It’s not as if we have anything to hide,” she said.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.