Man, jailed in 2007 robbery, settles lawsuit against police

A civil rights lawsuit against the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was dismissed this week after the parties reached a confidential settlement.

Joshua Donizetti filed the federal lawsuit in December 2009.

He claimed a prejudicial photo lineup caused witnesses to identify him as the man who robbed them at gunpoint in May 2007.

Because of the identifications, Donizetti spent 3½ months in the county jail.

"We're pleased to get some compensation for Mr. Donizetti for his incarceration without trial," said the man's lawyer, Ryan Alexander.

The police department's lawyer, Lyssa Anderson, could not be reached for comment.

Donizetti claimed the photo lineup was prejudicial because it included five other men who looked nothing like him.

According to a warrant for Donizetti's arrest, four people were robbed of more than $1,500 at an apartment on Karen Avenue, near Lamb Boulevard.

Police said they conducted a second photo lineup after they received information that Donizetti might not be the robber. That time, only two witnesses identified Donizetti.

The district attorney's office dropped all charges against Donizetti in November 2007, after he had missed Halloween and Thanksgiving with his two young children. He also had missed work.

"Our position was they held him for several months when witnesses were identifying somebody else," Alexander said.

Contact reporter Carri Geer Thevenot at cgeer@review journal.com or 702-384-8710.