Slaying suspect’s hearing set

It's not hard to see why friends and relatives of 19-year-old Chris Luscombe nicknamed him "Superman." A linebacker with NFL dreams, Luscombe was more than 6 feet tall and weighed 225 pounds. He was his high school's prom king in 2007, could bench press 400 pounds and was considered a hero by some of his friends.

Luscombe is now fighting for his life at University Medical Center. He was critically wounded on June 8 during a shooting at Bob Baskin Park that left 18-year-old David Miramontes dead.

On Wednesday, more than a dozen friends and relatives of Luscombe, wearing shirts with the Superman logo on the front, went to court to catch a glimpse of Jessie James Cole, the 21-year-old man accused of carrying out the shooting.

Relatives of Miramontes also attended the hearing.

During the brief hearing before Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Karen Bennett-Haron, Cole said he understood the charges against him. He appeared in court via teleconference from the county jail, where he is being held on murder and attempted murder charges, among others.

The court hearing upset Thomas Passante, Luscombe's 75-year-old grandfather. During the proceeding, Passante asked Bennett-Haron why they set the preliminary hearing in July "while a boy is dead and my grandson is lying here."

Bennett-Haron explained that it was merely for scheduling purposes and she had other cases to hear.

After the hearing, Passante said he was frustrated in the courtroom because he was worried that Cole's case would be postponed.

Cole will appear in court again on July 15 for the preliminary hearing, which is to determine whether investigators have enough evidence to hold Cole for trial.

Authorities said Cole randomly fired into a crowd that had gathered at the park in the early morning hours of June 8. Police believe Cole opened fire at the park following a fight at a party earlier that night.

After he was arrested, Cole told a jail medical staffer that he didn't remember the shooting but acknowledged the evidence pointed to him, according to a Las Vegas police report.

Passante said Cole, if found guilty, should spend the rest of his life behind bars.

Passante also said he hopes a judge doesn't grant Cole bail while the trial is pending.

"I just want justice done fairly," he said.

Passante said Luscombe isn't speaking yet.

Luscombe was shot in the torso and the bullet "ping-ponged" in his body before exiting, he said.

"Every day we don't know if he's going to live or die. It's not right. It's just not right," Passante said.

Luscombe was listed in critical condition Wednesday afternoon.

Passante said the family just wants Luscombe to come home but knows, given his condition, that it's an uphill battle.

"He's so damn good. That's why he's still fighting," he said. "But he's going to beat it. I know it."

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