Suspect accused of killing waiter
A shackled and stoic Bryan Hall, the suspect in the slaying of a 27-year-old Forum Shops waiter, made his first court appearance Monday by television monitor.
Hall, 28, muttered just six words to Justice of the Peace Karen Bennett-Haron, twice saying "Yes I do," when she asked if he had a copy of the criminal complaint and if he understood the charges against him.
Hall was shown on monitor from the Clark County Detention Center wearing glasses and navy blue jail garb.
Jennifer Flamm, the mother of Brad Flamm, was at the hearing, as was the victim's girlfriend. Both declined to comment after the hearing.
Las Vegas police arrested Hall Thursday on charges of murder with a deadly weapon and robbery with a deadly weapon. He is being held without bail.
Brad Flamm's body was found on the east end of the Caesars Palace property on May 11 under bushes near the loading docks. Flamm had worked until 11 p.m. May 10 at Trevi, an Italian restaurant at the Forum Shops. Police said he was killed sometime after midnight.
Police have not yet determined a motive in the slaying, said Homicide Lt. Lew Roberts.
"He's the only one who knows, and he's not talking," said Roberts, referring to Hall.
Bennett-Haron appointed a public defender for Hall and set his next court appearance for Thursday. That hearing will clarify if attorney Gabriel Grasso will represent Hall.
Grasso, who was on O.J. Simpson's defense team last year when the football star was convicted of kidnapping and robbery charges, confirmed he's been in contact with Hall's family.
"I really don't want to say anything because I haven't been retained yet," he said.
Bennett-Haron also scheduled the preliminary hearing for Hall on June 1.
Roberts said Hall used a grapefruit sized rock in the slaying. He also said surveillance cameras caught Hall on video, but he didn't elaborate as to what was captured on camera.
A five-gallon paint bucket found near Flamm's head had fingerprint impressions that matched the suspect, according to Hall's arrest report. The report also stated that a Trevi chef told police that Hall worked at the restaurant a year ago and that the suspect and the victim knew each other.
Contact reporter Antonio Planas at planas @reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4638.
