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WEEK IN REVIEW: Top news

A one-time political power broker accused of funneling thousands of dollars in illegal campaign contributions to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid was indicted Wednesday by a federal grand jury in Reno.

Harvey Whittemore, 55, is an influential attorney and former lobbyist who dreamed up the now-languishing Coyote Springs development.

Whittemore faces four counts: making excessive campaign contributions, making contributions in the name of another and two counts of making a false statement to a federal agency.

An arrest warrant was issued for Whittemore, but he surrendered to the FBI on Thursday.

He appeared in court in Reno a few hours later to enter a plea of not guilty while wearing a dark suit and ankle shackles.

If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison and a $1 million fine.

Monday

Deadly force disclosed

Declaring an unprecedented new "level of accountability," Sheriff Doug Gillespie announced the release of internal documents that detail fatal encounters between Las Vegas police and civilians.

Such deadly force incidents have for decades been publicly scrutinized at the coroner's inquest, but changes to the system and an ongoing legal challenge by police unions have stalled inquests for 19 months.

Gillespie said the public deserves to know what happened when someone dies at the hands of his officers.

Tuesday

Plea deal for Hampton

Doug Hampton, a one-time top aide to former Sen. John Ensign, agreed to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of violating federal lobbying law.

Hampton would enter the plea on Thursday as part of a deal reached with federal prosecutors who had pressed multiple charges that the former Las Vegan had broken the law that restricts Senate aides from lobbying for a year after they leave Capitol Hill.

Wednesday

Death penalty sought

Prosecutors announced they will seek the death penalty for Bryan Clay, the suspect in what they called the "savage" slaying of a 10-year-old girl and her mother with a claw hammer.

Clay was indicted by a Clark County grand jury the same day fifth-grader Karla Martinez was supposed to graduate from Hoggard Elementary School.

He is accused of raping and killing the girl and her mother, Ignacia "Yadira" Martinez, 38, in their home on April 15.

Prosecutors called the evidence "overwhelming."

Thursday

President stops at UNLV

During a lightning-quick visit to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, President Barack Obama urged supporters to telephone, use Twitter and find other ways to press Republicans in Congress not to let student loan interest rates double in July.

Although Obama slammed GOP leaders in Congress for inaction, both Democrats and Republicans are trying to prevent Stafford student loan interest rates form doubling in July from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent.

But they can't agree on how to pay the $6 billion cost.

Minutes after Obama concluded his speech, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in Washington proposed a possible compromise to fund the student loan subsidy.

Friday

It's all the rave

Las Vegas Valley residents began to feel a pulsating beat in their bones as the Electric Daisy Carnival made its second return to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The three-day annual electronic music festival - complete with seven stages, including the biggest free-standing stage in North America - is expected to draw 345,000 people.

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