Clark County Family Court

Wrongfully convicted forner VPD officer files lawsuit against Clark County

A former Vancouver police officer wrongfully convicted of sexually abusing his children in the 1980s has filed a federal lawsuit against Clark County, alleging false imprisonment and malicious prosecution among a host of other allegations.

Through his Seattle attorneys, Clyde Ray Spencer, 63, filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Tacoma on June 2, seeking unspecified damages to be determined at trial.

Spencer’s lawsuit is the latest in the former officer’s long quest to clear his name.

In 1985, he pleaded no contest — which is considered the same as a guilty plea — to sexually abusing his son, daughter and stepson. He was sentenced to two life terms, plus 14 years. His conviction was commuted by Gov. Gary Locke in 2004, then vacated by the Court of Appeals in 2009. Charges were officially dismissed in September. He served nearly 20 years in prison.

Spencer’s case was the subject of a 2005 series, “Reversal of Fortune,” in The Columbian and has drawn nationwide media attention, including from the TV show, “20/20.”

The 68-page civil complaint lists several inconsistencies with the police investigation. Those inconsistencies led to Spencer’s eventual exoneration. His two adult children now say the abuse never happened. Other discrepancies included the withholding of medical exams that showed no evidence of abuse and information that the supervising detective was having an affair with Spencer’s wife.

The suit names Deputy Prosecutor James Peters, Clark County sheriff’s Detective Sharon Krause and sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Davidson as defendants. The three no longer work for the county.

When reached by telephone Monday, Clark County Chief Civil Deputy Prosecutor Bronson Potter said he has yet to see the lawsuit, as it has not been served yet, and declined comment.

In the suit, attorneys Davis Wright Tremaine and Kathleen Zellner contend that Spencer, now of the Seattle area, was deprived of his right to due process and civil liberties, suffered emotional trauma over the stigma of the charges, and lost his family and job over the ordeal.

His children, Matthew Spencer and Kathryn Tetz, who live in Sacramento, Calif., and are now in their 30s, are also named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit. They allege the malicious prosecution and false imprisonment deprived them of having a relationship with their father.

“Matthew Spencer was not only physically deprived of a relationship with his father, but he was led to believe his father was a terrible person who had abused him and committed heinous crimes against him,” the lawsuit states.

Ex-Marine, FBI agent to head Vegas court security

LAS VEGAS (AP) - A decorated former Marine captain and longtime FBI supervisory agent is the new chief of security at the busy local and state courthouse Las Vegas.

Robert Sean Bennett starts Monday as security director for Clark County courts including the Regional Justice Center, Clark County Family Court and several other court facilities.

Clark County District Court Chief Judge Jennifer Togliatti says Bennett has 24 years of FBI experience in Las Vegas law enforcement, counterterrorism and criminal investigations.

Court spokeswoman Mary Ann Price says Bennett was awarded a Navy commendation as a Marine unit commander in 1983. His salary will be about $95,000, and his supervisor is court executive Steven Grierson.

The Clark County courts are the busiest in Nevada, with up to 8,000 visitors daily at the 17-floor downtown court building.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Juvenile justice, a social, historical, and legal perspective

The Sagebrush State, Nevada's history, government, and politics

Tate & Snyder Architects, architecture in a sprawling landscape

Juvenile court judges journal

The Northwestern reporter