: Judge orders MGM Resorts to maintain evidence -
(UPI) — A judge issued a restraining order preventing MGM Resorts from destroying evidence and cleaning up areas involved in the Route 91 Harvest music festival shooting that killed more than 50 people.
The temporary order, issued Thursday, compels MGM, which owns the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino where Stephen Paddock shot at concertgoers, to retain any evidence related to the Oct. 1 shooting.
The order would effectively prevent any cleanup from happening by MGM, KLAS reported.
Brian Nettles, an attorney representing recovering shooting victim Rachel Sheppard, asked for the restraining order to preserve any key card records, surveillance video, radio traffic, or any other evidence related to the shooting. He said, as of Wednesday, that Paddock’s room at the resort still had biohazard material lying around and a broken window.
“This is about answers, it’s about changing the way that we do things in this country, and that these hotels in these events protect their guests,” Nettles said, according to the Review-Journal.
He’d like potential evidence to be protected.
“Our concern is that before the discovery period starts, something bad could happen. That something could be altered, something could be destroyed,” Nettles said. “They said in court today, they’re already looking at fixing or changing that room.”
Lawyers for MGM Resorts countered that the order was unnecessary because the hotel was already preserving evidence for law enforcement.
One of the next pieces of evidence investigators hope to examine is a nearby airport’s giant fuel tank that Paddock shot, the Review-Journal reported in a separate article.
Law enforcement said Paddock fired at the tank from his 32nd-floor suite, managing to penetrate one of the tanks. Experts concluded it would have been virtually impossible to ignite the jet fuel with rifle fire.
On Thursday at the Orleans Arena, the newspaper reported 7,000 people attended a benefit concert called Vegas Strong: A Night of Healing to honor first responders and victims of the attack.
Singer Sierra Black and country pop group Rascal Flatts entertained the crowd that included 3,000 first responders.
“Tonight is all about you, all about the first responders,” radio personality Ransom Garcia told concertgoers.
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LAS VEGAS, Oct. 20, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Lawyers representing a woman who suffered three gunshot wounds to the chest during the massacre at the Route 91 Harvest Festival won an important court decision Thursday when Judge Mark Denton ruled in favor of an emergency Temporary Restraining Order to protect and preserve ALL EVIDENCE in the case.
"This order prevents MGM from sanitizing and destroying evidence of the hotel room the shooter used before victim's representatives have their one chance to inspect and photograph the room," said Attorney Brian Nettles who argued on behalf of shooting victim Rachel Sheppard.
It was revealed during the hearing that MGM opposed the order and wanted the ability to clean and restore the room where the gunman set up a shooting gallery above the Las Vegas Strip killing 58 people and injuring more than 500.
"The ruling means MGM is on notice that there will be serious legal consequences if evidence currently in their possession is altered, discarded, lost, destroyed or otherwise disappears," said attorney James Lee. "This also applies to evidence outside the hotel room."
26-year-old Rachel Sheppard of Tehachapi, California was blown to the ground October 1st when three bullets pierced her upper body. She died and was resuscitated twice, nearly "bled out" four times, underwent four surgeries, required 40 units of blood to date and has two bullets remaining in her chest. Her attorneys—James Lee, Craig Eiland, Brian Nettles and Christian Morris, filed suit against MGM Resorts International, Mandalay Corp and Live Nation Entertainment alleging proper security by MGM would have prevented the mass shooting.
"The hotel room was turned into a shooting gallery over a five day period without raising anyone's suspicion," said attorney Craig Eiland. "It seems very strange that MGM would oppose preserving the room without a court order."
"We believe all the victims deserve justice, the American people deserve the truth, and MGM and fellow defendants need to know the world is watching," said Nettles.
Attorneys for Rachel Sheppard are asking anyone with information that may be helpful, including information from other shooting victims or resort staff, to please call them at (702) 706-0904.
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