New Civil Rights Complaint Filed Against Las Vegas Marshals

LAS VEGAS – The American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada on Friday filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Las Vegas alleging unconstitutional enforcement actions by the Las Vegas City Marshals.

The nonprofit is representing Lance Downes-Covington, who was unlawfully stopped, arrested, and assaulted by a Las Vegas marshal during a traffic encounter in April 2023. The case is Downes-Covington v. City of Las Vegas, Case No. 2:25-cv-00737.

During the incident, a Las Vegas marshal stopped Downes-Covington in his neighborhood. The marshal drew their handgun, threatened him with a stun gun, and violently slammed him to the ground, despite Downes-Covington complying with all orders.

He was taken to the Las Vegas jail and then sent to the hospital for injuries he got during the encounter with the marshals. The charges against him, for allegedly resisting and obstructing, were eventually dropped.

General traffic enforcement falls outside the Las Vegas marshals' jurisdiction, and their actions violated our client’s rights under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and under Article 1 of the Nevada Constitution. The case filing also alleges civil rights violations for excessive force, prolonged detention, and false arrest and imprisonment.

The case is seeking a court order declaring that the Las Vegas City Marshals office misinterpreted the scope of its authority, monetary damages, and attorney fees. The Las Vegas marshals were named in a separate, unaffiliated civil rights lawsuit in March.

ACLU of Nevada executive director Athar Haseebullah said:

“This case goes beyond an unlawful stop and arrest. It’s about ensuring law enforcement agencies in Nevada operate within the legal limits of their authority and do not exercise powers they simply do not have. No one should have to fear being violently assaulted by law enforcement, but especially by officers who have no authority to stop anyone in the first place. We will not allow government actors to exceed their legal boundaries at the expense of Nevadans’ constitutional rights, and we will continue to relentlessly pursue justice for our client and others impacted by the Las Vegas marshals’ misconduct.”