Judicial ethics complaint filed against Justice of Peace Tatro

A Carson City woman who previously accused bailiffs at the capital's district court of violating her rights, manhandling, and injuring her during an arrest has filed a complaint with the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline accusing Justice of the Peace John Tatro of bias.

Tonya Brown last month lost her lawsuit in federal court against the city and the bailiff who arrested her for trespassing.

Brown said she believes Tatro was biased against her in her justice court trial on the trespass charges in which she was convicted. She said Tatro's comments were so biased that, during her federal court civil-rights trial, U.S. District Judge Ed Reed refused to allow those statements to go to the jury.

She was arrested after entering the courthouse lobby with a protest sign. She and others were protesting the city's refusal to release a grand jury report involving the sheriff's department, district attorney's office and courts.

But the protest occurred when tensions were high because of the ongoing trial of Rocky Boice Jr. in the beating death of Sammy Resendiz. Authorities were concerned about possible violence between Hispanic and American Indian gang members because of the trial.

Brown said in her complaint to the judicial discipline commission that Tatro was biased against her because she was protesting the city's handling of the grand jury report, and he should have recused himself from presiding over her case.

Tatro could not be reached for comment.

Commission Executive Director David Sarnowski said he couldn't comment on whether any complaint has been filed naming Tatro. He said the commission reviews all complaints to determine whether there is enough merit to the allegations to warrant an investigation. If there is, the commission reviews the investigation report to determine if it should hold a hearing to consider possible disciplinary action.

He said the majority of complaints turn out to be baseless and are dismissed.

• Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.