Henry Ruggs III’s preliminary hearing gets sixth date (re: ex-SEC street racers)

[jbcarol]

Henry Ruggs III's preliminary hearing gets sixth date




Saban: Where were the people who were supposed to look out for Ruggs?

The fatal DUI case involving Henry Ruggs III has moved to a fourth judge, who has set the sixth date for the former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver's preliminary hearing.

On May 4, Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Harmony Letizia is scheduled decide (sic) if enough evidence exists to proceed with the state's prosecution of Ruggs. Letizia capped a month of court action by setting the date on Monday, when Ruggs appeared before her for a status check.

State of Nevada contends the former Alabama standout was at fault in a fatal crash that occurred in Las Vegas at 3:39 a.m. Nov. 2, 2021. That's when a Corvette driven by Ruggs struck a Toyota RAV4 driven by Tina Tintor, a 23-year-old Las Vegas resident. Tintor and her little dog were killed.

Ruggs has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, two counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm and possession of a gun under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The original date of the preliminary hearing had been Dec. 16, 2021, and it had been rescheduled to March 10, May 19 and Sept. 7 in 2022 and Feb. 1 in 2023.

The most recent date was scrubbed off the court calendar due to the objections of Ruggs' attorneys in January. David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld objected to an action by Judge Ann E. Zimmerman, who presided over the case during 2022.

Law-enforcement authorities say Ruggs' Corvette was traveling at 156 mph 2.5 seconds before impact and 127 mph at the time of a collision. The LVMPD used data from the car's airbag control module to find those speeds.



Clark County Office of the Coroner determined Tintor died from "thermal injuries due to a motor-vehicle collision."

The Coroner's Office also determined that significant conditions contributing to Tintor's death "were inhalation of products of combustion, fractures of the nasal bones, right-sided ribs and left forearm, and a left hemothorax." (A hemothorax is a collection of blood in the space between the chest wall and the lung.)

After his bail was set at $150,000 on Nov. 3, 2021, Ruggs was released into an electronic-monitoring program. The use of SCRAM technology also is a condition of Ruggs' bail. SCRAM stands for secure continuous remote alcohol monitoring.

Raiders released Ruggs on the same day that the wreck occurred.

[jbcarol]

Henry Ruggs III back in court in dispute over judges



Who was watching out for Ruggs? -- Nick Saban

A week after a judge set the sixth preliminary hearing date for Henry Ruggs III, the former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver returned to Las Vegas Regional Justice Center on Monday, when his case took another turn toward a higher court.

Last week, Harmony Letizia scheduled Ruggs' preliminary hearing for May 4, when the court will decide if enough evidence exists for the state to proceed with its prosecution of the former Alabama standout. But which judge will make that ruling was the subject of a defense motion on Monday.

The State of Nevada contends the former Alabama standout was at fault in a fatal crash that occurred in Las Vegas at 3:39 a.m. Nov. 2, 2021. That's when a Corvette driven by Ruggs struck a Toyota RAV4 driven by Tina Tintor, a 23-year-old Las Vegas resident. Tintor and her dog were killed in the crash.

Ruggs has been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, two counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm and possession of a gun under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Letizia is the fourth judge to make a decision in Ruggs' case.

When 2023 started, Judge Joe Bonaventure was assigned to take over the DUI specialty court that was handling Ruggs' case. Judge Ann E. Zimmerman had presided over the case throughout 2022 in the DUI court, and she moved to keep it under her control by having it reassigned to her courtroom as she took on her new duties for 2023.

But Ruggs' attorneys charged Zimmerman singled out their client by moving his case when the administrative structure of the court called for Bonaventure to preside over it. They asked Judge Jennifer Schwartz of the Eighth Judicial District Court to order it reassigned to Bonaventure's court.

In a Feb. 10 ruling, Schwartz ordered Ruggs' case to return to DUI specialty court.

That made Bonaventure the judge shepherding the proceedings. Bonaventure had been the first judge to make a ruling regarding Ruggs, when he presided over the wide receiver's first court appearance after his arrest, set his bail and dictated the terms for his release from jail.

But on Feb. 21, Bonaventure recused himself from the case. Bonaventure said he should not preside over the case because of comments he had made about it while running for re-election.

...

[jbcarol]

Henry Ruggs III to enter plea in fatal 2021 DUI case

Henry Ruggs III is expected to plead guilty in connection with a fatal DUI crash, his lawyers said Tuesday.

The former Alabama and Las Vegas Raider wide receiver, through his defense attorneys, waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. The former wide receiver will plead guilty to a felony charge of DUI resulting in death and a misdemeanor count of vehicular manslaughter. Ruggs did not officially enter a guilty plea on Tuesday, but defense attorney David Chesnoff said that "both pleas will take place in District Court."

A 23-year-old woman Tina Tintor, and her dog, died in a fiery November 2021 crash in Las Vegas. Ruggs is accused of driving up to 156 mph down a residential street seconds before the fatal crash. Prosecutors have said that after the crash his blood alcohol level was 0.16%, twice the legal limit for drivers in Nevada.

Defense attorneys and prosecutors also agreed for Ruggs to serve a sentence of 3 to 10 years in prison, although a judge will have the final say.

[jbcarol]

What's going to happen to Henry Ruggs III on Wednesday?

Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III returned to the Clark County Detention Center on Thursday, but he didn't stay. He was there to be reprocessed after the status of his case changed.

If Ruggs' appearance at an arraignment hearing on Wednesday morning at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas goes as his attorneys and prosecutors have agreed, the former Alabama standout will be going soon to a detention center for at least a three-year stay.

One week ago, Ruggs unconditionally waived his right to a preliminary hearing and was bound over to the 8th Judicial District Court for arraignment. The court was informed that Ruggs would plead guilty at the arraignment to two charges and serve three to 10 years in state prison. The agreement calls for a sentence of 10 years, but he could become parole-eligible after three years.

The dramatic turn of events came two days before what would have been the sixth attempt at the preliminary hearing for Ruggs, when a judge would decide if the state had enough evidence to proceed with prosecution of the five charges against him.

That would have been almost 18 months since Ruggs was charged in a fatal automobile crash.

The State of Nevada has contended Ruggs was at fault in a deadly accident that occurred in Las Vegas at 3:39 a.m. Nov. 2, 2021. That's when a Corvette driven by Ruggs struck a Toyota RAV4 driven by Tina Tintor, a 23-year-old Las Vegas resident. Tintor and her dog were killed in the wreck.

Ruggs was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, two counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm and possession of a gun under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson has said Ruggs could have been sentenced to more than 50 years in prison if convicted of all the charges at a trial.

Under the plea arrangement, Ruggs will admit guilt to one count of DUI resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

If that happens on Wednesday, then Ruggs' formal sentencing would follow on another court date.

Judge Jennifer Schwartz will have the last word. If the judge doesn't accept the compromise between the defense and prosecution, then Ruggs would be able to retract his guilty plea and all original charges would be back in play for his trial.

Ruggs' arraignment is on the court calendar for 11 a.m. CDT Wednesday.

Law-enforcement authorities say Ruggs' Corvette was traveling at 156 mph 2.5 seconds before impact and 127 mph at the time of the collision. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department used data from the car's airbag control module to find those speeds.

The Clark County Office of the Coroner determined Tintor died from "thermal injuries due to a motor-vehicle collision."

The Coroner's Office also determined that significant conditions contributing to Tintor's death "were inhalation of products of combustion, fractures of the nasal bones, right-sided ribs and left forearm, and a left hemothorax." (A hemothorax is a collection of blood in the space between the chest wall and the lung.)

The Las Vegas police department reported tests on Ruggs at University Medical Center of Southern Nevada within two hours of the accident showed he had a blood-alcohol level of 0.161 percent. The legal limit in Nevada is 0.08 percent.

After his bail was set at $150,000 on Nov. 3, 2021, Ruggs was released into an electronic-monitoring program. The use of SCRAM technology also is a condition of Ruggs' bail. SCRAM stands for secure continuous remote alcohol monitoring.

But Ruggs hasn't been confined to his home and trips to court for the entire period. Ruggs received court permission on March 16, 2022, to train at Phase 1 Sports in Las Vegas from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the court ordered modifications to the electronic-monitoring program to permit the activity. On April 27, 2022, over an objection from the District Attorney's Office, the court issued a release order from electronic monitoring for Ruggs in response to a defense motion seeking permission for him to travel to California for medical treatment, according to court records. The court records show Ruggs was removed from the electronic-monitoring program for one month on May 2.

The original date for the preliminary hearing in Ruggs' case had been Dec. 16, 2021, and it had been rescheduled to March 10, May 19 and Sept. 7 in 2022 and Feb. 1 and May 4 in 2023.

A prep star at Lee High School in Montgomery, Ruggs caught 40 passes for 746 yards and seven touchdowns in 2019 for Alabama and had 98 receptions for 1,716 yards and 24 touchdowns in three seasons with the Crimson Tide.

Ruggs joined the Raiders as the 12th selection of the 2020 NFL Draft after he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.27 seconds at the NFL Scouting Combine, the fastest time at that year's event.

At the time of his arrest, Ruggs had 50 receptions for 921 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games for Las Vegas. The Raiders released Ruggs on the same day the wreck occurred (presumably after).

Ruggs had signed a four-year contract worth $16.672 million when he was drafted. Las Vegas paid him $11.019 million before his release, according to the sports financial website spotrac.com, with most of that as a $9.685 million signing bonus.

Coach Saban spoke at one of those off-season engagements in which was was said in the room used to stay in the room. It is like one in which he roasted A&M's NIL recruiting.

Saban blamed anyone except Ruggs III and of course, Nick Saban for what happened to Ruggs III, especially those who should have been "holding him accountable" as the time of the accident.

[jbcarol]

Why did Henry Ruggs III get a plea deal after being charged in deadly wreck?



Athlete's privilege

Clark County (Nevada) district attorney said his office accepted a plea arrangement with former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III because it was concerned the central piece of evidence in its case might be suppressed.

On Wednesday in 8th Judicial District Court in Las Vegas, Ruggs entered guilty pleas to charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter.

Ruggs was involved in a traffic crash on Nov. 2, 2021, in Las Vegas that "caused the senseless yet untimely death" of 23-year-old Tina Tintor and her dog.

If convicted of all charges, Ruggs could have been sentenced to more than 50 years in prison.

Under the terms of the deal, in exchange for his guilty plea to two charges, Ruggs will be sentenced on Aug. 9 to from three to 10 years of incarceration by the Nevada Department of Corrections.

Maybe she'll suspend these sentences.

[jbcarol]

Victim's family reacts to Henry Ruggs III's guilty plea

Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs III admitted his guilt on Wednesday in causing the traffic accident that killed 23-year-old Las Vegas resident Tina Tintor and her little dog, Max.

Ruggs entered guilty pleas to driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter during an appearance on Wednesday in the 8th Judicial District Court at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas.

Judge Jennifer Schwartz set Ruggs' sentencing for Aug. 9.

After Wednesday's court action, the family of Tintor issued a statement through its attorney, Farhan R. Naqvi.

"Today, like every day, we remember Tina and Max," the statement read, "and how they were taken from us that fateful night. No sentence will every bring Tina and Max back, but we hope that everyone learns from this preventable incident so that no other families suffer like we do. We appreciate the efforts of the district attorney's office to overcome the issues caused by the initial investigation, and we look forward to putting this behind us so that we can focus on honoring the memories of Tina and Max."

Law-enforcement authorities said Ruggs was driving more than three times the speed limit with a blood-alcohol level more than twice the legal limit in Nevada when he caused the fatal crash on Nov. 2, 2021.

[jbcarol]

Police finally release body-cam video of Henry Ruggs III wreck
 


The former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver is awaiting sentencing for his role in a fatal traffic crash. Burned girl and her little dog.
4:19 PM · May 19, 2023
·

[jbcarol]

Update:

Henry Ruggs III working from prison for $2.50 an hour

By Mark Inabinett |

When Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III entered the NFL as the 12th selection in the 2020 draft, he signed a four-year, $16.672 million contract that included a $9.685 signing bonus.

Less than four years later, Ruggs makes $2.50 an hour working in Carson City.

In May, Ruggs pleaded guilty to one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death and one count of misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter after reaching a plea arrangement with the Clark County (Nevada) District Attorney's Office.

In August, Judge Jennifer Schwartz (OJ Simpson Case) of the 8th Judicial Court chose to follow the plea agreement and sentenced Ruggs to from 36 to 120 months in prison for the first count and six months in prison for the second count. The sentences are being served concurrently.

State of Nevada contended Ruggs was at fault in a deadly accident that occurred in Las Vegas at 3:39 a.m. Nov. 2, 2021. That's when a Corvette driven by Ruggs struck a Toyota RAV4 driven by 23-year-old Las Vegas resident Tina Tintor. Tintor and her dog died.

Ruggs is serving his sentence at Stewart Conservation Camp.

Most of the inmates at Stewart Conservation Camp are assigned to fire crews working with the Nevada Division of Forestry, which has 22 trained personnel

Some inmates work at the Silver State Industries ranch, which grows alfalfa, operates a dairy and raises cattle. Ranch inmates also work training horses for adoption through the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Program.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported this week that Ruggs is earning $2.50 an hour working in government offices in Carson City. He also earns work credits that could take time off his maximum sentence of 10 years, but do not apply until he has served his minimum sentence of three years.

Before Ruggs was released by the Raiders on the same day as the wreck occurred, the NFL team had paid the wide receiver $11.019 million, according to the sports financial website spotrac.com, with most of that in the signing bonus.

Originally, Ruggs had been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death, driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death or substantial bodily harm, two counts of reckless driving resulting in death or substantial bodily harm and possession of a gun under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson had said Ruggs could have been sentenced to more than 50 years in prison if convicted of all the original charges at a trial. But Wolfson later accepted a plea arrangement because of concerns the central piece of evidence in the case – the blood-test results --

Law-enforcement authorities said Ruggs' Corvette was traveling at 156 mph 2.5 seconds before impact and 127 mph at the time of the collision.

The Clark County Office of the Coroner determined Tintor died from "thermal injuries due to a motor-vehicle collision." The Coroner's Office also determined that significant conditions contributing to Tintor's death "were inhalation of products of combustion, fractures of the nasal bones, right-sided ribs and left forearm, and a left hemothorax." (A hemothorax is a collection of blood in the space between the chest wall and the lung.)

After his bail was set at $150,000 on Nov. 3, 2021, Ruggs was released into an electronic-monitoring program.

The original date for the preliminary hearing in Ruggs' case had been Dec. 16, 2021, and it was rescheduled to March 10, May 19 and Sept. 7 in 2022 and Feb. 1 and May 4 in 2023 without ever taking place.

The delays were caused by the wait for a 47-page police report, a defense request for more time to inspect the evidence, a dispute over judges and court assignment and a challenge to the legality of the blood draw that yielded incriminating evidence after Ruggs declined to submit to a field sobriety test.

[jbcarol]

Henry Ruggs III working at Nevada Governor's Mansion while incarcerated

By Mark Inabinett |

Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs is working as a community trusty in the Nevada Governor's Mansion, KLAS-TV in Las Vegas reported on Wednesday.

A former Montgomery prep star and Alabama standout, Ruggs was sentenced to from 36 to 120 months in prison on Aug. 9, 2023, after pleading guilty to one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or controlled or prohibited substance resulting in death.

Reports earlier this year indicated Ruggs was earning $2.50 an hour working in government offices in Carson City, where the Nevada Governor's Mansion is located. He also earns work credits that could take time off his maximum sentence of 10 years, but do not apply until he has served his minimum sentence of three years.

Without detailing Ruggs' duties, Nevada Department of Corrections spokesperson Teri Vance told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that Ruggs was one of a "handful" of inmates assigned to the mansion.

Ruggs is incarcerated at Stewart Conservation Camp, which is about 5 miles from the Nevada Governor's Mansion. With a capacity of 360 inmates and a staff of 15 Nevada Department of Corrections employees, Stewart Conservation Camp works with the Nevada Division of Forestry, which has 22 personnel at the prison. Many of the inmates are assigned to fire crews.