Halverson’s condition improving after husband’s attack

By Mary Manning

Published Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 | 7:23 a.m.

Updated Friday, Sept. 5, 2008 | 4:48 p.m.

Judge Elizabeth Halverson, who was attacked with a frying pan by her husband last night, is in critical condition Friday afternoon in intensive care at Sunrise Hospital, but her condition is improving.

Metro Police detectives have not been able to interview Halverson because she is heavily sedated after head, shoulder and chest blows, authorities said.

The suspended judge's husband, 49-year-old Edward Halverson, was arrested for attempted murder and battery after he allegedly used the frying pan to attack her Thursday night, Clark County Detention Center records show.

Metro Police responded to their home in the southeast Las Vegas Valley after Judge Halverson called 911 about 10:50 p.m. Thursday.

She reported that she needed help because her husband was going to beat her to death, police said.

When officers arrived at the home in the 4100 block of Oxnard Circle, near U.S. 95 and Tropicana Avenue, they found Edward Halverson in the living room area, police said.

The judge was found in a rear bedroom with severe injuries to her face, chest and upper arm area, police said. She was being treated for injuries at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center.

Police said Edward Halverson had used a frying pan to beat her.

"She stated to the officers that her husband, Ed, had beat her up and had tried to kill her," the initial police report said.

Police spokesman Jose Montoya said he had no immediate information about Halverson's medical condition. A spokesman at Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center said he could release no information about Halverson's injury or her condition.

Edward Halverson was arrested in connection with attempted murder, battery with substantial bodily harm and battery with a deadly weapon, the detentions center's records indicated. Records show he is a felon and has been arrested in the past on a charge of a felon in possession of a gun.

Halverson was suspended in July 2007. She lost a recent bid for re-election in the August primaries.

She is awaiting a decision by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, which could permanently bar her from the bench after two weeks of hearings in August. Among a dozen complaints about her heard by the commission, the judge was accused of sleeping on the bench and treating her staff like servants.

Edward Halverson has been in trouble with the law since an arrest in Las Vegas during 1979 when the 20-year-old man went to jail on burglary and auto theft charges. The charges were dismissed in 1980.

Halverson was arrested in Las Vegas on a fugitive warrant from New Mexico in 1986 for possessing cocaine.

In 1988 Dallas County, Texas authorities arrested him for possession of cocaine.

He pleaded guilty in June 1989 and received five years' probation, court records show.

In early 1991 authorities charged Halverson with parole violation, but he had gone to Colorado.

In October 1991 Halverson was arrested in Las Vegas on a fugitive warrant from the Texas drug case. The outcome of that case is unclear.

A Jefferson County, Colo., judge sentenced Halverson to 10 years in prison for burglary during December 1992. He served four years on the charge and was paroled in September 1996. He came to Nevada and his parole ended in May 2000.