Gaule arraignment postponed

The Las Vegas homeowner indicted on charges he illegally gunned down an intruder at his home after pursuing him 500 feet down a street may want to represent himself on the felony county of voluntary manslaughter.

Thomas Gaule also shot another intruder to death, but a Clark County Grand Jury found no wrongdoing in that act because it occurred at the home.

Gaule's scheduled arraignment today was postponed by District Judge Joseph Pavlikowski until Jan. 22 to give the 35-year-old defendant time to talk with his court-appointed attorney, Deputy Public Defender Pete Christiansen.

Pavlikowski also released Gaule on his own recognizance pending a trial in the case.

Gaule today presented documents to the court that he wants to be co-counsel, but the judge said he could either represent himself or be represented by the public defender's office.

"Do you want to represent yourself?" the judge asked.

"Not necessarily," Gaule replied.

Pavlikowski then delayed the proceedings to let Gaule talk with his lawyer and determine his course.

The voluntary manslaughter indictment was handed down Dec. 11 after the grand jury heard two days of testimony in its quest to determine whether the shootings of Jason Lamb, 26, and Rick Tripp were justified or illegal retaliation.

The shootings occurred after Gaule said he arrived home on the morning of Oct. 25 to find the two men in the home at 400 Lakehurst Road near Alta and Buffalo Drives.

Gaule told police he was beaten and disabled with an electronic stun gun but finally broke away from his attackers, grabbed a gun from his house and opened fire, hitting both men.

Lamb's body was found on the driveway of the home. Tripp died of multiple shotgun wounds at the corner of Lakehurst and Pinedale Avenue about 100 feet from Helen Marie Smith Elementary School and 500 feet from Gaule's home after several more shots were fired, police said.

Tripp is said to have been owed money by Gaule for cleanup work done around the home.

archive