Sherrice Iverson Bill approved by Senate

CARSON CITY -- Senators unanimously approved a bill Tuesday that allows prosecution of innocent bystanders who fail to tell authorities of sexual or violent acts committed against children 12 or younger and adults 60 or older.

Known as the Sherrice Iverson Bill, the proposal would make it a misdemeanor for anyone to fail to report such a crime within 24 hours of learning about it.

Some people are exempt from the law. They include people younger than 16, those who feel reporting a crime places themselves or their families in imminent danger of suffering bodily harm, those whose physical or mental disabilities make it difficult to file a report, relatives of the victim and people who gather privileged information, such as physicians, clergymen and lawyers.

Assembly Majority Leader Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, introduced the bill to help police solve crimes such as the May 1997 rape and murder of 7-year-old Iverson. Jeremy Strohmeyer lured the child into a bathroom at the Primm Valley hotel-casino in Primm, 45 miles south of Las Vegas. He later pleaded guilty to the crime and will spend the rest of his life in prison.

Strohmeyer's companion, David Cash, knew about the attack but did not report it to authorities. Residents were outraged that Cash did not report the crime to police and was not prosecuted, but Clark County District Attorney Stewart Bell said he could not prosecute Cash for failing to notify authorities covering the situation.

The measure already garnered unanimous support in the Assembly, but Assembly members now have to vote on the amended version.

Senators added the exemption for blood relatives of the victim and also a provision that protects people who report crimes from any subsequent civil or criminal action.

The latter measure can help assure people they will not be punished for acting in good faith and stepping forward, Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, said.

"We are taking a strong and reasonable step toward protection of a child in the state of Nevada," James said. "This is landmark legislation. We have never done this before. We've never required this kind of action on the part of an innocent bystander."

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