Piling On

Something stinks in Vegas

LAS VEGAS -- (AP) Three homeless men have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city of Las Vegas, seeking millions of dollars after being jailed on charges they broke a law that was no longer on the books.

Jerry Halfpap, 46, David Hicks, 44, and Eastman Webber, 65, seek $2 million each for civil rights violations. The men were each accused of sleeping too close to a deposit of feces -- a law that the city adopted in August but repealed in September.

I don't know about you, but as a trained journalist, I had the strong feeling there was more to this story. So I telephoned Elena Owens, a spokeswoman for the mayor of Las Vegas.

Me: So what's up with the poop statute?

Elena: Actually, it was put in the ordinance by mistake.

Me: By mistake? An ordinance accidentally said you couldn't sleep near a pile of poo?

Elena: Yes. And it was rescinded, but that apparently didn't trickle down to the city marshals who arrested the men.

Me: You said "trickle down."

Elena: Ha-ha.

Me: So, how does a mistake like that happen?

Elena: I'm going to put you in touch with Brad Jerbic, the city attorney.

Me: So, Brad, how does a mistake like that happen?