Las Vegas Judge Makes Ruling on the Destruction of Shooting Evidence

A Las Vegas judge has approved a motion to prevent the deletion of evidence pertaining to domestic terrorist Stephen Paddock’s stay at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.

The court approved a temporary restraining order against MGM Resorts International, who runs the hotel, that prevents them from destroying surveillance footage, gambling records, photographs or any other evidence related to the Route 91 Harvest Festival shooting.

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This order was handed down in relation to a lawsuit filed on behalf of Rachel Sheppard, a woman severely injured in the attack carried out from Mandalay Bay, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Other defendants being sued are Paddock’s estate, festival organizer Live Nation Entertainment and bump stock manufacturer Slide Fire Solutions.

“There are so many victims that need answers,” Sheppard’s attorney, Brian Nettles, said. “This community needs answers. This nation needs answers… This isn’t simply about compensation. This is about answers, it’s about changing the way that we do things in this country, and that these hotels in these events protect their guests.”

Lawyers representing MGM pushed back against the order, saying it was too broad. They claim that most of the evidence has already been seized by the FBI, and it’s out of their hands.

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“There’s been absolutely no showing that my clients are failing to comply with their obligation to preserve evidence,” attorney Brad Brian said. “But if they’re asking us, for example to preserve and not alter the rooms in which this crime was committed, that’s impossible. The FBI has already altered the rooms, as you would imagine.”

MGM further clarified their intention to preserve the evidence in a later press release.

“This was a terrible tragedy perpetrated by an evil man,” the release read. “We have no intention of renting that room. We’ve been cooperating with law enforcement from the moment this happened, which includes preserving evidence.”