Knappster: Expect bombshells if eye doctor Buzard goes to trial

By George Knapp

Can it be true that prominent ophthalmologist Dr. Kurt Buzard is preparing to go to court on drug charges, rather than stick to the deal he has already accepted? Dr. Buzard, a pioneer in the development of laser eye surgery and operator of a very successful practice in Las Vegas, was busted back in August after cops found two grams of cocaine hidden in his car, which was parked outside Buzard's office. He was originally charged with two felonies but has recently cut a deal to plead to a misdemeanor count, a fine and no jail time.

Purely by coincidence, Knappster had interviewed Buzard several days before he was popped. The topic of the interview was a dispute Buzard was having with the Culinary Union and rival Eyeglass World over an alleged billing scam. At that time, the doc seemed a model of propriety and professionalism. His Buzard Eye Institute offices were most impressive to this reporter.

Buzard's arrest wasn't made until three weeks after the cops caught him inside the car. Sources close to the story said the good doctor went away for awhile to get some counseling, that he wanted to keep the incident as quiet as he could in hopes of salvaging his reputation, his practice and, most importantly, his medical license.

Now, there is a buzz downtown that the doctor may not stick to his plea deal after all, that he might be willing to go to trial. The only way this makes sense is if a guilty plea would mean the loss of his medical license. (Buzard's attorney Rick Wright was out of town and unavailable for comment.) Still, some who know the case well say they will be floored if the decision is made to go to court, and for good reason. The presence of drugs in Buzard's car isn't the most embarrassing revelation that could arise from this case. Law enforcement sources say Buzard wasn't alone when police nailed him. An unidentified woman was also in the vehicle. And they say his physical appearance and bearing, including his choice of, uh, unusual apparel, were far removed from the traditional bedside manner, white lab coat or hospital scrubs normally associated with physicians. There's more, we're assured, a lot more.

Put it this way: If this thing goes to trial, jurors may never again look at their own doctors in the same way.

Tasers don't kill

The death of 26-year-old William Lomax a few days ago following an altercation with police and private security guards has some people crying about police brutality, and about the dangers of electronic stun guns, or Tasers. It is understandable that family members would be upset at the loss of their loved one. But in this case, the charges don't seem to fit.

For one thing, Tasers don't kill people. Extensive testing across the entire country have proven beyond reasonable doubt that these devices stun, but don't kill. Las Vegan Dr. John Alexander, a retired Army Intelligence colonel who is considered one of the world's foremost experts on non-lethal weapons, and the author of Future War: Non-Lethal Weapons in 21st Century Warfare, says there is simply no way that a Taser used by police killed Lomax.

Alexander says there have been deaths associated with Taser use, but in each of those cases, it turned out the person who died was found to have been killed by drugs, not electric shock. "These were people who were already dead or dying of an overdose but didn't know it," Alexander says.

Lomax seems to fit the bill. He complained of being ill, said he needed an ambulance, then went into a rage when paramedics tried to help him. He ended up battling eleven people, including four security guards and a Metro cop, fighting like a man possessed. There's a strong possibility that toxicology tests will reveal high concentrations of drugs in his system, although those tests take weeks to complete. (Sources say Lomax had PCP in his system, although the amounts have yet to be determined.)

Cops aren't perfect, that's for sure, but it looks like, in this case, it would be a real stretch to blame them for this death, just as it would to put the onus on Tasers.

Names and faces

The death of actor Joe Viterelli, the beefy, dour-faced star of several gangster movies and TV shows, caught many of his Las Vegas friends completely by surprise. Viterelli passed away in late January, but for some reason, his death wasn't reported here until this week. Locals may remember him from his appearance in TV ads for the Crazy Horse Too, playing the part of a happy customer. Apparently, Viterelli became enamored of our city and was a regular at Piero's for Monday Night Football gatherings ... Someone has been selling copies of Britney Spears' marriage certificate on eBay. The seller claims to have only two copies of "the original duplicate", obtained from the Clark County Marriage Bureau, and was letting them go for a mere 18 bucks. Hmmm, how hard would it be to make another copy of the original duplicate? Just asking ... State Senate candidate Bob Beers is cranking up his fundraising efforts. Beers is holding an event this Friday from 7 p.m. until 9 at Club Oxygen Experience on West Lake Mead. Why an oxygen bar for a guy named Beers? The Beers candidacy is being billed as "a breath of fresh air." Ah, I get it ... Floyd Lamb State Park may be in a political limbo of sorts now that the state wants to hand it over to the City of Las Vegas, but regardless of which entity controls the park, it still needs to be spruced up. The Tule Springs Preservation Committee is rolling up its sleeves this weekend to pick up trash, scrape old paint and do similar clean-up activities to get the park in shape. The committee is calling for volunteers to help out from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday morning. Breakfast will be provided to anyone who shows up to help. Interested parties can call Don White at 656-0385 ... Holy moley, you should hear some of the stories floating around about alleged sexual trysts at the county jail. Websites devoted to local cop chat are abuzz with unproven tales of debauchery ... Boulder City residents Frank and Narda Walters are beaming with pride these days, now that they've become the first couple in the country to catch a carp or other fish in all 50 states. It took them 12 years to finish the job, but when they finally bagged that last fish (number 50 was caught in Alaska), it made such an impression in the world of anglers that they were chosen to act as President of the Carp Anglers Group, an international organization of carp fishermen, which this writer didn't even know existed. Congratulations, Frank and Narda ... Car dealer and history buff Jim Marsh has announced plans for his "Hacks and Tracks VI" outing planned for this may. Marsh gets together with close to 50 friends and heads out into the Nevada outback each year, checking out small towns and out-of-the-way attractions. this year's trek will stop in Tonopah, Austin, Eureka, Ely and other bumps in the road. Knappster has yet to find a Nevada town where Marsh isn't known. Heck, it seems like he owns a bar or building or something in most of these places.