Vegas officer who used chokehold charged with manslaughter

LAS VEGAS – A suspended Las Vegas police officer who officials say used an unapproved chokehold has become the first in the department in 27 years to be charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of a person he was trying to arrest.

Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said Monday that Officer Kenneth Lopera’s on-duty actions in the May 14 death of Tashii Brown crossed a line into criminal conduct.

The court filing was expected, after Lopera was arrested June 5 on felony manslaughter and oppression under color of office charges.

He is free on $6,000 bail pending arraignment Aug. 21.

Police officials say Lopera used a stun gun seven times and punched Brown several times before putting him in the unapproved neck hold for more than a minute.

Lopera’s police union legal representative, Steve Grammas, says they’ll fight the charges.

Brown also used the name Tashii Farmer.