Judge Orders Release of Amputee Defendant Facing Trespassing Sentence

In a case that highlights the intersection of public safety and medical logistics, a Las Vegas judge has ordered the release of 51-year-old Steven Min, a defendant with nearly 200 prior cases in Justice Court. Min, who was serving time for a trespassing conviction, became the subject of a legal debate after it was revealed that his lack of ankles—due to previous amputations—prevented the successful application of a standard electronic monitoring bracelet.

Justice of the Peace Rebecca Saxe ruled that Min be released with 22 days remaining on his 180-day sentence. His defense attorney, Joseph Reiff, noted that Min’s legs and left hand were amputated years ago due to sepsis. The decision comes amid a broader, more contentious dispute between the Metropolitan Police Department and the courts over the use of house arrest for high-frequency offenders.

While the sheriff’s office has recently pushed back against releasing repeat offenders on GPS tracking, Min’s unique physical circumstances made the standard monitoring program impossible to implement. The ruling adds a new layer to the ongoing conversation about how the local justice system handles the release of individuals who have cycled through the courts for nearly two decades.

Source: Las Vegas Review-Journal