Dayvid Figler
Encyclopedia
Dayvid Figler is a performer, author and trial lawyer
in the United States
. He became one of the youngest lawyers in Nevada
history after successfully taking the bar exam at age 23. In 2003, he began and served a short term as a Las Vegas
municipal court judge after being appointed by Mayor Oscar B. Goodman.
Apart from his success as one of the better known criminal defense attorneys in Las Vegas, he has become a regarded legal commentator, one of the most quoted authorities on Las Vegas,
and a prolific radio commentator and writer on a variety of topics related to Las Vegas.
’s All Things Considered
Program. He is also an alum of one of the longest running sketch college sketch comedy groups in the nation, Comedy Corner
at the University of Arizona.
Dayvid Figler served as a congressional intern in Washington, D.C. for now Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid in 1987 and later completed an internship with the United States Attorneys office in Las Vegas. Upon graduation from law school, he worked for a number of unions and fellow high-profile criminal defense attorney, Dominic Gentile. Eventually, Figler took an associate position with the Clark County Special Public Defender’s office where he exclusively represented indigents charged with murder, including those facing the death penalty.
He has been cited and quoted as a noted legal expert in many places including the New York Times, National Public Radio, Newsweek, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times.
, and the stated motive for their killing was an attempt to steal money the men had made on the road with Phish. At trial, evidence was presented that Johnson was responsible for a number of other murders and attempt murders. The jury, however, did not impose the death penalty after Figler’s impassioned closing argument. Later, a 3-judge panel of judges imposed the death penalty. Arguing one of the first cases in the country in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2000 ruling in Apprendi v. New Jersey
, Figler successfully advocated the landmark case and in a published opinion, the 3-judge death panels of Nevada were ruled unconstitutional and the Court vacated the imposition of the death penalty. JOHNSON V. STATE, 118 Nev. Adv. Op. No. 79 (12/18/02)
program both as a guest and a commentator. . The Nancy Grace appearances led to a number of guest appearances on other TruTV programs including Star Jones
, Best Defense with Jami Floyd and Courtside with Ashley Banfield and Jack Ford
where he primarily offered day-to-day coverage on O.J. Simpson’s kidnapping trial.
Widely regarded as the best known and most popular Nevada slam poet and travelling urban storyteller, Figler has toured the United States at many festivals and events as a featured performer.
. Most notably, since 1997, he has been featured at SxSW, Bumbershoot, North by Northwest, the National Poetry Slam competition, the Porchlight storytelling series in San Francisco
, the Back Fence PDX storytelling series in Portland, Oregon,, HEEB storytelling and the SF Sketchfest
2011. In Nevada, he tours as part of the Tumblewords initiative through the Nevada Arts Council bringing literary events to rural Nevada towns. In 1998, he created a one-man show called “Dayvid Figler IS Jim Morrison in Hello I Love You, Where You Folks From?”. In 2006, he was named Best Las Vegas Poet by the readers of LV CityLife weekly.
In October 2010, Figler took his storytelling experiences further by producing Las Vegas' premier storytelling series, The Tell. http://weeklyseven.com/the-tell
In 2000, he began as a featured commentator on radio station, KNPR in Las Vegas and his audio essays are archived under the banner “Ain’t Necessarily So” on the stations website. A number of those commentaries were broadcast nationally on NPR’s All Things Considered
. In 2002, 2003 and then again in 2005, his essays were named Best Radio Program by the Electronic Media Awards, Las Vegas’ primary broadcast media awards. In 2003, he was also named Best Radio Personality by reader’s poll of the Las Vegas Review Journal, Nevada’s largest circulation daily paper. In 2010, the Vegas Valley Book Festival awarded the individual Crystal Bookmark Award to Figler for his lifelong contribution to the cause of literary awareness in Southern Nevada.
A frequent contributor to Las Vegas weekly and monthly magazines, his first national magazine article was the main feature for the Politics issue of Heeb (magazine), where he profiled Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
In 2005, Portland small press, Future Tense, published his short fictional work of humor, GROPE, about two Las Vegas natives finding a connection in a strip club. Figler is a contributor to Las Vegas guidebooks, including Time Out and also has stories or poems in a number of anthologies including In the Shadow of the Strip (University of Nevada Press), Literary Nevada (University of Nevada Press), The Perpetual Engine of Hope (CityLife Books) and Poetry Slam (Manic D Press).
Rumors abound of a reunion of the seminal “goofcore” punk rock polka band, Tippy Elvis, where Figler served as lead vocalist and primary lyricist. Popular in Las Vegas in the mid-90s, the band did reunite for one show as a surprise to Figler on his 40th birthday. During its heyday, Tippy Elvis was an opening act for Mojo Nixon
, Boiled in Lead
and Idiot Flesh
.
· TIPPY ELVIS Myspace Page
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He became one of the youngest lawyers in Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
history after successfully taking the bar exam at age 23. In 2003, he began and served a short term as a Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
municipal court judge after being appointed by Mayor Oscar B. Goodman.
Apart from his success as one of the better known criminal defense attorneys in Las Vegas, he has become a regarded legal commentator, one of the most quoted authorities on Las Vegas,
and a prolific radio commentator and writer on a variety of topics related to Las Vegas.
Background
Figler graduated from the University of the Pacific – McGeorge School of Law in 1991. At McGeorge he served as Student Body President. He started his career in his hometown of Las Vegas, where his family relocated in 1971. Raised in Las Vegas, his unique perspective as a so-called “Vegas kid” has produced numerous humor oriented anecdotes which have provided the fodder for hundreds of radio essays which have appeared on Las Vegas National Public Radio affiliate, KNPR, as well as NPRNPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
’s All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
Program. He is also an alum of one of the longest running sketch college sketch comedy groups in the nation, Comedy Corner
Comedy Corner
Comedy Corner is a weekly student-run comedy troupe at the University of Arizona in Tucson with roots going back to 1979. The core group consists of about ten regular writers and performers. Comedy Corner claims to be the nation's oldest weekly college sketch, standup, and improv comedy group....
at the University of Arizona.
Dayvid Figler served as a congressional intern in Washington, D.C. for now Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid in 1987 and later completed an internship with the United States Attorneys office in Las Vegas. Upon graduation from law school, he worked for a number of unions and fellow high-profile criminal defense attorney, Dominic Gentile. Eventually, Figler took an associate position with the Clark County Special Public Defender’s office where he exclusively represented indigents charged with murder, including those facing the death penalty.
He has been cited and quoted as a noted legal expert in many places including the New York Times, National Public Radio, Newsweek, USA Today and the Los Angeles Times.
Donte Johnson
Figler’s first case of note was defending against the death penalty prosecution of Donte Johnson, a California gang member who directed the kidnapping and execution style murders of four young men in Las Vegas in 1998. The four young men were followers of the band, PhishPhish
Phish is an American rock band noted for its musical improvisation, extended jams, and exploration of music across genres. Formed at the University of Vermont in 1983 , the band's four members – Trey Anastasio , Mike Gordon , Jon Fishman , and Page McConnell Phish is an American rock band...
, and the stated motive for their killing was an attempt to steal money the men had made on the road with Phish. At trial, evidence was presented that Johnson was responsible for a number of other murders and attempt murders. The jury, however, did not impose the death penalty after Figler’s impassioned closing argument. Later, a 3-judge panel of judges imposed the death penalty. Arguing one of the first cases in the country in light of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2000 ruling in Apprendi v. New Jersey
Apprendi v. New Jersey
Apprendi v. New Jersey , , was a United States Supreme Court decision. The Court ruled that the Sixth Amendment right to a jury trial, incorporated against the states through the Fourteenth Amendment, prohibited judges from enhancing criminal sentences beyond statutory maximums based on facts...
, Figler successfully advocated the landmark case and in a published opinion, the 3-judge death panels of Nevada were ruled unconstitutional and the Court vacated the imposition of the death penalty. JOHNSON V. STATE, 118 Nev. Adv. Op. No. 79 (12/18/02)
Gloria Guzman
As a lawyer, Figler was first showcased before a national audience on CourtTV (later TruTV) after the gavel-to-gavel coverage of the trial of Gloria Guzman in 2006. There, Guzman was a nurse caretaker who fell in love with and married one of her charges in a facility who was also a quadriplegic. The two moved out of the facility and into an apartment where they engaged in a destructive lifestyle involving methamphetamine and guns. When her husband drowned in a bathtub, Guzman was accused of first degree murder. Midtrial, Figler discovered that the police had falsified the transcript of her confession and a hasty plea bargain later the previously incarcerated Guzman was given credit for time served. This case marked the first of a number of appearances for Figler on the Nancy GraceNancy Grace
Nancy Ann Grace is an American legal commentator, television host, television journalist, and former prosecutor. She frequently discusses issues from what she describes as a victims' rights standpoint, with an outspoken style that has won her both praise and condemnation...
program both as a guest and a commentator. . The Nancy Grace appearances led to a number of guest appearances on other TruTV programs including Star Jones
Star Jones
Star Jones is an American lawyer, journalist, writer, and television personality. She is known for her role as a co-host of the ABC weekday morning talk show The View...
, Best Defense with Jami Floyd and Courtside with Ashley Banfield and Jack Ford
Jack Ford (news anchor)
Jack Ford is an American television news personality specializing in legal commentary who has spent over two decades in front of the TV camera as host and presenter of numerous information and entertainment programs.-Early life:...
where he primarily offered day-to-day coverage on O.J. Simpson’s kidnapping trial.
Thad Aubert
While on its face an insignificant case of first degree case kidnapping and robbery with use a deadly weapon, it was during this trial that Figler and his frequent co-counsel, Daniel M. Bunin, brought to light a long-standing practice of the Clark County District Attorney’s office of compensating witnesses for appearing in their private offices. Causing a controversy within the legal community that is ongoing, the footnote to the case is that Figler and Bunin were able to secure a full acquittal from the jury after only 15 minutes of deliberation.Radio, Writing and Arts
Beginning with the first of two Fellowships from the Nevada State Council for the Arts in 1997 for performance poetry (the other came in 2001 for fiction), Figler has embarked upon a creative life to run parallel with his law career. (He is the only multiple Fellowship winner in two distinct categories).Widely regarded as the best known and most popular Nevada slam poet and travelling urban storyteller, Figler has toured the United States at many festivals and events as a featured performer.
. Most notably, since 1997, he has been featured at SxSW, Bumbershoot, North by Northwest, the National Poetry Slam competition, the Porchlight storytelling series in San Francisco
, the Back Fence PDX storytelling series in Portland, Oregon,, HEEB storytelling and the SF Sketchfest
SF Sketchfest
SF Sketchfest, or The San Francisco Sketch Comedy Festival, is a comedy festival founded in 2002 by Bay Area actor-comedians David Owen, Janet Varney and Cole Stratton...
2011. In Nevada, he tours as part of the Tumblewords initiative through the Nevada Arts Council bringing literary events to rural Nevada towns. In 1998, he created a one-man show called “Dayvid Figler IS Jim Morrison in Hello I Love You, Where You Folks From?”. In 2006, he was named Best Las Vegas Poet by the readers of LV CityLife weekly.
In October 2010, Figler took his storytelling experiences further by producing Las Vegas' premier storytelling series, The Tell. http://weeklyseven.com/the-tell
In 2000, he began as a featured commentator on radio station, KNPR in Las Vegas and his audio essays are archived under the banner “Ain’t Necessarily So” on the stations website. A number of those commentaries were broadcast nationally on NPR’s All Things Considered
All Things Considered
All Things Considered is the flagship news program on the American network National Public Radio. It was the first news program on NPR, and is broadcast live worldwide through several outlets...
. In 2002, 2003 and then again in 2005, his essays were named Best Radio Program by the Electronic Media Awards, Las Vegas’ primary broadcast media awards. In 2003, he was also named Best Radio Personality by reader’s poll of the Las Vegas Review Journal, Nevada’s largest circulation daily paper. In 2010, the Vegas Valley Book Festival awarded the individual Crystal Bookmark Award to Figler for his lifelong contribution to the cause of literary awareness in Southern Nevada.
A frequent contributor to Las Vegas weekly and monthly magazines, his first national magazine article was the main feature for the Politics issue of Heeb (magazine), where he profiled Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman.
In 2005, Portland small press, Future Tense, published his short fictional work of humor, GROPE, about two Las Vegas natives finding a connection in a strip club. Figler is a contributor to Las Vegas guidebooks, including Time Out and also has stories or poems in a number of anthologies including In the Shadow of the Strip (University of Nevada Press), Literary Nevada (University of Nevada Press), The Perpetual Engine of Hope (CityLife Books) and Poetry Slam (Manic D Press).
Rumors abound of a reunion of the seminal “goofcore” punk rock polka band, Tippy Elvis, where Figler served as lead vocalist and primary lyricist. Popular in Las Vegas in the mid-90s, the band did reunite for one show as a surprise to Figler on his 40th birthday. During its heyday, Tippy Elvis was an opening act for Mojo Nixon
Mojo Nixon
Mojo Nixon is an American musician, known for playing psychobilly music...
, Boiled in Lead
Boiled in Lead
Boiled in Lead is a world music band from Minneapolis, Minnesota. They formed in 1983, going through a number of membership changes over the years...
and Idiot Flesh
Idiot Flesh
Idiot Flesh was a band formed in Barrington Hall, a student co-op at the University of California at Berkeley. They formed in 1985 under the name Acid Rain, and their demo album "We Were All Very Worried" was released as a cassette-only edition in 1987...
.
External links
· KNPR archive· TIPPY ELVIS Myspace Page