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Thursday, Dec 27, 2012 1:00 AM UTC

Missing girl’s father removed from Vegas courtroom

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Topics: From the Wires,

LAS VEGAS (AP) — An outburst by the father of a missing 10-year-old girl marred the first court hearing for a casino card dealer accused of using razor blades to slash a co-worker’s face at a blackjack table at an upscale Las Vegas Strip resort.

Jade Morris’ father, shouting “Where’s my baby at?” interrupted the initial appearance for Bellagio employee Brenda Stokes before an armed Las Vegas Justice Court bailiff ushered him into the hallway, KTNV-TV 13 News reported (http://bit.ly/V553v5 ).

The girl was last seen by her family at about 5 p.m. Friday in the custody of Stokes, 50, who also goes by the names Brenda Stokes Wilson and Brenda Jean Stokes. KTNV-TV reported Stokes was engaged to the child’s father.

She was supposed to have taken the girl shopping, police said.

According to investigators, at about 9:30 p.m. Friday, Stokes wielded a razor blade in each hand as she attacked a female co-worker and former friend at a blackjack table at the Bellagio.

Joyce Rhone, 44, was working at the time. She was hospitalized with deep cuts on her face, including one from her ear to the edge of her mouth, according to a police arrest report. Rhone also had several smaller cuts around her right eye, the police report said.

Police say casino video showed Stokes attacking Rhone before a casino patron and security officers intervened. Officer Marcus Martin said the video is evidence that may be shown by prosecutors in court but will not be made public by police.

Stokes was arrested and is being held at the Clark County jail on felony battery with a weapon, burglary and mayhem charges.

Police said Stokes later told investigators that she attacked Rhone over harassing phone calls and an unspecified betrayal that ended their seven-year friendship.

Stokes also told police she visited her doctor last week, seeking to be admitted to a hospital “due to feeling like she wanted to hurt someone.”

She is reported to have told investigators she wasn’t taking a prescription anti-anxiety drug, and that, “Sometimes people just snap.”

___

Information from: KTNV-TV, http://www.ktnv.com

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