Indictment weighed in attack on judge

LAS VEGAS, Sept. 24 (UPI) -- A Nevada grand jury met Wednesday to consider whether to indict the husband of a state judge for allegedly beating her with a cast-iron skillet.

Nevada District Court Judge Elizabeth Halverson testified before the panel Tuesday against her husband, Edward Halvorson, 49, telling reporters, "I have headaches all the time. It's going to take a while to recover," the Las Vegas Review-Journal said.

Elizabeth Halvorson, 50, appeared in a wheelchair, scarred by gouges in her head that had been stapled and stitched shut, the newspaper said. Edward Halvorson has been charged in a criminal complaint, as opposed to an indictment, with attempted murder in the Sept. 4 attack.

The Review-Journal said the judge placed a 911 call late on Sept. 4, whispering to emergency dispatchers, "Please, help. Please, help me now. He's beating me with a frying pan." She was hospitalized for more than two weeks while surgeons inserted more than 100 staples into her head to treat lacerations.

The attack came shortly after the judge appeared before state judicial discipline commission convened to hear allegations about alleged unprofessional behavior on the bench, the newspaper said.