‘It’s not true’: Wife of slain city worker disputes harassment claims

The wife of a city of Las Vegas employee shot dead by a coworker disputed claims Monday that her husband was harassing the man authorities pointed to as the gunman.

“It’s not true,” said Monica McLean, wife of Joey McLean, as she was flanked by her civil attorney, Ofelia Markarian, at the Regional Justice Center Monday.

Joey McLean died in the June 12 shooting at a city maintenance yard in the 400 block of North Seventh Street, near East Mesquite Avenue, at around 6 a.m. The shooting followed a months-long workplace dispute between Joey McLean and his fellow city of Las Vegas employee, Brysen Kim, 31.

Kim is charged with murder in the death. Police said during a workplace argument Kim attacked Joey McLean, then shot him. Kim told police after his arrest that he’d complained repeatedly about Joey McLean harassing him, and police said there was a documented history of conflict between the two men with complaints filed with the city’s Human Resources Department.

On Monday, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Diana Sullivan ordered Kim held without bail. Monica McLean was in court for the proceedings and said afterward she was aware of conflict between the two men, but the harassment allegations against him were false.

She and her husband were married earlier this year, she said. Her husband was a Las Vegas native and family man who enjoyed the outdoors.

“Joey was a religious man,” said Monica McLean. “He’s Catholic first and foremost. An amazing father. He was a stepfather which is a hard role to fill. He always stood up for what was right. He was a very loving man.”

Kim has been in custody at the Clark County Detention Center without bail since the shooting.

His attorney, Nicholas Wooldridge, urged Sullivan to set bail for his client during a bail hearing Monday afternoon, saying the evidence gathered by police supports the contention that Kim acted in self defense. Wooldridge said his client has significant support from family.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Binu Palal argued that Kim and Joey McLean were quarreling when Kim punched the victim and also kicked him, knocking him unconscious.

As co-workers were attempting to hold back Kim, Palal said, Kim brandished a gun and shot McLean when he was down on the ground and incapacitated.

“Joey McLean was unarmed,” Palal said. “There’s nothing to suggest he was armed.”

An arrest report for Kim said the issues between the two “have been brewing for approximately six months, all of which involved HR.”

The shooting was preceded by what police portrayed as a volatile workplace dispute.

McLean was accused of unlocking Kim’s tailgate on Kim’s work truck, causing the tailgate to strike Kim. McLean sent texts to Kim after hours accusing him of taking steroids, according to their supervisor. A co-worker of Kim’s also told police that he was aware of allegations that McLean had followed Kim home and at one point used his hand to simulate the firing of a gun in front of Kim.

Kim complained that human resources hadn’t done anything about McLean, police said. There was a plan in place to have the men work at different locations moving forward, authorities said, but the shooting happened before it could be implemented.

Detectives briefly spoke with Kim after he was taken into custody. He said the city didn’t act on his complaints about McLean.

“I’m gonna be honest, brother. Look, this has been going on with this guy for-for-since the beginning of the year,” Kim said. “It’s all been documented with the city. I’ve begged them for help with this.”

Wooldridge said in court Monday that “for six months Mr. Kim is being terrorized by Joey,” and that there are discrepencies in witness accounts of the killing. Kim’s father has worked for the city for two decades. Multiple family members were in court on behalf of Kim during Monday’s bail hearing.

“He’s not a flight risk,” Wooldridge said. “He’s never been in trouble in his life.”

Markarian said the ruling to keep Kim held without bail was the correct one.

“Joey deserves justice,” Markarian said. “Joey deserves a voice.”

“We are extremely hopeful that justice will be served for Joey and that we bring awareness that a workplace environment should not be a place of violence,” Markarian continued. “You shouldn’t have to go to work and be afraid that somebody, your colleague, your coworker, is going to shoot you and kill you.”

The shooting has prompted a discussion about some city employees being allowed to carry weapons while on the job. The city of Las Vegas policy states that firearms are prohibited at work, except for employees whose roles require carrying, such as city marshals, or those with sheriff-issued concealed-carry permits.

It is unclear whether Kim had a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Mayor Shelley Berkley said Thursday that when she heard about the shooting she asked about the city’s concealed carry policy.

“We follow state law, and state law allows concealed carry. Whether I think that’s great or not is irrelevant,” Berkley said. “We could pass any ordinance we want, but if it is in contradiction with state law, state law will prevail.”

The city policy also says that if an employee displays or waves a firearm at work, disciplinary action will be taken.

Contact Glenn Puit at gpuit@reviewjournal.com.