Henry Ruggs preliminary hearing in deadly DUI case set for Dec. 16

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Attorneys for former Las Vegas Raiders player Henry Ruggs III appeared in Justice Court on Wednesday morning for a status check hearing in a deadly DUI case.

Ruggs, who did not appear while on house arrest, was represented by his defense lawyers before Judge Susan Baucum in Justice Court.

According to the judge, Ruggs has been compliant in all aspects of his release, under the condition of electronic monitoring and blood-alcohol testing four times per day.

Attorneys for former Raiders player Henry Ruggs III are fighting to keep his medical records out of the hands of prosecutors.

Ruggs’ attorneys, David Chesnoff and Richard Schonfeld, cited state privacy law and convinced a judge to at least temporarily block access to Ruggs’ medical records.

Chesnoff said state law supersedes federal health records privacy requirements.

Attorney Peter Christiansen obtained the same temporary block on behalf of Ruggs’ girlfriend, Kiara Je’nai Kilgo-Washington. She was with Ruggs and was also injured in the crash.

Prosecutor Eric Bauman argued that investigators need the records to determine facts in the case.

Outside court, Chesnoff said that in 40 years as a lawyer he has handled cases “where the facts that were presented at the outset of the case turned out not to be the facts.”

“My job is to question all the facts,” the defense attorney said.

Ruggs remained seated in a wheelchair with a foam brace on his neck during his initial court appearance last week.

Wolfson said at the time that prosecutors were told Ruggs suffered a leg injury and that Washington underwent surgery for an arm injury. The district attorney declined Wednesday to say more.

The judge set a Dec. 8 hearing to decide if the medical records must be turned over to police and prosecutors.

The Raiders released Ruggs hours after the crash. He was emerging as a star for the team this season with 24 catches for a team-high 469 yards and two touchdowns. As a rookie in 2020, he had 26 catches for 452 yards and two touchdowns.

Ruggs was picked 12th overall in the 2020 NFL draft after three years at Alabama during which he helped the Crimson Tide win the NCAA championship as a freshman in 2017.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.