Judge to Remain on Las Vegas Teen Sex Assault Case Despite Recusal Effort

Clark County District Judge Christy Craig will continue overseeing the case against a teen accused of recording a group sexual assault on an 8th grade trip.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 7:21pm

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An extreme close-up of a shattered smartphone screen reflecting a faint red light, conceptually representing the recording of a sexual assault incident.The alleged recording of a brutal sexual assault on a school trip has sparked a legal battle over impartiality and public scrutiny.Las Vegas Today

A Clark County District judge will remain on a case involving a 15-year-old accused of recording a group sexual assault against another boy during an 8th grade class trip to Costa Rica. The teen's defense attorneys had argued for the judge's disqualification, claiming she is not impartial, but the chief judge rejected the motion.

Why it matters

This case has drawn significant public attention and scrutiny, with the defense arguing the judge's comments have tainted the jury pool. The decision to keep the judge on the case despite the recusal effort highlights the complex legal issues at play as the justice system grapples with a high-profile criminal case involving minors.

The details

The 15-year-old defendant, Vaughn Griffith, is charged as an adult with possession of visual presentation depicting sexual conduct of a child. Police say Griffith recorded video of a brutal sexual assault against another boy during the school trip. Two other teens allegedly committed the assault, but have not been charged. Griffith's defense attorneys argued that Judge Christy Craig should be disqualified, claiming she 'rubber stamped' the decision to charge Griffith as an adult and that her comments have tainted the jury pool. However, Chief Judge Jerry Wiese rejected the motion, stating a reasonable person would not question Craig's impartiality.

  • On April 17, 2026, Chief Judge Jerry Wiese denied the motion to disqualify Judge Christy Craig.
  • On March 17, 2026, Griffith's defense attorneys filed the motion to disqualify Craig.
  • On March 12, 2026, Judge Linda Marquis certified Griffith as an adult after a hearing in juvenile court.

The players

Judge Christy Craig

A Clark County District Judge presiding over the case against Vaughn Griffith.

Vaughn Griffith

A 15-year-old charged as an adult with possession of visual presentation depicting sexual conduct of a child for allegedly recording a group sexual assault during an 8th grade trip.

Tony Sgro

One of the defense attorneys representing Vaughn Griffith.

Joshua Judd

One of the defense attorneys representing Vaughn Griffith.

Judge Jerry Wiese

The Chief Judge who denied the motion to disqualify Judge Christy Craig.

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What they’re saying

“Even if that was granted, it would just go to another judge and they'd hold another hearing and it's likely to be back up here anyway.”

— Judge Christy Craig

“For a judge to say, 'We're gonna be right back here anyway,' it's suggestive of the notion that she might have bought in to what else is going on in the world.”

— Tony Sgro, Defense Attorney

What’s next

A hearing before Judge Christy Craig to address the defense's motions is scheduled for April 30, 2026.

The takeaway

This case highlights the complex legal issues and public scrutiny involved when the justice system handles criminal cases involving minors accused of serious offenses. The decision to keep the judge on the case despite the recusal effort underscores the challenges of maintaining impartiality in high-profile cases that have generated significant media attention.