Judge delays Henderson Councilwoman Carrie Cox's criminal trial until after the November election

What happened

A judge on Tuesday pushed back the criminal trial of Henderson Councilwoman Carrie Cox until after the November election, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. District Court Judge Nadia Krall granted a defense request to move the trial start from Oct. 19 to Feb. 8, 2027.

Cox is running for re-election to her council seat. Her case stems from a November 2025 indictment on a felony count of monitoring or attempting to monitor a private conversation, according to the Review-Journal.

Why the trial date moved

A conflict on the defense calendar

Cox's attorney, Joshua Tomsheck, filed a motion on Sept. 17 saying an older case he is handling would have overlapped with the original trial date. Asked about the change, Tomsheck told the Review-Journal, "I can only be in one place at one time."

The motion also stated that Cox and prosecutors are "continuing to work towards a potential resolution which would not necessitate a trial." The filing did not describe what such a resolution would involve. After the hearing, Tomsheck declined to comment on whether a plea agreement was possible.

Prosecutors did not object

Chief Deputy District Attorney Autin Beaumont said he did not oppose the delay as a professional courtesy, noting that neither side's schedule allowed the trial to proceed in October. He told the Review-Journal that Cox's re-election campaign was not a factor. Beaumont said negotiations are ongoing and added, "Ultimately, we'll see what happens a little closer to the trial date."

The charge and the accusation behind it

The indictment followed an accusation by fellow Henderson Councilwoman Monica Larson. According to the Review-Journal, Larson said Cox hid behind a curtain at Henderson City Hall after a retirement ceremony for a former city official and recorded a conversation involving Larson and others for several minutes.

Tomsheck has argued that the January 2025 recording did not capture a private conversation. He has pointed out that it picked up people joining and leaving the exchange, along with what he described as "hundreds" of other voices in the background.

Related lawsuits

Larson's civil case against Cox

In March, Larson sued Cox, alleging the secret recording caused her "severe emotional distress," the Review-Journal reported. Milan Chatterjee, who represents Cox in that lawsuit, has said both sides agreed to put the civil case on hold until the criminal case is resolved.

Cox's lawsuit against a colleague

Cox has filed her own lawsuit against another Henderson council member. In it, she alleges he struck her in the arm several times after she refused to back an effort to make him the city's mayor pro tem, according to the Review-Journal.

The council race

Cox faces challenger Jennifer Atlas in her bid to keep her seat. The Review-Journal noted that Atlas ran unsuccessfully for the Nevada State Senate in 2024. With the new trial date, the case will not go before a jury until after voters decide the race. For more on other Henderson contests, see our look at the Henderson mayor race and our elections coverage.

What to watch next

• Cox's re-election race against Jennifer Atlas on the November ballot.
• Ongoing negotiations between Cox and prosecutors over a potential resolution that would avoid a trial.
• The rescheduled trial start date of Feb. 8, 2027, before Judge Nadia Krall.
• Larson's paused civil lawsuit, which is on hold until the criminal case is resolved.