No Immunity for Injustice: Why Douglas Herndon and William Kephart Must Be Held Accountable!

Great State of Nevada – September 13, 2025

In Nevada’s history, few cases reveal prosecutorial misconduct as starkly as the wrongful conviction of Fred Steese.

In the 1990s, Steese was convicted of murdering Las Vegas entertainer Gerard Soules. He spent more than 21 years locked inside High Desert State Prison, a maximum-security hellhole filled with murderers and rapists. The death penalty loomed over him.

But the truth later emerged: Steese had an ironclad alibi. He wasn’t even in Nevada when the murder happened. He was innocent. Yet crucial evidence was deliberately withheld.

And who was tied to this miscarriage of justice? Douglas Herndon, then a prosecutor with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office—now a Justice on the Nevada Supreme Court. William Kephart, then also in the DA’s Office, later a District Court judge—removed by Crystal Eller—and now a union lawyer.

In my opinion, both men betrayed the law. Both are morally culpable.

The Human and Financial Cost

Fred Steese’s life was stolen.

Over two decades in High Desert, enduring violence, medical neglect, isolation, and constant fear.
Birthdays, holidays, milestones with family—all erased.
Scars that no pardon can ever erase.

Nevada taxpayers also paid the price.

$25,000–$30,000 per year just to cage an innocent man: at least $650,000 in prison costs alone.
Add appeals, hearings, prosecutors, and eventual compensation—the bill climbs into the millions.

Money that should have gone to schools, veterans, or public safety was wasted covering up misconduct.

The Reality of High Desert

Nevada’s largest maximum-security prison is a nightmare:

Overcrowded cells packed like livestock.
Routine stabbings and gang retaliation.
Medical neglect so severe it borders on cruelty.
Long stretches of lockdown and isolation.
Psychological torment that breaks men daily.

Fred Steese endured this for 21 years—all while innocent.

The Real Killer Walked Free

By railroading Steese, the system let the real killer of Gerard Soules escape justice.

The case is now cold.
The Soules family never saw justice.
A murderer walked free in Nevada while an innocent man rotted.

This wasn’t just injustice to one man—it endangered every Nevadan.

Kephart’s Pattern: The Kirstin Lobato Case

Fred Steese is not the only name linked to William Kephart.

In 2001, Kirstin Lobato, a young woman, was wrongfully convicted of murder. Once again, Kephart’s name surfaced—accused of withholding and mishandling evidence. Lobato spent 16 years behind bars before her conviction was overturned in 2017.

Two wrongful convictions. Two destroyed lives. Two grieving families. One common name: William Kephart.

That’s not an accident—it’s a pattern.

The Failure of Accountability

How do men tied to multiple wrongful convictions still wield influence? Because Nevada’s oversight system is broken.

The Judicial Discipline Commission looked away.
The Attorney General’s Office looked away.
The Pardons Board acted only after relentless pressure from the Innocence Project.

When Steese was pardoned in 2017, it wasn’t accountability—it was damage control.

VIPI: Pulling Back the Curtain

Veterans In Politics International (VIPI) refuses to let these truths fade.

Evidence was withheld.
Innocent lives were stolen.
Millions of taxpayer dollars were wasted.
Families were denied justice.
Real killers walked free.

And today? Douglas Herndon sits on the Nevada Supreme Court. William Kephart, admonished by the Nevada Supreme Court at least five times, clings to his law license.

Crystal Eller was brave enough to unseat Kephart. The rest of Nevada must be brave enough to demand accountability.

Watch the Evidence Yourself

Don’t take my word for it—see the truth on video:

These are the receipts. The record speaks for itself.

What If It Were Your Family?

What if it were your brother? Your spouse? Your child?

What if your family buried a loved one while the killer walked free?

This is not hypothetical. It happened in Nevada. And it will happen again if misconduct is excused.

2026: The People’s Chance

In 2026, Justice Douglas Herndon faces reelection. Nevada attorneys with 15+ years of practice must step up. Run against him. Give voters a choice. Give Nevadans a chance to say: “No more.”

And if William Kephart ever seeks public power again, Nevadans must remember his record.