When filmmaker Ramsey Denison went to Las Vegas for a relaxing weekend, the last thing he expected was to be arrested and beaten for reporting an incident of police brutality that he personally witnessed on the strip.
What Happened in Vegas examines the lack of accountability within the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department concerning four cases where individuals were killed by the police. The Las Vegas shooting, the deadliest mass shooting in US history, also shines a light on the department's troubling tendency to lionize themselves by playing with the truth. With the help of former LVMPD officers and families of Trevon Cole, Erik Scott, Stanley Gibson, and Tashii Farmer, the documentary weaves its way through the maze of lies laid by LVMPD officials when it comes to the abuse of power especially wielded against minorities.
In the shadow of this deep seated corruption, there are still those officers who fight to improve relations with their surrounding community in order to keep the streets safe. The crux of the film follows the heated sheriff's race between Joe Lombardo and Larry Burns. The former is hand-picked by his predecessor and funded by the casinos while the latter is almost overwhelmingly backed by police union leaders of other counties as well as the Nevada Attorney General.
What Happened in Vegas not only takes an unflinching look at one of the most corrupt police departments in the country, but also explores the officers who are working to bring about change by becoming one with the communities they're sworn to serve.
"Riveting documentary...The film's director challenges the LVMPD when some of the facts of his arrest, as well as others, contain deliberate, and misleading information all because they witnessed the use of excessive force and reported it. Denison also profiles what he calls the 'good cops' so that the film while appearing to be one-sided, does give appropriate credit to those who 'serve and actually protect.'" — Educational Media Reviews Online
"This expose has potential use as a classroom resource for students in police academies and college classrooms." — Booklist
"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. Hard-hitting documentary takes a close look at the bright lights of Las Vegas and introduces viewers to four individuals and the events surrounding their deaths at the hands of the Las Vegas Metro Police Department...Director Denison pulls no punches [and] humanizes each individual by intrinsically emphasizing the arrest tactics and the bad decisions made during that action. This informative and thought provoking film about social injustice and police advocacy is a must-see for adult audiences." — Library Journal
"What Happened in Vegas blows the whistle on a disturbing pattern of excessive force and corruption within [local police] ranks." — Los Angeles Times
"A damning portrait...Ramsey Denison's doc uses a chance eyewitness encounter as a springboard for a condemnation of Sin City policing...Effective." — The Hollywood Reporter
"Unveils a pattern of police malfeasance, including coverups and lies, through disturbing stories of unjustified deaths...A damning takedown of the city's powers that be...Shows how bad police ultimately will maltreat anyone." — Village Voice
"Incendiary documentary explores police corruption and brutality in Sin City...Startling and very timely." — IndieWire
"Mad-as-hell documentary exploring three cases involving Las Vegas Police that resulted in the death of civilians. Filmmaker Ramsey Denison's volatile encounter with the cops and his resulting jail time fueled the making of Vegas, which is riveting from start to finish." — Mercury News
