One of the most tragic miscarriages of justice in the history of the California Juvenile Justice system, Call An Ambulance, (But Not For Me!) is the courageous and often heroic story of Nephi Khaliki, an 11-year old boy who was falsely charged with assaulting his teacher in Middle School. Fabricated by his principal, these false charges sent his life unjustly into a downward spiral where he would eventually spend nearly 12 years in some of the most violent and corrupt juvenile institutions in the country.
Through his tragic journey, he struggled with hope and faith as he courageously learned to face, survive, and overcome violence from both guards and other prisoners. His heartbreaking experience tells a tale of extraordinary will and determination to hold onto his identity and his faith while facing hopeless and insurmountable odds. While unjustly incarcerated, Nephi found himself in an extremely rare and unique position to observe and analyze the long-term patterns of violent criminals. He gained a tremendously keen insight into the mindset of these criminals and used that insight to develop training programs to assist the staff and guards in avoiding assault within the institution. Through his efforts, Nephi saved countless staff and guards from being assaulted and earned the respect and admiration of his captors.
Two years before the State of California’s jurisdiction would end, then-governor, Pete Wilson, caught word of Nephi’s unusual case and swiftly issued orders to have him immediately released and his record wiped clean. Nephi remained friends with several of the guards after his release. In 2010, the institution where Nephi spent the majority of his unjust incarceration was closed due to “persistent violence, unsafe and unsatisfactory conditions”, and due to the murder of a prison counselor” (The Closing of California’s Most Violent Juvenile Prison, David William Reeve, 2017). A California State Attorney referred to the institution as, “an especially horrible place”.
Nephi later went on to pursue a career as a Las Vegas bounty hunter where his team is credited with capturing over 700 fugitives in 32 states, including two of Las Vegas’ Top-10 Most Wanted. In 2014, he founded the Las Vegas Gunfights, where he gained International notoriety as the world’s first and only full-contact gunfight training facility. He is now the owner and operator of the Las Vegas Gunfight Academy, where he continues to train civilians, law enforcement, and military personnel, including many members of SWAT and Special Forces. His unique and extremely first-hand insight into the true mindset of violent criminals is quickly making Nephi one of the most sought-after self-defense and firearms instructors in the country.
After more than 30 years, Nephi is now bringing his vast insight into the criminal mindset to the public in hopes that it will (like it did the staff and guards he trained) save many more lives
