Kansas

Jury Convicts Roeder of Murdering Abortion Doc

After deliberating for less than an hour, a jury today found Scott Roeder guilty of murdering a Kansas doctor who provided abortions, by shooting him as he attended church in Wichita with his wife. Roeder, 51, had confessed publicly prior to trial and admitted during his testimony that he shot…

Jan 29, 2010 5:50 PM CST

Judge Nixes Lesser Manslaughter Charge in Abortion Doc Slaying

In a major setback to a defendant who admitted at trial earlier today that he fatally shot an abortion doctor as he was attending church, the judge in the Kansas case has ruled out the possibility of permitting the jury to convict Scott Roeder on a lesser manslaughter charge, reports…

Jan 29, 2010 4:14 AM CST

Accused Killer of Abortion Doc Admits Shooting, Says Abortion Is Murder

The man accused of killing abortion doctor George Tiller last May has taken the stand in his Wichita, Kan., trial and admitted he pulled the trigger. Defendant Scott Roeder explained his motive: his belief that abortion is murder, the Associated Press reports. The Wichita Eagle reported this exchange: Public Defender…

Jan 28, 2010 6:06 PM CST

Election ‘Vendetta’ Launched Against Top State-Court Judge Over Abortion Rulings

An anti-abortion group launched a campaign today to oust at least one judge on the Kansas Supreme Court, based on her authorship, on behalf of a majority of the court’s justices, of abortion rulings. The executive director of Kansans for Life tells the Associated Press that the group will campaign…

Jan 23, 2010 1:42 AM CST

Closed Hearing Results in Ruling for Media on Abortion Trial Access

After a closed hearing, a Wichita, Kan., judge has ruled the media will be allowed to observe part of the jury selection process in the trial of a man accused of killing an abortion doctor. Judge Warren Wilbert had earlier banned the media from jury selection in the trial of…

Jan 13, 2010 7:19 PM CST

Judge May Allow Manslaughter Verdict in Trial of Accused Abortion-Doc Killer

A Kansas judge may allow jurors trying a man accused of killing an abortion doctor to consider a lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter. Judge Warren Wilbert said on Friday that “it’s a very real possibility” the evidence will require him to instruct the jury on the possible lesser offense, the…

Jan 11, 2010 3:59 PM CST

No Charges for Lawyer Who Showed Dud Grenade at Trial

A Kansas lawyer who used a dud grenade to make a point in closing arguments won’t face criminal charges. The Kansas Attorney General’s office revealed in a letter that it won’t be charging lawyer Sam Kepfield, according to the Associated Press. The letter by Deputy Attorney General Barry Disney said…

Jan 8, 2010 2:21 PM CST

Kansas AG Sues Founder of Association for Honest Attorneys

Corrected: The Kansas Attorney General’s office has sued the head of the nonprofit Association for Honest Attorneys. The suit claims the group’s founder, Joan Heffington, is violating consumer protection laws by advertising that she can help people with lawsuits, even though she does not have a law license, the Wichita…

Dec 14, 2009 7:04 PM CST

Lawyer Could Be a Nigerian King

A Kansas lawyer says he’ll throw his hat in the ring to become a Nigerian king, but his election may turn on a priest’s consultation with the gods. Kansas City lawyer Adebayo Ogunmeno, 54, came to the United States when he was in his 20s and graduated from Washburn University…

Dec 3, 2009 2:04 PM CST

Kansas Ethics Opinion Requires Disclosure on Ghostwritten Pleadings

Lawyers who ghostwrite court documents for clients seeking to hold down legal costs will have to disclose their role in the drafting, according to a Kansas legal ethics opinion. The economic downturn is spurring more penny-pinching clients to ask lawyers to handle only parts of their representation—part of the trend…

Dec 1, 2009 6:53 PM CST

Lawyer Under Fire for Using Dud Grenade in Closing

Sheriff’s officers are investigating a Kansas attorney for criminal use of explosives after they learned he used a dead grenade as a prop during his closing statements at a trial Monday. Lawyer Sam Kepfield pulled the dud grenade out to make a point in a forgery and theft case against…

Nov 25, 2009 8:44 PM CST

Roeder Reportedly Admits Killing Abortion Doc, May Plan ‘Necessity’ Defense

Defendant Scott Roeder has reportedly admitted to several news organizations that he killed Dr. George Tiller as the physician was serving as an usher in his Wichita, Kan., church in May, slaying the slaying was justified because Tiller performed abortions. The Associated Press initially broke the story, which was based…

Nov 10, 2009 10:40 PM CST

Gambler Embezzles $88K, Wins $96K Grand Prize in 2nd-Chance Drawing

After embezzling some $88,000 from his ex-employer to purchase scratch-off lottery tickets, a former radio executive got some good news during a recent court hearing: Paul Lyle was told he had won the grand prize, which has an estimated value of $96,000, in a second-chance drawing for those whose scratch-off…

Oct 2, 2009 11:08 PM CDT

Kansas City Court Workers Asked to Provide DNA after iPhone Theft

Employees at the Kansas City, Mo., municipal court say they were asked to submit to DNA tests and polygraph exams after the presiding judge had her iPhone stolen and another judge had $79 stolen from her purse. Three police detectives were assigned to investigate, the Kansas City Star reports. “Some…

Sep 8, 2009 2:08 PM CDT

Lawyers Turn a 2002 RV into a Mobile Law Office

Two lawyers with offices in Kansas and Missouri didn’t want to meet with clients in courthouse stairwells, so they decided to take their office with them. Lawyers Chris Meek and Nathan Coleman bought a 2002 Volkswagen Rialta and turned the recreational vehicle into a traveling law office, the Joplin Globe…

Aug 25, 2009 6:30 PM CDT