Kansas

Man is released from prison after 15 years when DNA testing points finger at his brother

After serving more than 15 years in prison for the slaying of his teenage sister-in-law, a Kansas man was freed Tuesday because recent DNA testing pointed the finger at his brother. A Jefferson County judge overturned convictions of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated indecent liberties against Floyd Bledsoe, 39,…

Dec 8, 2015 4:50 PM CST

Kansas Supreme Court turns down recusal request in case that could shut down the courts

All but one justice on the Kansas Supreme Court will hear a challenge to a state law on the selection of chief judges, though its “institutional power” and court funding are at stake. The court issued a per curiam order (PDF) on Monday finding that recusal is not required, the…

Dec 8, 2015 2:03 PM CST

Seeking to regain his law license, former Kansas AG files federal civil rights suit

Back when former Kansas attorney general Phill Kline was defending a legal ethics case over his handling of abortion-related matters, he sought and got the recusal of several justices on the state’s top court. But in a federal civil rights lawsuit filed Sunday, the former AG is now challenging the…

Oct 19, 2015 2:55 PM CDT

Man takes plea in case over Facebook comments he made about murder trial

Days before his jury trial was set to begin on Monday over “storm the courthouse” remarks he made on Facebook about a controversial murder trial, a Kansas man has accepted a plea deal. Samuel McCrory, 22, pleaded guilty Thursday in the Sedgwick County case to making a criminal threat and…

Oct 15, 2015 4:00 PM CDT

Judge’s injunction delays possible shutdown of Kansas courts

A Kansas judge averted a potential court shutdown on Tuesday when he delayed enforcement of a controversial state law that cuts off court funding if judges strike down a law on the selection of chief judges. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a press release that he sought the…

Sep 23, 2015 11:08 AM CDT

Will ruling shut down Kansas court system?

A ruling by a Kansas judge last week appears to trigger a state law that declares funding for the courts to be “null and void.” The ruling last Wednesday by Judge Larry Hendricks “raised the specter of a shutdown of courthouses statewide,” the Wall Street Journal Law Blog reports. The…

Sep 8, 2015 5:45 AM CDT

Defendant charged with decking lawyer in court now faces 2 felony trials in same month

When Lance Franklin reportedly decked his defense lawyer in front of the jury and other witnesses during a Kansas rape trial last year, the judge refused to declare a mistrial because that would reward Franklin for his bad behavior. But a subsequent juror medical issue resulted in a mistrial for…

Aug 14, 2015 3:50 PM CDT

Man facing charges over ‘storm the courthouse’ posts on Facebook had guns illegally, sheriff says

A 22-year-old man charged with making a threat on Facebook to “storm the courthouse’” in connection with a controversial Kansas felony-murder trial says he made a “poor word choice” and is sorry, but never intended a threat to anyone. Samuel McCrory told KAKE that he wanted to meet with the…

Aug 3, 2015 1:30 PM CDT

Man is acquitted in felony murder case, but supporter faces charges over Facebook posts

Concerned that Kyler Carriker would be convicted in a controversial Kansas felony-murder case, Samuel McCrory made a few postings on Facebook, officials say. In fact, Carriker was acquitted Thursday by a Sedgwick County jury. He had faced at least 20 years in prison if he had been found guilty, KAKE…

Jul 31, 2015 1:55 PM CDT

Man charged for claimed Facebook threat to storm courthouse over felony-murder trial

Updated: A unidentified man has been arrested concerning a claimed Facebook threat about a controversial Kansas felony-murder trial. The post was made during jury deliberations regarding a Wichita case against Kyler Carriker, who survived being shot while acting as a middleman for a $1,100 marijuana deal. Carriker was charged with…

Jul 30, 2015 3:05 PM CDT

Lawyer who had firm pay his personal expenses in lieu of a paycheck pleads guilty to tax evasion

A Kansas lawyer accused of putting his law firm in another attorney’s name and having it pay his personal expenses instead of issuing him a paycheck pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of tax evasion. Accused of avoiding IRS efforts to collect income tax and evade a trust fund recovery…

Jul 9, 2015 4:30 PM CDT

Littler is hiring for new Kansas City admin center as it lays off 113 staffers in San Francisco

After an announcement early this year that Littler Mendelson is consolidating administrative functions in one central office, the 1,000-attorney labor and employment powerhouse has been hiring in Kansas City, Missouri. and making layoffs elsewhere. Last month, chief operating officer Robert Domingues told the Kansas City Business Journal that the firm…

Jun 8, 2015 2:45 PM CDT

Kansas governor signs law cutting off court funding if courts strike down 2014 law

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed a bill that cuts off funding for the state’s courts if they overturn a 2014 law on the selection of chief district judges. The new law provides funding for state courts for the next two years, but a nonseverability clause takes away the money…

Jun 8, 2015 6:49 AM CDT

Kansas bill would defund courts if law on selection of chief judges is overturned

Pending legislation in Kansas would eliminate funding for the judicial branch if the courts overturn a 2014 law requiring that chief judges in the district courts be selected by their fellow judges. Budget negotiators on Monday agreed on the defunding scheme in a bill providing money for the judicial branch…

May 20, 2015 9:28 AM CDT

New Kansas abortion law is the first to ban common ‘dismemberment’ procedure

Kansas has become the first state in the nation to enact an abortion law that bans a common second-trimester procedure that abortion opponents call “dismemberment abortion.” Gov. Sam Brownback signed the bill on Tuesday; the law is set to take effect on July 1, report the Associated Press and the…

Apr 8, 2015 10:04 AM CDT