Topeka City Council members are considering the repeal of a law that would force the Shawnee County District Attorney to prosecute misdemeanor domestic battery cases. D-A Chad Taylor said he could no longer prosecute such cases because of budget cuts. The cases are now being referred to municipal court. During a work session earlier this week, Interim Topeka City Manager Dan Stanley proposed a short-term solution to the problem that would split the costs of prosecution between the city, the county and the D-A's office at least through the end of the year.
Topeka Mayor Bill Bunten was not among those in favor of the city helping to pick up the tab. He proposed that city council members ask Shawnee County commissioners why they can't come up with the estimated $350,000 the D-A says he needs to continue taking the cases. Eight suspects have been released from jail after their charges were declined for prosecution by the District Attorney's office. The city says it does not have the attorney staff to handle prosecution of the misdemeanor domestic battery cases.