Rule Dispute Stalls Senate Debate
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A dispute over a common tactic used by Kansas lawmakers to rush bills to passage has prompted the Senate's majority leader to stop scheduling debates on legislation in his chamber.House and Senate negotiators met briefly Friday to work on the final version of the rules governing interactions between their chambers. Their only disagreement is over how much to restrict the bundling of multiple proposals into the final version of a single bill.The House wants stricter limits than the Senate.The practice occurs because the same senators and House members negotiate over multiple bills dealing on broad topics such as insurance or taxes. Critics contend the tactic leads to sloppy lawmaking.In the Senate, Majority Leader Terry Bruce has kept his chamber from debating legislation since February 5th.
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Suspect Dies After KC Police Chase
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A carjacking suspect has died after he was shot by police following a chase.Authorities say the suspect stole a van Friday morning from a pest control worker in Bonner Springs, Kansas. The suspect then led police on a chase into Kansas City, Missouri before ending on the Kansas side of town after about 30 minutes when the vehicle drove through a fence.Kansas City, Kansas police spokeswoman Amber Hickerson says the driver tried to ram a KC Missouri police vehicle.Hickerson says it is unclear whether the suspect fired at officers or only pointed his weapon at them. A Kansas Highway Patrol officer and three police officers shot him.The pest control worker was not injured.The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is looking into the shooting.
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Mother Arrested After Jail Stand-off
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A mother has been arrested on suspicion of threatening staff at the Kansas jail where her son killed himself more than a decade ago. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported that the woman was booked Friday into the Shawnee County Jail. No charges were listed against the woman in online court records. Major Tim Phelps said a woman called Friday morning and said she would come to the jail "with a high-powered rifle and kill us." For three hours, armed guards could be seen patrolling the perimeter and on top of the jail. A lockdown ended shortly before noon. Phelps said the woman said she was upset the jail "brutally killed her son."
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Man Sentenced to Life in Murder of 8-year-old Topeka Girl
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing an 8-year-old Topeka girl before stuffing her body in a clothes dryer has been sentenced to life in prison without parole. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that a Shawnee County District judge handed down the sentence yesterday (FRI) for 31-year-old Bill Frank Davis Junior. Prosecutors had sought the death penalty after Davis was convicted in December of 10 counts, including capital murder in the 2012 killing of 8-year-old Ahliyah Irvin. But defense witnesses testified that Davis suffered from severe mental illness, and jurors couldn't unanimously decide to recommend execution. Along with his life sentence, Davis also received more than 60 years in prison for other convictions. Ahliyah's family has said they're pleased Davis will spend the rest of his in prison.