KC Police Sued for $10 Million by Family of Police Shooting Victim
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The family of a Black man shot and killed by a white Kansas City, Missouri, police officer in 2020 is suing the officer and the Board of Police Commissioners for at least $10 million. The Kansas City Star reports that Donnie Sanders' family alleges in the federal lawsuit filed Thursday that officer Blayne Newton used excessive force when he shot Sanders in March 2020. Sanders was not armed. The lawsuit also accuses the board, which oversees the Police Department, of failing to properly train officers in the use of deadly force. Kansas City civil rights activists often cite Sanders' death in pushing for police reform. The Police Department said it does not comment on pending litigation.
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JoCo Woman Charged in Baby's Death Faces New Charges
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A 28-year-old Shawnee woman charged in the death of her baby in a house fire is now facing charges of intimidating a witness. Karlie Mae Phelps was charged Thursday with violating a protective order and intimidation of a witness, both misdemeanors. The Kansas City Star reports Phelps' attorney entered a not guilty plea for her during a court hearing on Friday. Phelps was charged in February with involuntary manslaughter and endangering a child after her son died in a fire at her home. The child's father, Nicholas Adam Ecker, is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated arson in the boy's death.
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Rural Linwood an Pleads Guilty in Shooting Death of Woman
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A 67-year-old rural Linwood man has pleaded to a lesser charge in the shooting death of his girlfriend in 2018. Dan Flannagan pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter on Friday. He was originally charged with second-degree murder and was scheduled to go to trial March 21st. Prosecutors say Flannagan shot Constance Perryman and then reported her missing on April 5, 2018. Her body was found the next day on property south of Linwood. Flannagan is scheduled to be sentenced April 8.
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Man Dies at Wichita Water Plant Construction Site
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita Water Partners says a worker has died at a construction site of a new water plant. Company spokeswoman Meghan Jansen said the man died at the Wichita Northwest Water Facility plant on Thursday. She did not say what happened, or identify the man. Jansen said the man was working for a subcontractor at the plant. All work on the site was stopped until further notice.
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GOP Kansas Senate Map Creates 2 Districts with 2 Incumbents
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republicans are moving to redraw the boundaries of Kansas Senate districts so that a GOP and Democratic senator would face running against each other. Their map also would have the Redistricting Committee’s chair drawn into a district with a GOP colleague. The chamber expects to vote on a map next week. The GOP plan puts Redistricting Chair Rick Wilborn of McPherson into the district of GOP Senator Michael Fagg of El Dorado. Wilborn said that's because his district was surrounded by underpopulated districts. Republican Senator Beverly Gossage of Eudora would be in a district with Democratic Senator Tom Holland of Baldwin City.