Kansas Supreme Court Disbars Former Prosecutor
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - The Kansas Supreme Court on Friday disbarred former prosecutor Jacqie Spradling over her conduct in a Topeka murder case. The court found Spradling engaged in unethical misconduct during the 2012 trial of Dana Chandler, who was convicted of killing her ex-husband and his fiance. Chandler's convictions were later overturned because of Spradling's misconduct. In June 2021, a state board unanimously recommended thatSpradling be disbarred over her conduct in the Chandler case and the 2017 conviction of Jacob Ewing, of Holton, on rape and sodomy against two women. The Supreme Court's said Spradling did not violate ethical standards in the Ewing case.
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Wind Energy Plants in Kansas, Iowa Temporarily Closing
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Siemens Gamesa wind-energy plants in Hutchinson, Kansas, and Fort Madison, Iowa, will close down while the company waits for new orders. Officials with the company announced Friday that most employees at the two plants will be laid off. The blade manufacturing plant in Iowa will close in June, followed by the Kansas plant in July. Siemens said 171 people work at the Iowa plant, with 92 in Kansas. The company said it is possible the plants could reopen if market conditions improve. The Iowa plant manufactures wind turbine blades. The Kansas plant manufactures nacelles, which house the turbine's generating components.
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Six Teens Charged in Fatal Olathe Shooting
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Six young Kansas teenagers have been charged with shooting and killing a 19-year-old man at a park in Olathe. The Johnson County District Attorney's office says it wants to try four of them, who are 14 years old, as adults. The other two suspects are 13 years old and cannot be tried as adults under Kansas law. Marco Cardino, of Smithville, Missouri, was found shot to death inside his car on Saturday at an Olathe park. The Kansas City Star reports that Johnson County District Attorney Steve Howe said the shooting was the result of a marijuana purchase that “went horribly wrong.”
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Missouri Court: Senate Candidate Can't Advise Right-wing Group for Free
UNDATED (AP) - The Missouri Supreme Court has denied a request by U.S. Senate candidate Mark McCloskey and his wife to give free legal advice to a conservative activist group as a condition of their professional probation, but he says he’ll try to find another right-wing organization to represent. Mark and Patricia McCloskey of St. Louis were placed on probation as lawyers in February. The decision stemmed from their actions in June 2020 when they raised guns at racial injustice protesters who ventured near their home. Their probation requires 100 hours of pro bono legal services to approved legal assistance organizations that aid needy Missourians. The state Supreme Court order found that Project Veritas didn’t meet the requirement.