Court and Trials Archives

Property owners could be liable for injuries on sidewalks covered in snow

February 2, 2022 8:13 PM Leila Mitchell

Severe wintry weather makes for slippery and hazardous conditions, and while shoveling your walkways is no fun, it is important.

Prosecutors charge Columbia man accused of firing gun inside of apartment

February 1, 2022 12:44 PM Zachary Farwell

The Boone County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office has filed charges against a Columbia man accused of firing a gun inside of an apartment.

More charges filed against Audrain County man accused of sex crimes against children

January 31, 2022 10:37 PM Karl Wehmhoener

An Audrain County prosecutor has filed more charges against a man accused of sex crimes against children.

Attorney general seeks restraining orders against CPS, other schools in mask lawsuits

January 31, 2022 4:03 PM Karl Wehmhoener

Missouri Attorney General Office has begun filing motions for temporary restraining orders in lawsuits against Columbia Public Schools and other school districts over mask mandates.

Columbia man sentenced after reaching plea deal in deadly shooting

January 28, 2022 12:40 PM Zachary Farwell

A Boone County judge sentenced a Columbia man to 27 years in prison Friday for his role in a deadly shooting.

Judge lowers bond for teen in shooting case

January 28, 2022 7:12 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A judge will give a Columbia teen a lower bond in a shooting case. Shawn Long, 18, is accused of shooting and killing Roberto Lauer last week. He’s charged with involuntary manslaughter. Long says he accidentally shot the gun at Lauer. We were in court when Long’s attorney argued to lower his quarter-million-dollar

Judge sentences Columbia man for illegal firearm

January 27, 2022 9:10 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A federal judge has sentenced a Columbia man for illegally possessing a firearm. Jeremiah Ezekiel Brown, 37, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. This is the maximum statutory penalty for this offense. Brown was found guilty at trial on Sept. 20, 2021, of being a felon in

Joseph Elledge pleads not guilty to three felony charges.

Judge plans to set trial date in Joseph Elledge child abuse trial

January 24, 2022 3:28 PM ABC 17 News Team

Jurors will be selected from Warren County after convicted killer Joseph Elledge child abuse trial after a hearing ended Monday afternoon.

Convicted murderers Joseph Elledge and Lynlee Renick both due in court Monday

January 24, 2022 5:50 AM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two convicted murderers are both set to continue with court proceedings Monday afternoon in Boone County. Joseph Elledge Mengqi Ji and Joseph Elledge Joseph Elledge was recently sentenced to 28 years in prison for second-degree murder in his wife, Mengqi Ji’s death. Elledge reported Ji missing in October of 2019. After investigators

Man files lawsuit against Cole County Jail after he allegedly shot himself while in custody

January 20, 2022 9:24 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A man that was shot while in custody at the Cole County Jail has filed a lawsuit saying he didn’t get adequate medical care after the shooting in Nov. 2019. Brandon McNeese alleges the Cole County Sheriff’s Department and Sheriff John Wheeler did not give the highest degree of care in

Auxvasse man sentenced for growing marijuana and gun possession

January 20, 2022 5:46 PM Karl Wehmhoener

A federal judge has sentenced an Auxvasse man for growing marijuana and illegally possessing dozens of firearms.

Columbia homicide suspect claims he didn’t know gun was loaded; pleads not guilty

January 19, 2022 8:40 AM Molly Stawinoga

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An 18-year-old accused of shooting and killing a man in northeast Columbia on Monday night says he didn’t know the gun was loaded. Shawn Long admitted to police in an interview on Tuesday that he picked up the gun and pointed it at Roberto Lauer, 18, in a “playful manner” before it

Bond denied for a Jefferson City man accused of a 2018 murder

January 17, 2022 8:26 PM Karl Wehmhoener

A Cole County judge denied bond for a Jefferson City teenager accused of murder last Wednesday.

Illinois tornado victim’s family sues Amazon over warehouse collapse

January 17, 2022 4:23 PM Associated Press

The family of a delivery driver who died last month when a tornado collapsed the Amazon warehouse in central Illinois where he worked has filed a wrongful death lawsuit.

Columbia man convicted of illegal firearm possession after police chase

January 14, 2022 5:38 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man was convicted by a federal jury of illegally possessing the stolen firearm that he threw out of his car during a police chase. Cecil Jason Robinson, 42, was found guilty on Thursday of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Law enforcement attempted to stop Robinson, who

Jefferson City man accused of trafficking mentally disabled woman

January 14, 2022 10:29 AM Zachary Farwell

Michael Coon, 68, was charged Thursday with felony counts of trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, first-degree rape or attempted rape, first-degree sodomy or attempted sodomy and distribution of a controlled substance in a protected location.

Osage County man sentenced to 15 Years for meth trafficking, illegal firearm

January 13, 2022 8:22 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A federal judge has sentenced a Loose Creek, Mo., man for illegally possessing meth and a firearm. Leif Christopher Haslag, 39, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. On July 1, 2021, Haslag pleaded guilty to one count of possessing meth with the intent to distribute and one