Judge denies bond for invasion of privacy suspect, calling him a ‘danger to community’
A man facing an invasion of privacy charge for the fifth time in a little over two months has a bond hearing scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
Continue ReadingCourt and Trials
Missouri to pay about $1 million in federal voting lawsuit
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri has been ordered to pay more than $1 million for not complying with federal voting laws. The 8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appels this week affirmed an earlier decision to award the cost of attorneys fees in the case. A 2018 lawsuit accused the state of failing to automatically
Continue Reading
Columbia man arrested for November shooting
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia police arrested a man in connection with a shots fired incident in November 2020. Prosecutors filed charges against Aaron Jones, 20, on July 14, more than seven months after police say they identified Jones as the suspect in the case. According to court documents obtained by ABC 17 News, police responded
Continue Reading
Missouri treasurer sues secretary of state over amendment
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri treasurer is suing the Missouri secretary of state over a proposed constitutional amendment. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports Treasurer Scott Fitzpatrick on Monday sued fellow Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. Fitzpatrick is suing over a proposed constitutional amendment that would change how his office invests taxpayer money.
Continue Reading Full federal appeals court to consider Missouri abortion law
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A full federal appeals court panel is rehearing a case over Missouri abortion restrictions. The U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals last week decided to take up the case on its own motion. At issue is a 2019 state law to ban abortions as soon as eight weeks into pregnancy and
Continue Reading
Judge hears arguments on allowing secret recordings as evidence in Joseph Elledge murder case
Joseph Elledge was charged in Feb. 2020 with first-degree murder in the death of his wife, Mengqi Ji.
Continue Reading
Supreme Court of Missouri considers future of Medicaid expansion
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri’s highest court will now decide on the future of Medicaid expansion in the state. The court’s seven judges heard arguments Tuesday morning in an appeal of a Cole County court decision ruling the voter-approved expansion unconstitutional. You can listen to the audio of arguments here. A Cole County judge ruled
Continue Reading
Settlement approved in Waffle House shooting case
Judge Jeff Harris approved the confidential settlement in Boone County court Monday, court records show. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the motion filed last month by A.W. Smith, the lawyer for Anthony Warren’s family, notes that structured settlements are in place for Warren’s three children.
Continue Reading
Monroe County man sentenced to life in prison for fiancee’s death
A Cole County judge sentenced James Addie to life in prison without parole plus 10 years for the 2018 death of Molly Watson. Addie was convicted in April of first-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was sentenced at that hearing to 20 years on the armed criminal action count, but sentencing for the murder conviction was delayed until Monday.
Continue Reading Jackson County votes to join lawsuit against state gun law
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Jackson County legislators voted to join a lawsuit challenging a new state law that bans state and local law enforcement officers from enforcing federal gun rules. The Jackson County Legislature voted 5-3 Tuesday to join St. Louis and St. Louis County in opposing the law. Supporters of the lawsuit contend
Continue Reading Settlement reached in 2018 Columbia Waffle House shooting
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A settlement is in place between the family of a man killed at a Columbia Waffle House, the restaurant and the security guard that killed him. Attorneys for members of Anthony Warren’s family filed the proposed settlement with Judge Jeff Harris on Wednesday. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but the
Continue Reading
Judge Paul Wilson takes over as Missouri chief justice
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Supreme Court Judge Paul Wilson is starting a new role as the state’s chief justice. Wilson began a two-year term Thursday as the top judge, succeeding Judge George Draper, who remains on the court. Missouri’s chief justice position rotates every two years. Wilson was a longtime aide to former
Continue Reading
No charges for Randolph County deputy that killed Jacksonville man
HUNTSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) The Randolph County prosecutor won’t charge a county deputy that shot and killed a man in March. Prosecutor Stephanie Luntsford told ABC 17 News that she decided not to file charges against the deputy that killed David Hill on March 23 in Jacksonville. The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and
Continue Reading
Mo. Supreme Court sides against state in open records case
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Public governmental bodies in Missouri cannot charge fees for the time attorneys spend redacting documents prior to their release to the public, the state Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the court ruling noted that the Missouri Sunshine Law allows officials to charge requestors for “research”
Continue Reading
Supreme Court of Missouri issues execution date for Columbia man found guilty in 1994 murder
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Supreme Court has set an Oct. 5 date for the execution of a Columbia man convicted in a triple-murder. Ernest Lee Johnson was sentenced to death for the 1994 killing of Mary Bratcher, Mable Scruggs, and Fred Jones at a Columbia convenience store with a claw hammer. Johnson’s execution
Continue Reading
Camdenton man charged with multiple counts of sex crimes against a child
CAMDENTON, Mo. (KMIZ) A Camdenton man is charged with multiple sex crimes against a child after a nine-month investigation after a tip from a parent. According to a press release, Thomas Lee Earl Carnahan is charged with three counts of statutory rape of someone under the age of 14 and two counts of statutory sodomy
Continue Reading
Convicted murder asks Missouri Supreme Court to overturn guilty plea
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A man serving time for the death of Kent Heitholt is asking the high court for help. Charles Erickson is asking the Missouri Supreme Court to order a hearing to overturn his 2004 guilty plea. He’s claimed former prosecutor Kevin Crane coerced his story that he and Ryan Ferguson killed Heitholt
Continue Reading
State rep says proposed parole changes not meant for Cole County killer
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Missouri state representative said changes he suggested to the state’s parole eligibility were not intended to apply to a Cole County woman serving a life sentence for murder. Rep. Mark Sharp, D-Kansas City, told ABC 17 News he did not support an early release for Alyssa Bustamante, the St. Martins
Continue Reading Medicaid expansion lawsuit appealed to Missouri Supreme Court
The legal team filed a notice of appeal to the state’s highest court Thursday after a ruling against them in Cole County court the day before
Continue Reading Compassionate release given to Columbia man incarcerated for marijuana and money-laundering felonies
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man sentenced to federal prison for 23 years was given compassionate release today by a U.S. District Judge. Eric McCauley was sentenced in 2012 for marijuana and money-laundering felonies. In his order, Judge Stephen Bough stated, “Upon review of the record, the Court finds further incarceration is not needed to
Continue Reading