Court and Trials Archives

Hearing scheduled for man accused of murdering missing Columbia mother

October 9, 2020 4:50 AM Ben Fein

Joseph Elledge, who was charged with murdering his wife Mengqi Ji in February, has court hearings scheduled Friday.

Pettis County man pleads guilty to Medicaid fraud, must pay over $6,000 in restitution

October 6, 2020 4:13 PM Karl Wehmhoener

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt announced that a Pettis County man pled guilty to the class D felony of Violations Involving Health Care Payments after submitting false timesheets. According to the release, Sherwin Marshall submitted false timesheets for allegedly receiving personal care services and no services were ever provided. Marshall convinced

Man accused of assaulting officers Sunday night in Osage County

October 5, 2020 9:30 PM Karl Wehmhoener

FREEBURG, Mo. (KMIZ) An Osage County probable cause statement reveals what happened during a burglary call on Sunday night in Osage County. According to court documents, a deputy from the Osage County Sheriff’s Department arrived on scene and found law enforcement attempting to place Gage Wansing to a patrol vehicle. Documents report that Wansing allegedly

Mid-Missouri woman accused of killing her husband released from jail

October 2, 2020 11:46 PM Karl Wehmhoener

A Mid-Missouri woman accused of killing her husband has been released from jail.

ACLU sues over Missouri order on evictions during pandemic

September 30, 2020 7:48 PM Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union is suing over a Missouri court order allowing some Kansas City area evictions to continue during the coronavirus pandemic. The ACLU on Wednesday filed a lawsuit in federal court. The organization is fighting a Jackson Court Circuit Court order allowing some evictions to continue, even

Judge drops suit alleging racist efforts to oust prosecutor

September 30, 2020 7:46 PM Associated Press

A federal judge has tossed out a lawsuit filed by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner and blasted her claims that she was the victim of a coordinated and racist conspiracy aimed at forcing her from office. Gardner, the city’s elected prosecutor, claimed in the suit that “entrenched interests” were intentionally impeding her efforts to

Lawsuit: Man died when chair was thrown at concert

September 30, 2020 3:44 PM Associated Press

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — A wrongful death lawsuit claims that a Missouri man died at a 2019 Dave Matthews Band concert after being hit by a chair thrown by an employee of the venue in St. Louis County. Jasen Smith wrongful death lawsuitDownload The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the lawsuit filed by Darcy Smith

Missouri Supreme Court rules against Columbia man in arson case

September 29, 2020 10:48 PM ABC 17 News Team

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man acquitted of paying someone to set a home on fire will not get a new trial in a lawsuit connected to the incident. The Supreme Court of Missouri ruled against a request today from lawyers for Mehrdad Fotoohighiam. A jury in Boone County found him not guilty last

Judge favorable to release for woman accused of Montgomery County murder

September 25, 2020 4:34 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – A Boone County judge said he’s inclined to release a woman accused of her husband’s killing from jail, but wanted more details on the plan. Judge Kevin Crane said at a Friday court hearing that he would grant Lynlee Renick’s request to get out of jail on her own recognizance. That

Local prosecutor explains how indictment in Breonna Taylor case translates in Missouri law

September 23, 2020 5:55 PM Sydney Olsen

On Wednesday a grand jury in Kentucky indicted one of the officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor with wanton endangerment.

Judge considers bond reduction for Montgomery County snake breeder’s wife

September 18, 2020 4:55 PM Lucas Geisler

A judge wants more information on a potential plan to release a woman accused of murder from jail before deciding the issue.

Jefferson City man sentenced to probation after threatening to shoot up a Walmart

September 18, 2020 9:13 AM Matt Ragsdale

A Jefferson City man accused of threatening to shoot up a Walmart store was sentenced to probation on Tuesday, nearly a year after charges were filed.

Columbia psychologist indicted by grand jury

September 11, 2020 8:12 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. A Boone County grand jury indicted a Columbia psychologist for sex crimes Friday. The indictment claims Kurt Bumby committed two counts of second-degree sodomy in 2010 and 2011. His next scheduled court appearance in September 28 in Boone County. A possible victim told authorities in 2019 that he and Bumby had a sexual

Man accused of child abuse in Cole County

September 9, 2020 9:15 PM Katie Greathouse

Prosecutors charged a man with child abuse in Cole County on Sunday.

Two Columbia men sentenced for marijuana sales tied to 2017 killing

September 3, 2020 2:41 PM Lucas Geisler

JEFFERSON CTIY, Mo. (KMIZ) Two Columbia men received punishment on Wednesday for selling marijuana connected to a 2017 killing. Blake Johnson, considered by federal prosecutors to be Augustus “Gus” Roberts’ “principal lieutenant” in a nationwide drug operation, received ten years of prison time. Johnson is one of several people to admit to selling marijuana as

Jefferson City man indicted on several sex, assault charges

September 2, 2020 4:37 PM Lucas Geisler

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Jefferson City man currently in prison faces more than a dozen crimes related to sexual and physical abuse. A Cole County grand jury inducted Francis H. Kempker of thirteen crimes, including rape, kidnapping, assault and armed criminal action. The indictment claims Kempker committed these crimes throughout 2016 to four different

Judge gives probation in case involving death of disabled Fulton man

September 2, 2020 4:41 PM Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A federal judge sentenced a man accused in a scheme to cover up the death of a disabled Fulton man to three years of probation Wednesday. Anthony R. K. Flores pleaded guilty in federal court in February to lying to authorities as part of the cover-up of the death of Carl

Man sentenced to more than 15 years in prison in death of Carl DeBrodie

September 2, 2020 5:49 AM Brittany Wiley

Two men convicted in the death of Carl DeBrodie are set for sentencing hearings Wednesday in federal court.

Fulton woman gets 17.5 years in prison for disabled man’s death

September 1, 2020 5:26 AM Lucas Geisler

A Fulton woman was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison Tuesday for her role in the death of a disabled man.

Harrisburg man gets three years in prison for role in nationwide marijuana ring

September 1, 2020 3:05 PM Lucas Geisler

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A man living in rural Boone County will spend more than three years in prison for his role in a nationwide marijuana operation. Christopher Bradshaw received a 41-month sentence from Judge Brian Wimes in federal court on Tuesday. Bradshaw admitted to helping sell marijuana that prosecutors believe came from Oregon and