Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson photo courtesy Wikipedia

Senate winds up grueling Supreme Court hearings on Ketanji Brown Jackson nomination

(Missouri Independent) –  Representatives of the American Bar Association reiterated their finding that Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is well qualified to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court, and law enforcement groups rebutted GOP accusations Jackson is soft on child pornographers during the final day of Jackson’s confirmation hearings Thursday. Republicans, however, called in witnesses to […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson photo courtesy Wikipedia

GOP senators attack and interrupt Judge Jackson in final day of questioning U.S. Supreme Court nominee

(Missouri Independent) – In the third day of hearings Wednesday on the nomination of Ketanji Brown Jackson to the U.S. Supreme Court, several Republicans on the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee interrogated her about sentences she handed down for child pornography offenses, disagreeing vehemently with her judicial decisions. Republicans grilled her with questions she had already answered […]

Daniel Dailey, attorney for William Tisaby, spoke to the media after a hearing on June 24. Jermaine Wooten (left), also a defense attorney in the case, listens in (Photo by Rebecca Rivas - Missouri Independent).

Investigator in Greitens’ case pleads guilty to evidence tampering

(Missouri Independent) – An ex-FBI agent who conducted the criminal investigation of former Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens in 2018 pleaded guilty Wednesday to evidence tampering and was sentenced to a year of probation. William Tisaby, 69, was hired by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner to assist in the investigation of allegations that Greitens threatened […]

Livingston County Sheriff

Juvenile who stole car and went joyriding with friends in the report from Livingston County Sheriff

The Livingston County Sheriff’s Office has released information on incidents so far this month. Sheriff Steve Cox reports the juvenile office is handling a matter involving a juvenile too young to be driving and allegedly stealing a relative’s vehicle. The sheriff says Sergeant Dustin Woelfle traveled on Bryan Street on March 2nd when a vehicle […]

Avery Mock Booking Photo Final

Spickard woman waives preliminary hearing and is scheduled for Division One in April

A Spickard woman has waived a preliminary hearing and is scheduled next month for Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court on three counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child, creating substantial risk. Avery Mock appeared with her attorney on Tuesday in the Associate Division of circuit court where Judge Steve Hudson advanced […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson

Ketanji Brown Jackson defends her record under grilling from U.S. Senate Republicans

(Missouri Independent) – Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday sharpened their criticisms of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, probing her work as a public defender on behalf of terrorism suspects, the judicial sentences she has handed down for child pornography offenses, and her views of critical race theory. Jackson defended her […]

Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson photo courtesy Wikipedia

Ketanji Brown Jackson vows to decide U.S. Supreme Court cases from a ‘neutral posture’

(Missouri Independent) – Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson began her four-day confirmation process to become the nation’s first Black female associate justice on Monday, listening to hours of opening statements from Senate Judiciary Committee members before giving her own. In her first public remarks since President Joe Biden nominated her last month, Jackson, who grew […]

Typical pen style CAFO ( Photo by Darrell Hoemann - Investigate Midwest)

As CAFO lawsuit heads to Missouri Supreme Court, counties weigh options

(Missouri Independent) – As a fight over who can regulate industrial hog and cattle operations awaits action by the Missouri Supreme Court, counties that sought more stringent protections against them wait in limbo.  The Missouri Supreme Court is expected to hear an appeal by county commissioners who sought to regulate concentrated animal feeding operations, or CAFOs, […]

Timothy Nguyen courtesy Grundy County Law Enforcement Center

Trenton man ordered to court on “failure to obey a judges order”

A Trenton man is scheduled next month for Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court on a warrant alleging he failed to obey a judges’ order. Thirty-eight-year-old Timothy Nguyen was to be picked up on Monday, March 21, 2022,  from the Missouri Department of Corrections and returned to the Grundy County Detention Center. Bond is […]

Ryleah Ishmael and Parker Whitacre (Booking photos courtesy Trenton Police Department)

Two area residents arrested on drug-related offenses

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports the arrest of two area residents on March 15th on drug-related charges. Twenty-year-old Ryleah Rayven Ishmael of Tindall has been charged with the felonies of possession of a controlled substance and delivery or possession of a controlled substance at a county or private jail or correctional center except with […]

A gavel and a name plate with the engraving Lawsuit

Missouri Attorney General files suit against Missouri School Boards Association for alleged Sunshine Law violations

To kick off Sunshine Week, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed suit against the Missouri School Boards Association for alleged violations of the Sunshine Law. The Missouri Attorney General’s Office previously requested records from the Missouri School Boards Association (MSBA) related to their role in the October 4, 2021 memo from the Biden Administration and […]

Jennifer Tunnell booking photo courtesy TPD via Vinelink

Trenton woman arrested on possession of a controlled substance allegation

The Grundy County Sheriff’s Office reports a Trenton woman posted bond after her arrest on felony possession of a controlled substance. Fifty-year-old Jennifer Dee Tunnell was arrested on March 14th, and her bond was $10,000 cash only. She had a special condition to be supervised by North Missouri Court Services if the bond was posted. […]

Court News

Court news for Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court on Thursday, March 10, 2022

Among cases Thursday, March 10, 2022, in Division One of the Grundy County Circuit Court: Trenton resident Kyle Ray Graves pleaded guilty to felony possession of a controlled substance/synthetic cannabinoid. Two other counts were dismissed. Graves was sentenced to seven years with the Department of Corrections with the term to be consecutive to any other […]

Planned Parenthood website

Planned Parenthood sues Missouri social services agency over restricted Medicaid funds

(Missouri Independent) – Planned Parenthood filed a lawsuit Thursday against Missouri’s Department of Social Services, alleging the agency unlawfully plans to restrict Medicaid payments to the provider. A March 4 notice sent to Planned Parenthood of St. Louis Region cites a supplemental budget bill lawmakers passed last month that bars abortion providers or their affiliates from being […]

Murder For Hire News Graphic

Grand jury indicts former Missouri school principal and co-conspirator in murder for hire plot

A federal grand jury indicted Cornelius M. Green and Phillip J. Cutler on March 9, 2022, for conspiracy to commit murder for hire and murder for hire that resulted in the death of Jocelyn Peters and her unborn child in 2016.     The indictment alleges that Green and Cutler had a longstanding and close friendship […]

Prison Sentence

Brookfield man sentenced to 12 years in prison on a number of charges

The Linn County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office reports a Brookfield man was sentenced in Linn County Circuit Court on March 8, 2022, to 12 years total in the Department of Corrections. On a charge of second-degree domestic assault, Alexander Blackwell was sentenced to serve eight years as a prior assault offender. He was sentenced to five years […]

Court News

Court news for the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court for Tuesday, March 8, 2022

Preliminary hearings were waived by four defendants on Tuesday in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. Trenton resident, Brandon Dean Bibee Burkhardt, has two drug-related counts as of March 1st: delivery of a controlled substance/synthetic cannabinoid and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Chillicothe resident Jimmy Dean King is charged with forgery from May […]

Prison Sentence

Missouri man sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for producing child pornography

United States District Court Judge Henry E. Autrey sentenced Scott Reinhardt II, age 36, to 25 years in federal prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release for the production of child pornography.  Reinhardt previously pleaded guilty in December 2021.  According to the plea agreement, between the dates of February 1, 2020, and […]