A Polo woman charged with felony involuntary manslaughter—second degree after her mother’s death had her case bound over to Division One of Caldwell County Circuit Court March 18th. Forty-two-year-old Rachel Nichols is scheduled for arraignment on April 13th. A probable cause affidavit from Sergeant Tony Kirkendoll of the Caldwell County Sheriff’s Office says an autopsy […]
Tag: court
Branson performer pleads guilty to fraud scheme
A performer at a Branson, Missouri, theater pleaded guilty in federal court to stealing more than $85,000 from hundreds of his own audience members who donated to his non-existent charity for foster children. “For several years, this performer took advantage of his own audiences by pulling at their heartstrings while stealing from their pockets,” said […]
Bethany man faces four charges after being arrested on Thursday
A Bethany man arrested by the Highway Patrol in Harrison County on March 18th at 1:16 in the morning faces four charges. Online court information shows 26-year-old Randall May has been charged with the felonies of driving while intoxicated and endangering the welfare of a child creating substantial risk—first degree—first offense—no sexual contact. He has […]
Missouri joins 20 other states in suing Biden administration for revoking Keystone XL pipeline permit
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt joined 20 other state attorneys general in filing suit on Wednesday, led by Montana and Texas, in United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas challenging President Joe Biden’s cancellation of the permits for the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. The lawsuit argues that President Biden’s administration […]
Missouri man sentenced to 15-years in federal prison for child pornography found on lost phone at truck stop
A Missouri man whose lost cell phone containing child pornography was found at a truck stop was sentenced in federal court. Christopher Lee Caven, 40, of Belton, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 15 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Caven to 12 years of supervised release […]
Audio: Man gets 26 years in prison for shooting death of northwest Missouri toddler
A 21-year-old who pleaded guilty to the shooting death of a two-year-old northwest Missouri girl has been sentenced to 26 years in prison. Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg sentenced Marcain Kimbrough-Ballard of St. Joseph after an emotional hearing in a Buchanan County courtroom. Kimbrough-Ballard, in an earlier court hearing, admitted to firing shots into […]
Vehicle stop leads to arrest of three on alleged drug violations
Livingston County Sheriff Steve Cox reports a vehicle stop on Highway 65 for an equipment violation led to the arrest of three individuals for alleged drug violations. Online court information shows 63-year-old Daniel Leroy Walker of Bedford, 38-year-old Dawn Rachelle King of Hale, and 40-year-old Sasha Campos of Hale have each been charged with felony […]
Senate confirms Haaland as first-ever Native American to serve in the Cabinet
(Missouri Independent) – U.S. Rep. Debra Haaland made history on Monday when she became the first Native American to ever be confirmed by the U.S. Senate to hold a position in a president’s Cabinet. In a narrow 51-40 vote, senators confirmed Haaland, a New Mexico Democrat, to serve as secretary of the interior, where she […]
Pre-trial conference set for May 2, murder trial set for June 6 in case involving death of Diemel brothers
Braymer resident Garland Joey Nelson will have his murder trial sooner than previously scheduled. At a hearing on Tuesday in Johnson County Circuit Court in Warrensburg, a three-week jury trial is now set to begin June 6, 2022. The trial was previously was listed for February of next year. Online information shows a case review […]
Audio: Missouri House attempts to ban judges from changing ballot language written by Legislature
The Missouri House has given initial approval to a bill that would ban judges from changing ballot language written by the Legislature. The proposal follows two Missouri courts rewriting language for a controversial legislative redistricting measure passed by voters last fall. Bill sponsor John Wiemann, a Republican from O’Fallon, and Hillsdale Democrat Kevin Windham debated […]
Trenton man facing charges of burglary, property damage and assault
A Trenton resident has been arrested and faces charges that involve burglary, property damage, and two counts of assault. Twenty-six-year-old Michael Dillon Odor is held in lieu of five thousand dollars cash bond. His next court appearance is March 23rd in the Associate Division of Grundy County Circuit Court. Odor is charged with felony burglary […]
A breakdown of eligible voters and polling locations in Grundy County for the April 6 election
More than 5,800 people from Grundy County will be eligible to vote in the April 6th election, with a total of 5,859 certified by the county clerk’s office. That’s the same number as those eligible for last November’s general election. There will be eight polling locations in Grundy county for April 6th in-person voting, with […]
States question whether new federal stimulus law rules out tax cuts
(Missouri Independent) – President Joe Biden’s massive pandemic stimulus law pumps a welcome infusion of federal aid into state and local government coffers — but one brief section is raising questions about whether states are barred from cutting their own taxes if they accept the federal help. The Senate added language to the COVID-19 relief package […]
Audio: Missouri Public Defender System handles about 6,000 child support criminal cases annually
Missouri law makes it a crime when a parent fails to pay child support. The Missouri Public Defender System handles roughly 6,000 of these cases annually. During a House Budget Committee hearing, System Director Mary Fox says handling those cases in civil court, instead of criminal court, could have a significant financial impact on her […]
Jay Nixon comeback? Democrats lining up for shot at open Missouri Senate seat
(Missouri Independent) – Roy Blunt’s announcement that he won’t seek a third term certainly shook up Republican politics in Missouri, sparking nearly every GOP elected official in the state to publicly mull jumping into the campaign. Democrats aren’t immune from the speculation. While any Democrat would face an uphill fight, the chance of a messy […]
Daughter of Mexican cartel leader pleads guilty to criminal violation of the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act
A dual U.S.-Mexican citizen pleaded guilty today to willfully engaging in financial dealings with Mexican companies that had been identified as Specially Designated Narcotics Traffickers by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). According to court documents, Jessica Johanna Oseguera Gonzalez, 34, of Guadalajara, Mexico, violated the criminal penalties of […]
Osborn man charged with murder in relation to Sheriff Andy Clark’s death, bound over to Division One of DeKalb County Circuit Court
An Osborn man charged with second-degree murder in relation to a motor vehicle accident that caused DeKalb County Sheriff Andy Clark’s death had his case bound over to Division One of DeKalb County Circuit Court on Thursday. An arraignment is scheduled for 35-year-old Gary Wayne Downs on April 9th. Downs was also charged with the […]
Judge Thomas Alley hands down prison time in Division One of Grundy County Circuit Court
Three people were sentenced to prison during Division One proceedings in Grundy County Circuit Court on Thursday. Trenton resident Vance Allan Gannon pleaded guilty to three counts and had one dismissed. Gannon was sentenced to five years with the department of corrections for resisting arrest, detention or stop by fleeing creating a substantial risk to […]
Grundy County Commission to meet with multiple agencies on Tuesday
The Grundy County Commission will meet with representatives of various entities next week. The agenda for the meeting at the courthouse in Trenton on March 16th includes Grundy County Ambulance at 9 o’clock in the morning, Granite phone service calling in at 9:15, Tusa calling in at 10 o’clock regarding 911 radios, the Families and […]