November 21, 2009
R.J. Cooper - Courthouse Reporter
Stewart sentenced in sodomy case
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009
Monday, Nov. 16, 2009
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
Drug court weighs criticism with success
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009
Friday, Nov. 13, 2009
Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
Friday, Oct. 23, 2009
Friday, Oct. 23, 2009
Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009
Friday, Oct. 9, 2009
Thursday, Oct. 8, 2009
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009
Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009
Friday, Oct. 2, 2009
Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009
Friday, Sept. 25, 2009
Friday, Sept. 25, 2009
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009
Thursday, Sept. 24, 2009
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009
Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009
A St. Joseph 17-year-old received a 15-year prison sentence Thursday for sodomizing a 4-year-old boy.
However, how much of that sentence Harry L. Stewart Jr. serves will be a matter of conjecture for the next few months.
Mr. Stewart pleaded guilty to statutory sodomy of a person less than 14 years old last month in Buchanan County Circuit Court. On Thursday, Judge Dan Kellogg gave the defendant 15 years, then sentenced Mr. Stewart to 120 days of shock, prison detention.
Friday, Nov. 20, 2009
Benny Willmore’s flailing attempt at self-defense nearly killed someone and landed the St. Joseph man in prison for at least 120 days in the ensuing case.
County officeholders to forgo raisesThursday, Nov. 19, 2009
Buchanan County’s officeholders unanimously voted Wednesday to not accept raises for the next two years.
Rathman’s bond remains at $100KTuesday, Nov. 17, 2009
The alleged abuse that killed Donald Rathman was not a one-time occurrence, according to Buchanan County prosecutors.
Program offers addicts a chance to take back their livesMonday, Nov. 16, 2009
Jacob Hughes began his trek toward rehabilitation nearly two weeks ago, in a third-floor courtroom of the Buchanan County Courthouse.
The 20-year-old man, standing in an orange, jail-issued jumpsuit and shackles, pleaded guilty to a pair of felonies in front of Judge Dan Kellogg. Back in April, Mr. Hughes was high on methamphetamine at his St. Joseph apartment complex when he saw a fellow resident deposit money in the night drop box. Mr. Hughes grabbed a curtain rod and unsuccessfully tried to fish the money out of the box, earning him an attempted burglary charge. Three months later, he bought cigarettes with a stolen credit card.
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
Rita Miller’s criminal history began in 1995; however, her drug history started about a decade prior.
By the time police arrested her for stealing, Rita had nursed a cocaine habit since the mid 1980s. The St. Joseph woman eventually shook the grasp of cocaine through Buchanan County’s drug court, and now has been clean for five years. But had her four previous attempts at rehabilitation involved a conviction, Rita wonders whether prosecutors and Judge Dan Kellogg would have allowed her into the program at all.
“After awhile they just assume: ‘This person isn’t going to change. They’ve been in the system too long,’” she said.
Drug court weighs criticism with success
Sunday, Nov. 15, 2009
Rita Miller cried so hard she threw up.
There was no escaping a paper trail that led right to her, but she couldn’t stop. She stole to support her drug habit for about a decade, but after two convictions on that front, she turned to another source of cash — however brief and easy to trace it might have been. And despite her violent physical reaction to another round of lies, the mother of two resorted to forging checks worth nearly $3,100.
By 2002, Rita had pleaded guilty to three felonies in seven years — two for stealing and one for forgery. Her addiction to cocaine was such that she would leave her two teenage daughters for two days at a time to go on drug binges.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009
If there’s one place decorum still lives comfortably, it’s in the courtroom.
Courtesy titles, last names, standing to address the judge and other such formalities are common practice in Buchanan County Circuit Court — just not this particular Monday.
Judge Dan Kellogg, still sporting his black robe, bounces out from behind the bench and presents a woman with a certificate for one year of sobriety as the courtroom bursts into applause. The judge then discusses topics that range from free chicken at KFC to whether a new mother grabbed any sleep the night before as he progresses through his docket.
Friday, Nov. 13, 2009
A St. Joseph teen initially will serve 120 days in prison for sodomizing an 11-year-old boy.
Accused of child abuse, defendant pleads guiltyWednesday, Nov. 11, 2009
Judge Weldon Judah gave Zachery K. Ellis every chance to remove his guilty plea.
Man gets 12 years for meth possessionTuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
The Buchanan County Prosecutor‘s Office had its pick of ways to send Michael Todd Williams to prison.
Mom sentenced for role in vandalism spreeTuesday, Nov. 10, 2009
Joanne Nelson traded in her apropos T-shirt for the more standard-issue prison garb.
Police arrested the 39-year-old St. Joseph woman in a T-shirt that read “It’s all fun & games until the cops show up” last March following a three-day vandalism spree that struck at least 30 targets. Ms. Nelson pleaded guilty to first-degree property damage and received a three-year sentence from Judge Pat Robb on Monday in Buchanan County Circuit Court.
According to court testimony, Ms. Nelson drove her son, Brett Liechti, 19, and his friend Lucas Pace, 18, while the two men vandalized cars and houses around St. Joseph. The crimes ranged from spray painting vulgarities on a garage to dumping paint on vehicles to breaking out car windows with rocks, baseball bats and a BB gun.
Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009
Only two professionally painted pictures hang in Dwight Scroggins’ office, but the Buchanan County prosecutor’s walls hardly lack for artistic flair.
More than 40 children’s drawings cover the east wall. In one picture, Luigi navigates a veritable minefield of mushrooms, while in another, a yellow, orange and blue tugboat chugs along under partly cloudy skies as a shark tags along for the ride. Sheriffs, dragons, leprechauns, chickens, puppies, kittens and even Jesus vie for face time on the whimsical wall.
“There is a story with every drawing that’s up there,” Mr. Scroggins says.
Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009
The hallways of the Buchanan County Courthouse seem a bit brighter these days, and the unseasonably warm, sunny days can’t claim all the credit.
The county’s budget situation has morphed from untenable to merely unenviable during the past two months, thanks to advances on a couple of fronts.
The county has been searching for a new health insurance provider the past two months, and the best offer it found involved a 27 percent increase in costs. At the same time, the county’s sales tax revenue figures from August were $200,820 below 2008, leaving the general fund $313,547 behind its approximately $6 million budget.
Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
Thursday’s sentence likely ensures Roger Lee Clark will die in prison.
In the courts, Nov. 6, 2009Friday, Nov. 6, 2009
In the courts, Nov. 6, 2009
Child abuse case delayedWednesday, Nov. 4, 2009
Angela Rathman, 36, leaned forward in the jury box, resting her elbows on her legs as she bounced on the balls of her feet.
She kept that up for more than a half-hour Monday in Buchanan County Circuit Court, completing the portrait of a nervous and impatient defendant awaiting her time before the judge.
But Ms. Rathman will have to wait another week in her child abuse case.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
Triumph Foods and Missouri Gas Energy waited until the final hours before their jury trial was set to begin before reaching a settlement Monday.
The pork company was suing the natural gas provider in Buchanan County Circuit Court for $19.9 million, stemming from a 2005 explosion that killed one person during the construction of the St. Joseph pork plant. Jury selection for their trial was set for 9 a.m. Monday before the two sides reached an agreement earlier in the day.
“I can say that we’re pleased that it has settled,” said Patt Lilly, Triumph’s chief administrative officer.
Mr. Lilly declined to comment on the specifics of the settlement.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009
The Buchanan County Clerk expects one fewer issue on the ballot to bring out about 10 percent fewer voters in today’s election.
County residents living within the St. Joseph School District head to the polls to vote on a 63-cent levy with a five-year sunset clause. In April, voters rejected a 63-cent tax levy without a sunset clause and a bond to build two new schools.
The absentee ballots from today’s election are running about 10 percent behind April’s ballots. County Clerk Pat Conway projects a turnout of about 16,000 today, or 34 percent of the eligible voters, compared to 18,193 in April. There are 46,400 eligible voters for today’s election, according to Mr. Conway. The levy measure, which needs a simple majority to pass, failed by 172 votes last time around.
Friday, Oct. 30, 2009
All 10 men implicated in a local burglary ring have pleaded guilty in Buchanan County Circuit Court after Justin M. Hughes and Jeremy W. Hayden entered their pleas Thursday.
Witness recants statements on standWednesday, Oct. 28, 2009
The woman linking Antwoin M. Craig to an April 2008 burglary waffled on the stand during a jury trial Tuesday afternoon, retracting statements she made to police.
Inmate dies at county jailTuesday, Oct. 27, 2009
A St. Joseph man convicted of abusing his 6-year-old daughter apparently committed suicide by hanging himself in the Buchanan County Jail on Saturday.
Alleged burglary leader sentencedSaturday, Oct. 24, 2009
One of the alleged leaders of a burglary ring that targeted St. Joseph homes, businesses, schools and churches received a 15-year sentence in Buchanan County Circuit Court on Friday.
Judge Dan Kellogg sentenced Timothy Scott McCoy, 19, to five years for each of the three counts of second-degree burglary he faced, to be served consecutively.
Ron Holliday, the first assistant to the prosecutor, called on St. Joseph detective Scott Coates to testify during the hearing. Mr. Coates served as the lead investigator on the case, and his testimony brought various aspects of the 10-man burglary ring into clearer focus.
Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009
Every property’s a dollar is gaining popularity in Buchanan County.
Ticket issue heats up in Municipal CourtFriday, Oct. 23, 2009
Judge John Boeh continually steered the focus of his courtroom back on the sidewalk. Once again, Marcell “Big Daddy” Jackson strayed from that path.
Budget numbers loom over commissionersFriday, Oct. 23, 2009
Nancy Nash wore black to her budget meeting with the Buchanan County Commission on Thursday.
Census brings in several new jobsThursday, Oct. 22, 2009
The 2010 census will have a few more jobs to count in St. Joseph, thanks to itself.
Burglar sentenced to 3 years, probationWednesday, Oct. 21, 2009
Prison awaits another member of a burglary ring that targeted schools, businesses, churches and homes in St. Joseph.
Member of burglary ring pleads guiltyTuesday, Oct. 20, 2009
Another member of a burglary ring that terrorized St. Joseph businesses, churches, schools and homes earlier this year pleaded guilty in Buchanan County Circuit Court on Monday.
Robert J. Manassro, 23, admitted to his part in a trio of burglaries, pleading guilty to three separate counts of second-degree burglary. The ring of at least 10 people operated out of a St. Joseph home and concentrated mainly on high-end electronics, which it sold on the Web site Craigslist.com, according to the prosecutor’s office.
Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009
Ronny Rathman, 52, made his first appearance in Buchanan County circuit court, via video conference from the county jail, on Friday.
Murder charges dismissedSaturday, Oct. 17, 2009
Judge Dan Kellogg upheld the motion to dismiss murder charges against Dallas Cox on Friday in Buchanan County Circuit Court.
Kenneth Akin assaulted his nephew Stephen Akin last October. Stephen Akin died a week later from blunt force trauma to the head, but not before telling St. Joseph police in a written statement that Mr. Cox kicked him in the head during the assault.
Kenneth Akin pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in November, testifying that Mr. Cox had no part in the assault. But based on Stephen Akin’s statement, the prosecutor’s office filed second-degree murder charges against Mr. Cox and was set for trial on Sept. 29.
Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009
The Missouri Department of Social Services did recommend removal of the Rathman children from their parents’ house after all — the day following Donald Rathman’s death from head trauma.
DSS’s Children’s Division investigates reports of child abuse, then makes its recommendations. But only the juvenile system or law enforcement officials have the authority to remove children from their homes, barring an emergency removal, according to Arleasha Mays, the DSS’s assistant communications director.
Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009
The aunt of a 7-week-old boy who died last week claims she reported the victim’s parents for abuse last year. Donald Rathman died last Thursday after suffering head trauma. According to court documents, Donald’s father, Ronny Rathman, struck the infant’s head multiple times and knocked it into a table. According to police, Mr. Rathman, 52, brought his son to Heartland Regional Medical Center on Thursday evening. The child died at the hospital, where St. Joseph Police arrested Mr. Rathman. Mr. Rathman faces second-degree murder charges, is in custody in lieu of $100,000 bond and will appear in Buchanan County Circuit Court on Friday.
Man receives four years probation in rape caseSaturday, Oct. 10, 2009
John Everett received four years of probation in Buchanan County circuit court on Friday for raping a woman last February.
Wildberger in line to replace Higginbotham as recorderFriday, Oct. 9, 2009
For Ed Wildberger, the choice between the Buchanan County clerk position and the recorder of deeds came down to a head start.
City in bout with boxers over billThursday, Oct. 8, 2009
Two St. Joseph boxers appeared in Buchanan County Circuit Court Wednesday to work toward settling a debt with the city.
Galen Brown, Byron Polley and Earl Walker rented out Civic Arena on Sept. 27, 2008, for a boxing card on which all three fought, along with local bantamweight Andre Wilson. The city filed a petition for past due payment last month, claiming Mr. Brown, Mr. Polley and Mr. Walker still owed $3,211 for using the Downtown arena.
Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009
Alberto D. Arias, 34, received a 10-year prison sentence Tuesday in Buchanan County Circuit Court for sodomizing a St. Joseph girl.
Mr. Arias pleaded guilty to statutory sodomy in the first degree in August, and on Tuesday, Judge Dan Kellogg agreed with the assistant prosecutor’s recommended sentence of 10 years, 8½ years of which are mandatory.
Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009
The Buchanan County Commission granted a one-year extension to Terra Bioenergy to meet its requirements for the $100,000 the county loaned to the biodiesel company last year.
Bargaining yields wage offer in firefighters suitSaturday, Oct. 3, 2009
The city of St. Joseph and its firefighters agree their bargaining finally yielded a wage offer.
Murder suspects appear in courtFriday, Oct. 2, 2009
Michael Limley and Christopher Helton were the main attractions during a madhouse morning on Thursday in Buchanan County Circuit Court.
Heartland, former nurse set trial date over discrimination claimsThursday, Oct. 1, 2009
Heartland Regional Medical Center denies the claims of racial discrimination by former nurse Kimberly Barron and agreed to a trial date on Wednesday in Buchanan County circuit court.
21 years in fatal crashWednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Cody Wolfram received 21 years in prison on Tuesday in Buchanan County Circuit Court for killing two people and injuring two others during an April 5, 2008, car wreck.
The 26-year-old Savannah man had a blood alcohol content nearly three times the legal limit when he ran a stop sign in his Mazda 6 at 22nd and Commercial streets. He then crashed into a Ford truck driven by Brandie McCoy.
Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009
Some routine housecleaning turned into a headache for the Buchanan County prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor charged Dallas Cox, 28, with second-degree murder in the beating and eventual death of Stephen Akin, 26. Mr. Akin died one week after the assault last October, to which his uncle, Kenneth Akin, pleaded guilty in November. Mr. Cox’s trial was set to start Tuesday in front of Judge Dan Kellogg until a St. Joseph police detective discovered earlier this month that an officer destroyed most of the physical evidence in the case by mistake.
Grant to help those in needSaturday, Sept. 26, 2009
For a few area families, a federal grant Buchanan and Andrew counties receive will be the difference between a place to live and a place to leave.
Man sentenced to 21 years for role in crash that killed 2Friday, Sept. 25, 2009
Christopher Tirrell was sentenced to 21 years in prison Thursday for his role in a fatal 2008 car crash.
Dentist was ‘a wonderful giving individual’Friday, Sept. 25, 2009
The note remains, though not the $100 bill.
City, firefighters no closer to agreementThursday, Sept. 24, 2009
Five months after filing a lawsuit against the city, St. Joseph firefighters continue to wait for a wage proposal from their employer.
Organizers hope to land Blue Angels for air showThursday, Sept. 24, 2009
The Apple Blossom weekend should fly by next year.
Sentencing delayed in fatal 2008 crashWednesday, Sept. 23, 2009
A glitch added seven more days to a 17-month wait for the friends and families of Matthew Darr and Adonis White.
People packed Circuit Judge Dan Kellogg’s courtroom for the sentencing of Cody Wolfram on Monday afternoon. The 26-year-old Savannah man pleaded guilty in July to two counts of involuntary manslaughter and two more felony counts of assault stemming from an April 2008 car accident that killed Mr. Darr and Mr. White.
Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009
While Buchanan County’s revenue numbers continue to generate considerable worry around the courthouse, its expenditure figures should soften the blow — at least for now.
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