By CLARK KAUFFMAN <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/09/23/two-iowa-care-facility-residents-freeze-to-death-one-worker-faces-a-murder-charge/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>

Two Iowa caregivers accused of 
failing to protect elderly Iowans who froze to death on their watch are 
now facing very different consequences.

One of the workers has been criminally charged with second-degree 
murder and faces up to 50 years of imprisonment if convicted, while the 
other is facing no criminal charges and has been allowed to keep her 
nursing license.

The murder charge is highly unusual for a case involving a care-facility worker accused of neglect.

“I can’t say definitively that the state has never charged anyone 
with second-degree murder in these circumstances, but if they have, I am
 not aware of it,” said Matthew S. Sheeley, an assistant state public 
defender who is working the case.

“The two resident deaths were tragic and avoidable,” said Toby 
Edelman, senior policy attorney for the nonprofit Center for Medicare 
Advocacy and a nationally recognized expert in senior care. “Many people
 in each facility are responsible and should be held accountable for 
their obvious failures to keep the residents safe.”

“Every Iowan should be concerned about these tragic deaths,” said 
John Hale, a consultant and advocate for older Iowans. He said while 
Iowans should insist on justice for the families involved, “all too 
often, it’s the direct-care staff members that get blamed for these 
tragedies — and in some cases, that may be warranted if they failed to 
act when they could have.”

He said in many cases, facilities have a lack of sufficient staff, 
provide scant training, or use temporary workers who are not familiar 
with residents or the facility’s procedures. “When those additional 
factors exist, the responsibility for tragedies goes beyond the direct 
care staff on duty – it also goes to supervisory staff, facility 
management, facility owners and corporate directors,” he said.

The first of the two cases involves 95-year-old Elaine Creasey, who 
on Dec. 9, 2021, froze to death outside Keelson Harbour assisted living 
center in Spirit Lake. The second case involves 77-year-old Lynne 
Harriet Stewart, a former state social worker who froze to death on Jan.
 21, 2022, outside Courtyard Estates at Hawthrone Crossing in Bondurant.

According to state records, Creasey wandered from her room at Keelson
 Harbour and exited the building shortly after 10 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2021. 
Because Creasey was known to wander, the staff was instructed to perform
 hourly, visual checks on her, and the exit door was equipped with an 
alarm to alert the staff in case someone left the building.

But, according to state records, the temp-agency worker who was 
assigned to check on Creasey during the night – identified in Board of 
Nursing records as registered nurse Brooke Arndt of Lake Park – 
repeatedly failed to confirm Arndt was in her room and didn’t 
investigate the cause of the door alarm.

With Creasey outside, a short distance from the exit door that had 
locked behind her, the temperature dropped to a wind chill of 14 
degrees.

About 7 a.m. the next day, a worker went to Creasey’s room to check 
on her and noticed she was not in her apartment. A search was initiated 
and within a half-hour, employees found her unresponsive, lying on the 
ground outside the facility’s memory care unit.

The staff summoned an ambulance that transported Creasey to a nearby 
hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The medical examiner 
later reported that his findings of hypothermia due to exposure were 
consistent with Creasey having exited the building about 10 p.m. the 
previous day.

According to state inspectors, Arndt told investigators she had 
performed all of the required visual safety checks on Creasey between 
midnight and 5 a.m., although, she added, she had not been trained on 
how to perform such checks.

She reportedly told the inspectors that when she performed bed 
checks, she would open the door to a resident’s room, leave the light 
off, walk in a few steps and look for a silhouette of the resident in 
bed. She allegedly reported that she thought she had seen Creasey in bed
 each time she checked her room that night.

A review of the door-alarm system at Keelson Harbour allegedly showed
 the alarm had sounded at 10:07 p.m., indicating someone had exited the 
building, and was shut off and reset by the staff nine minutes later.

When interviewed, Arndt allegedly told inspectors that she had 
silenced the door alarm without checking on the residents or searching 
the area to see who might have left the building. Another worker at the 
home had told her not to worry about it, she said.

Arndt also stated she was not sure what the door alarm signified or 
what had triggered it, inspectors later reported, and alleged she had 
not received any training on emergencies and door alarms.

The state inspections department fined Keelson Harbour $10,000 for 
staff-training violations.&nbsp;Arndt was not criminally charged, but the 
Iowa Board of Nursing charged her with committing an act that “causes 
injury” to a patient and with failure to properly assess, evaluate or 
accurately document a patient’s status.

As part of a settlement agreement, the board placed Arndt’s license 
on one year of probation and required her to complete 30 hours of 
additional professional education.

Creasey’s family is now suing both Keelson Harbour and the temp 
agency that employed Arndt, accusing them of negligence and reckless 
disregard for another’s safety. The two companies deny any wrongdoing, 
and a trial is scheduled for Aug. 15, 2023.

The family has alleged Creasey’s hands and knees were covered in 
abrasions when she was found, indicating “that she had been crawling 
around in the cold outside for some time.” They say Creasey “suffered 
immensely, both physically and mentally, before she passed away.”

Video shows worker ‘walking around’ facility

A few weeks after Creasey died, 200 miles east of Spirit Lake, Lynne 
Stewart froze to death outside the Courtyard Estates assisted living 
center in Bondurant.

As with Creasey, Stewart was known to wander and was supposed to have been checked every hour.

State inspection records indicate a worker at the home — identified 
in court records as Catherine Forkpa, 31, of Ankeny — was assigned to 
check on Stewart throughout the night.

The center’s records showed that Stewart exited the building about 
9:40 p.m., triggering an alarm. By that time, a separate alarm attached 
to the door of Stewart’s room had already been tripped. The two alarms 
triggered a series of alerts that appeared on a desktop computer used by
 the care facility’s staff, and on the portable devices carried by each 
of the workers.

But on the night in question, Forkpa was the only person working 
Stewart’s area of the building and surveillance video allegedly showed 
that instead of responding to the alarms, she “walked around” the 
memory-care unit for hours.

The temperature outside, meanwhile, was dropping and eventually 
dipped to 11 degrees below zero, state inspectors later reported.

For three hours of her shift, Forkpa was allegedly off-camera and 
unaccounted for, although police would later say the cameras trained on 
Stewart’s room showed that during her entire shift, Forkpa made no 
effort to enter Stewart’s room and check on her.

Executive director slept through phone alerts

At 5:30 a.m, the video showed Forkpa grabbing some breakfast for 
herself and walking to the dining room where she sat and ate. At 6:10 
a.m., a worker who had been assigned to another area of the building 
looked at the nursing staff’s desktop computer and saw the door-alarm 
alerts for both Stewart’s room and the exit door at the end of Stewart’s
 hallway.

She immediately alerted Forkpa and the two quickly located Stewart 
outside, on the ground, with her body wedged against the exit door. An 
ambulance was summoned and paramedics rushed Stewart to a nearby 
hospital. Stewart, they later reported, was so stiff and cold they 
initially couldn’t record a body temperature. She had “ice freezing on 
her,” the paramedics reported, and there were abrasions on her head and 
hands.

Before the ambulance reached the hospital, Stewart went into cardiac 
arrest. Paramedic Tim Huff and his crew tried to restart her heart, but 
they were unsuccessful. Stewart was pronounced dead at the hospital.

Forkpa, who had worked at Courtyard Estates for seven months, was 
fired and four other employees were given written warnings for their 
failure to respond to the door alarms, according to state records.

During the subsequent state investigation, the facility’s executive 
director told inspectors that when she is at home, she receives 
text-message alerts when doors alarms are triggered at the facility. She
 said that on the night in question, she received a long series of 
alerts triggered by the two door alarms, but she didn’t hear them as she
 slept.

Screenshots of the executive director’s phone indicate she received 
the first alert on her phone at 9:44 p.m., and continued to receive them
 every five minutes throughout the night, inspectors alleged.

The facility’s on-call registered nurse received a similar series of 
alerts on her phone. She allegedly told inspectors she had noticed the 
recurring alerts but failed to respond to them because she was at home 
with her family, and because she went to bed around 9:30 p.m.

The nurse reportedly told inspectors that in the past, she had 
ignored alerts that were specific to Stewart’s room because of 
mechanical defects that caused that particular alarm to trigger 
constantly. Other employees, including Forkpa, reported the same problem
 to inspectors.

The state fined Couryard Estates $10,000 and cited it for having 
failed to give Forkpa the required 8 hours of dementia training during 
her first month on the job, instead giving her only 4.75 hours of 
training. Courtyard Estates acknowledged the problem and later reported 
to the state that the training issue was corrected by having Forkpa 
fired.

Forkpa now faces a charge of second-degree murder by dependent adult 
abuse. If convicted on that charge, she faces a term of imprisonment not
 to exceed 50 years and would have to serve 35 years before becoming 
eligible for parole.

Forkpa, who immigrated to the United States from Africa in 2004, said
 she doesn’t believe the criminal charge is warranted. “I know in my 
heart I would never do anything to hurt anyone,” she told the Iowa 
Capital Dispatch.

Polk County Attorney John Sarcone declined to comment on the case. A trial is scheduled for Nov. 14.

Police reports indicate that even before Stewart exited the building 
that night, there were signs, unnoticed by the staff, she was preparing 
to leave.

According to the police, Stewart appeared to have spent some time 
collecting her clothing and other belongings and carrying them down the 
hallway to the exit. She set a bag of personal items next to the door 
and draped some clothes over a nearby railing before walking out into 
the cold night air, with the door locking behind her.

She had done this sort of thing in the past, according to state 
inspectors, telling the staff at Courtyard Estates that she was packing 
up her things and “going home.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664125004269.png" alt="Catherine Forkpa, a former caregiver at Bondurant’s Courtyard Estates at Hawthrone Crossing, is charged with second-degree in the death of a resident at the assisted living center. (Photo illustration by Iowa Capital Dispatch. Photos by Polk County Jail and Clark Kauffman/Iowa Capital Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption>Catherine Forkpa, a former caregiver at Bondurant’s Courtyard Estates at Hawthrone Crossing, is charged with second-degree in the death of a resident at the assisted living center. (Photo illustration by Iowa Capital Dispatch. Photos by Polk County Jail and Clark Kauffman/Iowa Capital Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CLARK KAUFFMAN <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2022/09/23/two-iowa-care-facility-residents-freeze-to-death-one-worker-faces-a-murder-charge/">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>Two Iowa caregivers accused of 
failing to protect elderly Iowans who froze to death on their watch are 
now facing very different consequences.One of the workers has been criminally charged with second-degree 
murder and faces up to 50 years of imprisonment if convicted, while the 
other is facing no criminal charges and has been allowed to keep her 
nursing license.The murder charge is highly unusual for a case involving a care-facility worker accused of neglect.“I can’t say definitively that the state has never charged anyone 
with second-degree murder in these circumstances, but if they have, I am
 not aware of it,” said Matthew S. Sheeley, an assistant state public 
defender who is working the case.“The two resident deaths were tragic and avoidable,” said Toby 
Edelman, senior policy attorney for the nonprofit Center for Medicare 
Advocacy and a nationally recognized expert in senior care. “Many people
 in each facility are responsible and should be held accountable for 
their obvious failures to keep the residents safe.”“Every Iowan should be concerned about these tragic deaths,” said 
John Hale, a consultant and advocate for older Iowans. He said while 
Iowans should insist on justice for the families involved, “all too 
often, it’s the direct-care staff members that get blamed for these 
tragedies — and in some cases, that may be warranted if they failed to 
act when they could have.”He said in many cases, facilities have a lack of sufficient staff, 
provide scant training, or use temporary workers who are not familiar 
with residents or the facility’s procedures. “When those additional 
factors exist, the responsibility for tragedies goes beyond the direct 
care staff on duty – it also goes to supervisory staff, facility 
management, facility owners and corporate directors,” he said.The first of the two cases involves 95-year-old Elaine Creasey, who 
on Dec. 9, 2021, froze to death outside Keelson Harbour assisted living 
center in Spirit Lake. The second case involves 77-year-old Lynne 
Harriet Stewart, a former state social worker who froze to death on Jan.
 21, 2022, outside Courtyard Estates at Hawthrone Crossing in Bondurant.According to state records, Creasey wandered from her room at Keelson
 Harbour and exited the building shortly after 10 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2021. 
Because Creasey was known to wander, the staff was instructed to perform
 hourly, visual checks on her, and the exit door was equipped with an 
alarm to alert the staff in case someone left the building.But, according to state records, the temp-agency worker who was 
assigned to check on Creasey during the night – identified in Board of 
Nursing records as registered nurse Brooke Arndt of Lake Park – 
repeatedly failed to confirm Arndt was in her room and didn’t 
investigate the cause of the door alarm.With Creasey outside, a short distance from the exit door that had 
locked behind her, the temperature dropped to a wind chill of 14 
degrees.About 7 a.m. the next day, a worker went to Creasey’s room to check 
on her and noticed she was not in her apartment. A search was initiated 
and within a half-hour, employees found her unresponsive, lying on the 
ground outside the facility’s memory care unit.The staff summoned an ambulance that transported Creasey to a nearby 
hospital where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The medical examiner 
later reported that his findings of hypothermia due to exposure were 
consistent with Creasey having exited the building about 10 p.m. the 
previous day.<h2>Nurse: I wasn’t trained on bed checks</h2>According to state inspectors, Arndt told investigators she had 
performed all of the required visual safety checks on Creasey between 
midnight and 5 a.m., although, she added, she had not been trained on 
how to perform such checks.She reportedly told the inspectors that when she performed bed 
checks, she would open the door to a resident’s room, leave the light 
off, walk in a few steps and look for a silhouette of the resident in 
bed. She allegedly reported that she thought she had seen Creasey in bed
 each time she checked her room that night.A review of the door-alarm system at Keelson Harbour allegedly showed
 the alarm had sounded at 10:07 p.m., indicating someone had exited the 
building, and was shut off and reset by the staff nine minutes later.When interviewed, Arndt allegedly told inspectors that she had 
silenced the door alarm without checking on the residents or searching 
the area to see who might have left the building. Another worker at the 
home had told her not to worry about it, she said.Arndt also stated she was not sure what the door alarm signified or 
what had triggered it, inspectors later reported, and alleged she had 
not received any training on emergencies and door alarms.The state inspections department fined Keelson Harbour $10,000 for 
staff-training violations.&nbsp;Arndt was not criminally charged, but the 
Iowa Board of Nursing charged her with committing an act that “causes 
injury” to a patient and with failure to properly assess, evaluate or 
accurately document a patient’s status.As part of a settlement agreement, the board placed Arndt’s license 
on one year of probation and required her to complete 30 hours of 
additional professional education.Creasey’s family is now suing both Keelson Harbour and the temp 
agency that employed Arndt, accusing them of negligence and reckless 
disregard for another’s safety. The two companies deny any wrongdoing, 
and a trial is scheduled for Aug. 15, 2023.The family has alleged Creasey’s hands and knees were covered in 
abrasions when she was found, indicating “that she had been crawling 
around in the cold outside for some time.” They say Creasey “suffered 
immensely, both physically and mentally, before she passed away.”<h2>Video shows worker ‘walking around’ facility</h2>A few weeks after Creasey died, 200 miles east of Spirit Lake, Lynne 
Stewart froze to death outside the Courtyard Estates assisted living 
center in Bondurant.As with Creasey, Stewart was known to wander and was supposed to have been checked every hour.State inspection records indicate a worker at the home — identified 
in court records as Catherine Forkpa, 31, of Ankeny — was assigned to 
check on Stewart throughout the night.The center’s records showed that Stewart exited the building about 
9:40 p.m., triggering an alarm. By that time, a separate alarm attached 
to the door of Stewart’s room had already been tripped. The two alarms 
triggered a series of alerts that appeared on a desktop computer used by
 the care facility’s staff, and on the portable devices carried by each 
of the workers.But on the night in question, Forkpa was the only person working 
Stewart’s area of the building and surveillance video allegedly showed 
that instead of responding to the alarms, she “walked around” the 
memory-care unit for hours.The temperature outside, meanwhile, was dropping and eventually 
dipped to 11 degrees below zero, state inspectors later reported.For three hours of her shift, Forkpa was allegedly off-camera and 
unaccounted for, although police would later say the cameras trained on 
Stewart’s room showed that during her entire shift, Forkpa made no 
effort to enter Stewart’s room and check on her.<h2>Executive director slept through phone alerts</h2>At 5:30 a.m, the video showed Forkpa grabbing some breakfast for 
herself and walking to the dining room where she sat and ate. At 6:10 
a.m., a worker who had been assigned to another area of the building 
looked at the nursing staff’s desktop computer and saw the door-alarm 
alerts for both Stewart’s room and the exit door at the end of Stewart’s
 hallway.She immediately alerted Forkpa and the two quickly located Stewart 
outside, on the ground, with her body wedged against the exit door. An 
ambulance was summoned and paramedics rushed Stewart to a nearby 
hospital. Stewart, they later reported, was so stiff and cold they 
initially couldn’t record a body temperature. She had “ice freezing on 
her,” the paramedics reported, and there were abrasions on her head and 
hands.Before the ambulance reached the hospital, Stewart went into cardiac 
arrest. Paramedic Tim Huff and his crew tried to restart her heart, but 
they were unsuccessful. Stewart was pronounced dead at the hospital.Forkpa, who had worked at Courtyard Estates for seven months, was 
fired and four other employees were given written warnings for their 
failure to respond to the door alarms, according to state records.During the subsequent state investigation, the facility’s executive 
director told inspectors that when she is at home, she receives 
text-message alerts when doors alarms are triggered at the facility. She
 said that on the night in question, she received a long series of 
alerts triggered by the two door alarms, but she didn’t hear them as she
 slept.Screenshots of the executive director’s phone indicate she received 
the first alert on her phone at 9:44 p.m., and continued to receive them
 every five minutes throughout the night, inspectors alleged.The facility’s on-call registered nurse received a similar series of 
alerts on her phone. She allegedly told inspectors she had noticed the 
recurring alerts but failed to respond to them because she was at home 
with her family, and because she went to bed around 9:30 p.m.The nurse reportedly told inspectors that in the past, she had 
ignored alerts that were specific to Stewart’s room because of 
mechanical defects that caused that particular alarm to trigger 
constantly. Other employees, including Forkpa, reported the same problem
 to inspectors.<h2>Caregiver charged with murder&nbsp;</h2>The state fined Couryard Estates $10,000 and cited it for having 
failed to give Forkpa the required 8 hours of dementia training during 
her first month on the job, instead giving her only 4.75 hours of 
training. Courtyard Estates acknowledged the problem and later reported 
to the state that the training issue was corrected by having Forkpa 
fired.Forkpa now faces a charge of second-degree murder by dependent adult 
abuse. If convicted on that charge, she faces a term of imprisonment not
 to exceed 50 years and would have to serve 35 years before becoming 
eligible for parole.Forkpa, who immigrated to the United States from Africa in 2004, said
 she doesn’t believe the criminal charge is warranted. “I know in my 
heart I would never do anything to hurt anyone,” she told the Iowa 
Capital Dispatch.Polk County Attorney John Sarcone declined to comment on the case. A trial is scheduled for Nov. 14.Police reports indicate that even before Stewart exited the building 
that night, there were signs, unnoticed by the staff, she was preparing 
to leave.According to the police, Stewart appeared to have spent some time 
collecting her clothing and other belongings and carrying them down the 
hallway to the exit. She set a bag of personal items next to the door 
and draped some clothes over a nearby railing before walking out into 
the cold night air, with the door locking behind her.She had done this sort of thing in the past, according to state 
inspectors, telling the staff at Courtyard Estates that she was packing 
up her things and “going home.”

Murder charge filed after care-facility residents freeze to death

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a non-injury accident have made an arrest of an off-duty police officer.

Just after 11:45p.m. Friday, police responded to report of an accident at Douglas and Waco in Wichita involving a blue 2010 Mazda 3 and a city of Wichita Q Line bus, according to Officer Chad Ditch.

Officers contacted the driver of the Mazda, off duty Detective MaryAnna Hoyt, who showed signs of impairment, according to Ditch. For transparency purposes, police officer contacted the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office to investigate and booked Hoyt on a requested charge of DUI.

There was minor damage to the city bus and no injuries to the driver of the bus. Hoyt is a detective with the Wichita Police Department and has been employed for 15 years and was assigned to the Investigation Division. She has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.

There will be an internal investigation upon completion of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664041669827.png" alt="Hoyt-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Hoyt-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a non-injury accident have made an arrest of an off-duty police officer.Just after 11:45p.m. Friday, police responded to report of an accident at Douglas and Waco in Wichita involving a blue 2010 Mazda 3 and a city of Wichita Q Line bus, according to Officer Chad Ditch.Officers contacted the driver of the Mazda, off duty Detective MaryAnna Hoyt, who showed signs of impairment, according to Ditch. For transparency purposes, police officer contacted the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office to investigate and booked Hoyt on a requested charge of DUI.There was minor damage to the city bus and no injuries to the driver of the bus. Hoyt is a detective with the Wichita Police Department and has been employed for 15 years and was assigned to the Investigation Division. She has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation.There will be an internal investigation upon completion of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office investigation.

Off-duty Kansas police detective arrested after car, bus crash

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man after a high-speed chase and violent arrest.

Just before 2:30a.m. Sept. 14, sheriff's deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the area of 16th and Laurel in Independence, Kansas for 90mph in a posted 30mph zone, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

 The deputies activated their emergency lights and sirens and the vehicle failed to stop. The deputies pursued the vehicle through the Cottonwood Street and 14th Street area of Independence, Kansas. 

After the vehicle struck a stop sign at 13th and Cottonwood, the driver exited the vehicle and started running. The deputies recognized the driver to be 45-year-old Norman Hiner of Independence, Kansas. 

Deputies knew Hiner had several felony warrants and has eluded officers on several different occasions in the past few weeks. Deputies gave chase on foot for several blocks and eventually were able to catch Hiner and take him into custody with the assistance of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064833241967&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUeMxdJUgw2sqBwNoXiL7JmSOb5DeHJvgq8bH1lFTd5R8NLtfcHqtmjV9vDFr_Wf7-nIG6LcOmifMwgMUvnWjD7YTKzwzhOvzm7WxqV6TPCKPh2ezYOYoc954WgG4zgohk7e5Rwb59ebwA8kaPcBc0TYqcg0zL0MOj4PSIhomi_Zg&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Independence Kansas Police Department</a>.

During the arrest process, Hiner started biting one to the Independence Police Officers leg. 

Hiner remains jailed on requested charges of flee and attempt to elude law enforcement, battery on an officer, and several traffic infractions.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663588223760.png" alt="Hiner-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Hiner-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man after a high-speed chase and violent arrest.Just before 2:30a.m. Sept. 14, sheriff's deputies attempted to conduct a traffic stop in the area of 16th and Laurel in Independence, Kansas for 90mph in a posted 30mph zone, according to Sheriff Ron Wade. The deputies activated their emergency lights and sirens and the vehicle failed to stop. The deputies pursued the vehicle through the Cottonwood Street and 14th Street area of Independence, Kansas. After the vehicle struck a stop sign at 13th and Cottonwood, the driver exited the vehicle and started running. The deputies recognized the driver to be 45-year-old Norman Hiner of Independence, Kansas. Deputies knew Hiner had several felony warrants and has eluded officers on several different occasions in the past few weeks. Deputies gave chase on foot for several blocks and eventually were able to catch Hiner and take him into custody with the assistance of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064833241967&amp;__cft__[0]=AZUeMxdJUgw2sqBwNoXiL7JmSOb5DeHJvgq8bH1lFTd5R8NLtfcHqtmjV9vDFr_Wf7-nIG6LcOmifMwgMUvnWjD7YTKzwzhOvzm7WxqV6TPCKPh2ezYOYoc954WgG4zgohk7e5Rwb59ebwA8kaPcBc0TYqcg0zL0MOj4PSIhomi_Zg&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Independence Kansas Police Department</a>. During the arrest process, Hiner started biting one to the Independence Police Officers leg. Hiner remains jailed on requested charges of flee and attempt to elude law enforcement, battery on an officer, and several traffic infractions.&nbsp;

Wanted Kansas man bit officer on the leg during arrest

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A University of Utah student was arrested and charged with making terrorist threats on Wednesday after police said she threatened to detonate a nuclear reactor if the school’s football team failed to win a game last Saturday.

Charging documents filed in Salt Lake City on Wednesday allege the 21-year old student posted threats before Utah’s game against San Diego State University on Saturday, warning that she “was going to detonate the nuclear reactor that is located in the University of Utah causing a mass destruction.”

The threats were allegedly posted on YikYak, a social media platform that allows users to post anonymously and which rose to prominence on college campuses a decade ago.

According to the charging documents, the student studied engineering and had knowledge of the university’s nuclear reactor.

The University of Utah is among more than two dozen U.S. universities including Kansas State with nuclear engineering programs that use reactors for faculty and student research.

The university of Utah said in a statement on Thursday that the reactor was secured and campus law enforcement had protocols in place to ensure no breaches are made. Officials said the student, who it did not name, admitted to posting the threat and told investigators on Wednesday that it was meant as a joke.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy for these kinds of threats,” University of Utah Police Chief Jason Hinojosa said.

&nbsp;Kansas State University's<a href="https://www.mne.k-state.edu/research/reactor/#:~:text=The%20Kansas%20State%20University%20TRIGA,for%20a%20radiation%2Ddetection%20course.">&nbsp;TRIGA Mark II nuclear reactor</a>&nbsp;facility supports academic and education programs, research, industrial service and outreach,<a href="https://www.mne.k-state.edu/research/reactor/#:~:text=The%20Kansas%20State%20University%20TRIGA,for%20a%20radiation%2Ddetection%20course.">&nbsp;according to university website.</a>&nbsp;It is licensed&nbsp; to operate at up to 1.25 MW.

Court records did not list an attorney representing the student. A call made to her family’s listed home phone number went unanswered on Thursday.

Utah defeated San Diego State in Saturday’s game, 35-7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663939741069.png" alt="Image courtesy University of Utah" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy University of Utah</figcaption>
 </figure>SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — A University of Utah student was arrested and charged with making terrorist threats on Wednesday after police said she threatened to detonate a nuclear reactor if the school’s football team failed to win a game last Saturday.Charging documents filed in Salt Lake City on Wednesday allege the 21-year old student posted threats before Utah’s game against San Diego State University on Saturday, warning that she “was going to detonate the nuclear reactor that is located in the University of Utah causing a mass destruction.”The threats were allegedly posted on YikYak, a social media platform that allows users to post anonymously and which rose to prominence on college campuses a decade ago.According to the charging documents, the student studied engineering and had knowledge of the university’s nuclear reactor.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">University statement: Reactor detonation bomb threat <a href="https://t.co/mDw8smghKQ">https://t.co/mDw8smghKQ</a>&mdash; University of Utah (@UUtah) <a href="https://twitter.com/UUtah/status/1573075484296052738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The University of Utah is among more than two dozen U.S. universities including Kansas State with nuclear engineering programs that use reactors for faculty and student research.The university of Utah said in a statement on Thursday that the reactor was secured and campus law enforcement had protocols in place to ensure no breaches are made. Officials said the student, who it did not name, admitted to posting the threat and told investigators on Wednesday that it was meant as a joke.“We have a zero-tolerance policy for these kinds of threats,” University of Utah Police Chief Jason Hinojosa said.&nbsp;Kansas State University's<a href="https://www.mne.k-state.edu/research/reactor/#:~:text=The%20Kansas%20State%20University%20TRIGA,for%20a%20radiation%2Ddetection%20course.">&nbsp;TRIGA Mark II nuclear reactor</a>&nbsp;facility supports academic and education programs, research, industrial service and outreach,<a href="https://www.mne.k-state.edu/research/reactor/#:~:text=The%20Kansas%20State%20University%20TRIGA,for%20a%20radiation%2Ddetection%20course.">&nbsp;according to university website.</a>&nbsp;It is licensed&nbsp; to operate at up to 1.25 MW.Court records did not list an attorney representing the student. A call made to her family’s listed home phone number went unanswered on Thursday.Utah defeated San Diego State in Saturday’s game, 35-7.

College student charged for terrorism threat over football game

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged theft.

Just before Noon on Thursday officers responded to Walmart at 1920 U.S.73 in Atchison to investigate a theft in progress, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 Officers located 28-year-old Tong Yang as he was leaving the store with sports cards that had a total value of $3,777 in a large tote container that was also stolen from the store.

Police arrested Tong Yang on requested charges of theft. He remains in custody without bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663960420564.png" alt="Yang-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Yang-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged theft.Just before Noon on Thursday officers responded to Walmart at 1920 U.S.73 in Atchison to investigate a theft in progress, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. Officers located 28-year-old Tong Yang as he was leaving the store with sports cards that had a total value of $3,777 in a large tote container that was also stolen from the store.Police arrested Tong Yang on requested charges of theft. He remains in custody without bond, according to online jail records.

Kansas man accused of theft involving $3700 in sports cards

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.

Shortly before 1:00a.m. on Thursday police responded to the 800 block South 6th Street in Atchison&nbsp; to check on the welfare of a person, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

After officers arrived they observed a 2017 Chevrolet 4 door vehicle at the scene and determined it was a vehicle reported stolen in Leavenworth on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Officers arrested 31-year-old Sacandra L. Casiano, 31, Atchison, on a requested charge of possession of stolen property. She is being held without bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663872038313.png" alt="Casiano-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Casiano-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.Shortly before 1:00a.m. on Thursday police responded to the 800 block South 6th Street in Atchison&nbsp; to check on the welfare of a person, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.After officers arrived they observed a 2017 Chevrolet 4 door vehicle at the scene and determined it was a vehicle reported stolen in Leavenworth on Tuesday.&nbsp;Officers arrested 31-year-old Sacandra L. Casiano, 31, Atchison, on a requested charge of possession of stolen property. She is being held without bond.

Police: Kansas woman arrested for alleged vehicle theft

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched report of shooting in the 3800 Block of SW South Park Avenue in Topeka, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.

At the scene officers located a man with a gunshot wound , who was subsequently transported to a local hospital.

During the investigation, police arrested Rajhgerio Smith, 21, Topeka on requested charges Criminal Possession of a firearm, Battery on Law Enforcement Officer and Assault of Law Enforcement Officer, according to Eubanks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663784338974.png" alt="Smith-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Just before 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched report of shooting in the 3800 Block of SW South Park Avenue in Topeka, according to Lt. Donna Eubanks.At the scene officers located a man with a gunshot wound , who was subsequently transported to a local hospital.During the investigation, police arrested Rajhgerio Smith, 21, Topeka on requested charges Criminal Possession of a firearm, Battery on Law Enforcement Officer and Assault of Law Enforcement Officer, according to Eubanks.

Suspect accused of assault on Kan. officer during shooting arrest

&nbsp;JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have arrested a suspect.&nbsp;

Doniel Sublett, 29, Shawnee, is being held on a $3 million dollar bond and has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder, according to online Johnson County jail records.&nbsp;

Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a medical emergency at an apartment in the 7400 Block of Flint, according to a media release from police.

At the scene, officers located 25-year-old Kaathleen J. Dampier with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Officers took two into custody for questioning.

The Johnson County Sheriff's office crime scene investigations unit&nbsp; assisted police at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663757512945.png" alt="Sublett-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Sublett-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have arrested a suspect.&nbsp;Doniel Sublett, 29, Shawnee, is being held on a $3 million dollar bond and has been charged with premeditated first-degree murder, according to online Johnson County jail records.&nbsp;Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a medical emergency at an apartment in the 7400 Block of Flint, according to a media release from police.At the scene, officers located 25-year-old Kaathleen J. Dampier with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Officers took two into custody for questioning.The Johnson County Sheriff's office crime scene investigations unit&nbsp; assisted police at the scene.

Suspect in Kansas woman's murder jailed on $3 million bond

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the motive for a stabbing outside Dodge City High School and have made an arrest.

Just after 8a.m. Thursday, police responded to the report of the stabbing of a high school student reported to the School Resource Officer, according to a media release.

At approximately 7:45a.m., the student victim parked his car in the school parking lot and was approached by the suspect. 

An altercation ensued leaving the student with a stab wound to the hand. The suspect, later identified as a 33-year-old Dodge City resident, left school grounds in his vehicle. Officers were able to identify the suspect's vehicle and track it to an address in the 2200 block of Hart Avenue.

The suspect at first refused to come to the door. He later came to the door after his father arrived. Police arrested him on requested charges of aggravated battery.

The victim was treated by school personnel and later at the hospital, according to police.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

FORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the motive for a stabbing outside Dodge City High School and have made an arrest.Just after 8a.m. Thursday, police responded to the report of the stabbing of a high school student reported to the School Resource Officer, according to a media release.At approximately 7:45a.m., the student victim parked his car in the school parking lot and was approached by the suspect. An altercation ensued leaving the student with a stab wound to the hand. The suspect, later identified as a 33-year-old Dodge City resident, left school grounds in his vehicle. Officers were able to identify the suspect's vehicle and track it to an address in the 2200 block of Hart Avenue.The suspect at first refused to come to the door. He later came to the door after his father arrived. Police arrested him on requested charges of aggravated battery.The victim was treated by school personnel and later at the hospital, according to police.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

33-year-old jailed for stabbing student in Kan. school parking lot

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Police arrested a Salina teen on Wednesday after a bomb threat allegedly was made at a local high school.

A staff member reported to the school resource officer that a 16-year-old boy had made a verbal threat concerning a bomb in the school to a group of people at Salina South High School, 730 E. Magnolia Road, on Wednesday, Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus said this morning.

Police were able to establish that the report was credible and the boy was taken into custody. Hanus said the boy was arrested on a requested charge of criminal threat. No bomb was found.

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostPolice arrested a Salina teen on Wednesday after a bomb threat allegedly was made at a local high school.A staff member reported to the school resource officer that a 16-year-old boy had made a verbal threat concerning a bomb in the school to a group of people at Salina South High School, 730 E. Magnolia Road, on Wednesday, Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus said this morning.Police were able to establish that the report was credible and the boy was taken into custody. Hanus said the boy was arrested on a requested charge of criminal threat. No bomb was found.

Police: Teen accused of making bomb threat at Kansas high school

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas suspect on multiple requested charges after a chase in a stolen SUV.

Shortly before midnight Wednesday, a deputy observed a white 2005 Infiniti QX56 in the 3300 block of SE 6th Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver later identified as&nbsp;Julie A. Wise, 27, of Topeka, drove away northbound on SE Rice Road at a high rate of speed.

The deputy attempted to catch up to that vehicle in order to conduct a traffic stop. However, the suspect lost control of the vehicle. It crashed through a guardrail, went airborne and came to rest on the north edge of the Shunganunga Creek. 

By the time the deputy made it down to the creek, Wise was crawling out of the wrecked vehicle.

The deputy took Wise into custody. It was discovered that Wise had a felony warrant for her arrest out of the State of Missouri and a misdemeanor warrant for her arrest through Shawnee County. 

The vehicle was also reported stolen through the Topeka Police Department.

Wise received medical attention on scene and was transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

After treatment, she is now jailed on requested charges of fugitive from justice – arrest prior to requisition, reckless driving, possession of stolen property, interference with law enforcement, operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, speeding, improper turn, failure to signal turn and failing&nbsp;to check for safe passage before passing from a single lane.

Wise served time in the Missouri Dept. of Corrections for endangering the welfare of a child, 2nd degree assault; tampering with airplane/motorboat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663842422319.png" alt="Wise, who has spent time in a Missouri prison, received medical attention on scene and was transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wise, who has spent time in a Missouri prison, received medical attention on scene and was transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas suspect on multiple requested charges after a chase in a stolen SUV.Shortly before midnight Wednesday, a deputy observed a white 2005 Infiniti QX56 in the 3300 block of SE 6th Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver later identified as&nbsp;Julie A. Wise, 27, of Topeka, drove away northbound on SE Rice Road at a high rate of speed.The deputy attempted to catch up to that vehicle in order to conduct a traffic stop. However, the suspect lost control of the vehicle. It crashed through a guardrail, went airborne and came to rest on the north edge of the Shunganunga Creek. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663793078711.png" alt="The SUV was reported stolen, according to the sheriff's office-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>The SUV was reported stolen, according to the sheriff's office-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>By the time the deputy made it down to the creek, Wise was crawling out of the wrecked vehicle.The deputy took Wise into custody. It was discovered that Wise had a felony warrant for her arrest out of the State of Missouri and a misdemeanor warrant for her arrest through Shawnee County. The vehicle was also reported stolen through the Topeka Police Department.Wise received medical attention on scene and was transported by American Medical Response (AMR) to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.After treatment, she is now jailed on requested charges of fugitive from justice – arrest prior to requisition, reckless driving, possession of stolen property, interference with law enforcement, operating a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s license, speeding, improper turn, failure to signal turn and failing&nbsp;to check for safe passage before passing from a single lane.Wise served time in the Missouri Dept. of Corrections for endangering the welfare of a child, 2nd degree assault; tampering with airplane/motorboat.

Wanted Kan. suspect survived police chase crash in stolen SUV 

DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating vandalism at Lawrence High School football field, 1901 Louisiana in Lawrence, have identified a suspect, according to police spokesperson Laurie McCabe.

"The joint investigation, between police and the Lawrence Douglas County Fire Department, has led to the ID of a suspect."

The Lawrence High School Resource Officer who helped in the investigation submitted an affidavit to the district attorney. Police have now issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest.

The suspect is alleged to have set a fire that caused thousands of dollars in damage to a section of turf and the school’s mascot painted on the field, according to USD 497.&nbsp; Police have not released the suspect's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663771637398.png" alt="Lawrence High School football stadium-google image" />
 <figcaption>Lawrence High School football stadium-google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating vandalism at Lawrence High School football field, 1901 Louisiana in Lawrence, have identified a suspect, according to police spokesperson Laurie McCabe."The joint investigation, between police and the Lawrence Douglas County Fire Department, has led to the ID of a suspect."The Lawrence High School Resource Officer who helped in the investigation submitted an affidavit to the district attorney. Police have now issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest.The suspect is alleged to have set a fire that caused thousands of dollars in damage to a section of turf and the school’s mascot painted on the field, according to USD 497.&nbsp; Police have not released the suspect's name.

Police ID suspect who set fire to Kan. school football field

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a wanted Kansas woman after a traffic stop.

Just after 10:30p.m. Sept. 17, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan Altima on 150th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The deputy found open containers, methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. A passenger, Cass Cadue, 27, of Mayetta, was wanted on outstanding felony warrants from Douglas County.

 Cadue was arrested on the warrants and for transporting an open container. The driver, Lonnie Shopteese, 50, of Mayetta was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663711892489.png" alt="Shopteese-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Shopteese-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a wanted Kansas woman after a traffic stop.Just after 10:30p.m. Sept. 17, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan Altima on 150th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The deputy found open containers, methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. A passenger, Cass Cadue, 27, of Mayetta, was wanted on outstanding felony warrants from Douglas County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663711850374.png" alt="Cadue-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Cadue-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Cadue was arrested on the warrants and for transporting an open container. The driver, Lonnie Shopteese, 50, of Mayetta was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

Wanted Kansas woman captured transporting drugs 

GEARY COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects from Milford in connection to an alleged rape.

&nbsp;Just after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday deputies responded to the Junction City High School in reference to a possible rape that occurred at a residence on Old Highway 77 in the early morning hours, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Department.

Following their investigation, deputies arrested 45-year-old Christopher James Beem on requested rape charges and 40-year-old Melissa Sue Beem on charges of aiding, abetting rape.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663719007370.png" alt="Beem-photo Geary County" />
 <figcaption>Beem-photo Geary County</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects from Milford in connection to an alleged rape.&nbsp;Just after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday deputies responded to the Junction City High School in reference to a possible rape that occurred at a residence on Old Highway 77 in the early morning hours, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Department.Following their investigation, deputies arrested 45-year-old Christopher James Beem on requested rape charges and 40-year-old Melissa Sue Beem on charges of aiding, abetting rape.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Sheriff: 2 from Milford arrested for alleged rape

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A federal judge on Tuesday threw out three of four convictions against a Kansas researcher accused of illegally concealing work he was doing at a Chinese university while working at the University of Kansas, leaving only a conviction for making a false statement on a form.

A jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-education-kansas-lawrence-university-of-kansas-cbbbb2cce47f22631a676e4e21a04beb">convicted</a>&nbsp;researcher Feng “Franklin” Tao in April on three counts of wire fraud and one count of false statements. He was accused of not disclosing that he was working for Fuzhou University in China while employed at the Kansas university.

However, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson ruled that federal prosecutors did not provide sufficient evidence to support the wire fraud convictions. She upheld the making a false statement conviction and denied Tao's request for a new trial on that count.

Tao's attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, said in a statement that the defense team was gratified that Robinson found Tao did not intend to defraud Kansas or the federal government, and that Tao was "an outstanding researcher and award-winning professor" at Kansas.

“This will hopefully drive a final stake through the heart of these China Initiative cases, where the government has claimed that the failure to disclose a relationship to China constitutes federal grant fraud even when the researcher has completed all of the work on the grant to the government’s complete satisfaction,” Zeidenberg wrote.

The U.S. Attorney's office in Kansas said Tuesday it would have no comment on Robinson's ruling.

Zeidenberg said the defense team is considering its next steps related to the filing a false statement conviction, which carries a possible sentence of up to five years.

Federal prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-china-education-kansas-city-kansas-8aae3094feceb89063daed39625925f4">argued during the trial</a>&nbsp;that Tao concealed his work in China to defraud the University of Kansas, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. The federal agencies had awarded Tao grants for research projects at Kansas.

Defense attorneys argued that Tao was merely “moonlighting.” They said Tao completed all the research he received grants to conduct in Kansas and that his work in China wasn’t illegal because he wasn’t paid for it.

Robinson said Tao was deceptive in not disclosing his activities at Fuzhou University but there was no evidence Tao received money or property for the work, which is required for a wire fraud conviction.

“During the time period of the alleged scheme to defraud, Tao continued to rightfully receive his salary from KU for his services and continued to successfully perform the research required by DOE and NSF under their research grants,” Robinson wrote.

She said Tao did make a false statement to Kansas on a conflict of interest statement he submitted to the university in 2018.

The case against Tao was part of the U.S. Justice Department's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-china-asia-pacific-u-s-news-espionage-15bb5a431f8bdcdde54c3988b48607d4">China Initiative,</a>&nbsp;a program started in 2018 to crack down on efforts to transfer original ideas and intellectual property from U.S. universities to Chinese government institutions. The department ended the program in February amid public criticism and several failed prosecutions.

Tao did not disclose on conflict of interest forms that he was named to a Chinese talent program, the Changjiang Professorship. As part of that program he traveled to China to set up a laboratory and recruit staff for Fuzhou University, while telling Kansas officials that he was in Germany.

Zeidenberg noted during the trial that Tao listed his affiliation with both schools in some papers, suggesting he wasn’t hiding it. He also noted that the university honored Tao for his research efforts in April 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c504c8ccc0194ad190b1abf25a64e943">just months before his arrest</a>.

Tao was born in China and moved to the U.S. in 2002. He began working in August 2014 as a tenured associate professor at the University of Kansas’ Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, which conducts research on sustainable technology to conserve natural resources and energy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574105486339.png" alt="Feng “Franklin” Tao -photo University of Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Feng “Franklin” Tao -photo University of Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —A federal judge on Tuesday threw out three of four convictions against a Kansas researcher accused of illegally concealing work he was doing at a Chinese university while working at the University of Kansas, leaving only a conviction for making a false statement on a form.A jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-education-kansas-lawrence-university-of-kansas-cbbbb2cce47f22631a676e4e21a04beb">convicted</a>&nbsp;researcher Feng “Franklin” Tao in April on three counts of wire fraud and one count of false statements. He was accused of not disclosing that he was working for Fuzhou University in China while employed at the Kansas university.However, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson ruled that federal prosecutors did not provide sufficient evidence to support the wire fraud convictions. She upheld the making a false statement conviction and denied Tao's request for a new trial on that count.Tao's attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, said in a statement that the defense team was gratified that Robinson found Tao did not intend to defraud Kansas or the federal government, and that Tao was "an outstanding researcher and award-winning professor" at Kansas.“This will hopefully drive a final stake through the heart of these China Initiative cases, where the government has claimed that the failure to disclose a relationship to China constitutes federal grant fraud even when the researcher has completed all of the work on the grant to the government’s complete satisfaction,” Zeidenberg wrote.The U.S. Attorney's office in Kansas said Tuesday it would have no comment on Robinson's ruling.Zeidenberg said the defense team is considering its next steps related to the filing a false statement conviction, which carries a possible sentence of up to five years.Federal prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-china-education-kansas-city-kansas-8aae3094feceb89063daed39625925f4">argued during the trial</a>&nbsp;that Tao concealed his work in China to defraud the University of Kansas, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. The federal agencies had awarded Tao grants for research projects at Kansas.Defense attorneys argued that Tao was merely “moonlighting.” They said Tao completed all the research he received grants to conduct in Kansas and that his work in China wasn’t illegal because he wasn’t paid for it.Robinson said Tao was deceptive in not disclosing his activities at Fuzhou University but there was no evidence Tao received money or property for the work, which is required for a wire fraud conviction.“During the time period of the alleged scheme to defraud, Tao continued to rightfully receive his salary from KU for his services and continued to successfully perform the research required by DOE and NSF under their research grants,” Robinson wrote.She said Tao did make a false statement to Kansas on a conflict of interest statement he submitted to the university in 2018.The case against Tao was part of the U.S. Justice Department's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-china-asia-pacific-u-s-news-espionage-15bb5a431f8bdcdde54c3988b48607d4">China Initiative,</a>&nbsp;a program started in 2018 to crack down on efforts to transfer original ideas and intellectual property from U.S. universities to Chinese government institutions. The department ended the program in February amid public criticism and several failed prosecutions.Tao did not disclose on conflict of interest forms that he was named to a Chinese talent program, the Changjiang Professorship. As part of that program he traveled to China to set up a laboratory and recruit staff for Fuzhou University, while telling Kansas officials that he was in Germany.Zeidenberg noted during the trial that Tao listed his affiliation with both schools in some papers, suggesting he wasn’t hiding it. He also noted that the university honored Tao for his research efforts in April 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c504c8ccc0194ad190b1abf25a64e943">just months before his arrest</a>.Tao was born in China and moved to the U.S. in 2002. He began working in August 2014 as a tenured associate professor at the University of Kansas’ Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, which conducts research on sustainable technology to conserve natural resources and energy.

Judge tosses 3 of 4 convictions against KU researcher 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —&nbsp; A registered Kansas sex offender has been sentenced to over 47 years in prison for raping a 15-year-old girl&nbsp;who was walking home from a Wichita grocery store, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In August, a jury found Anthony Craig Seymour, 61, Wichita, guilty of rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated robbery.&nbsp;

In November 0f 2019, police responded to a 911 call of an abduction in the 300 Block of North Volutsia in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Brett Allred.

Upon arrival, police searched the area and located a 2005 Lexus driven by a suspect later identified as Anthony Seymour leaving the area. They also observed a 15-year-old girl exit the vehicle while it was moving slowly and run toward the officers.&nbsp;Seymour fled in the car. Police initially were not able to locate it.

Investigators learned that while the girl was walking home, Seymour approached, held a knife to her, forced her into the Lexus and sexually assaulted her, according to Allred.

Through continued investigation, police located the victim’s phone in a parking lot and were able to obtain video in the area and a tag number on the car.

Police located the vehicle and Seymour in the 1900 Block of North Lorraine. He was arrested without incident and booked on requested charges of kidnapping, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated battery and a Kansas Department of Corrections arrest and detain order, according to Allred.

“The victim is very brave,” said Allred. “She saw police and took action to get out of the car, run to the officers and explain what had happened.”&nbsp;She had been on her way to Dillons and had seen the suspect and thought he was acting suspiciously. On the way home, the suspect approached her a second time and forced her in the vehicle, according to Allred.

EMS transported the girl to a local hospital for treatment.

Seymour had been on parole since May of 2018 after a 2004 conviction for rape, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Seymour is scheduled for sentencing on September 19, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663605766401.png" alt="Seymour-photo Kansas sex offender registry" />
 <figcaption>Seymour-photo Kansas sex offender registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —&nbsp; A registered Kansas sex offender has been sentenced to over 47 years in prison for raping a 15-year-old girl&nbsp;who was walking home from a Wichita grocery store, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In August, a jury found Anthony Craig Seymour, 61, Wichita, guilty of rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated robbery.&nbsp;In November 0f 2019, police responded to a 911 call of an abduction in the 300 Block of North Volutsia in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Brett Allred.Upon arrival, police searched the area and located a 2005 Lexus driven by a suspect later identified as Anthony Seymour leaving the area. They also observed a 15-year-old girl exit the vehicle while it was moving slowly and run toward the officers.&nbsp;Seymour fled in the car. Police initially were not able to locate it.Investigators learned that while the girl was walking home, Seymour approached, held a knife to her, forced her into the Lexus and sexually assaulted her, according to Allred.Through continued investigation, police located the victim’s phone in a parking lot and were able to obtain video in the area and a tag number on the car.Police located the vehicle and Seymour in the 1900 Block of North Lorraine. He was arrested without incident and booked on requested charges of kidnapping, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated battery and a Kansas Department of Corrections arrest and detain order, according to Allred.“The victim is very brave,” said Allred. “She saw police and took action to get out of the car, run to the officers and explain what had happened.”&nbsp;She had been on her way to Dillons and had seen the suspect and thought he was acting suspiciously. On the way home, the suspect approached her a second time and forced her in the vehicle, according to Allred.EMS transported the girl to a local hospital for treatment.Seymour had been on parole since May of 2018 after a 2004 conviction for rape, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Seymour is scheduled for sentencing on September 19, according to the district attorney's office.

Kan. sex offender sentenced for kidnapping, rape

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting at an apartment complex in Shawnee have identified the victim as 25-year-old Kathleen J. Dampier, according to a media release from police. The shooting is being investigated as a homicide.

At the scene, officers located Dampier with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Officers took two into custody for questioning.

The Johnson County Sheriff's office crime scene investigations unit is assisting police. Police have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663706515438.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal shooting at an apartment complex in Shawnee have identified the victim as 25-year-old Kathleen J. Dampier, according to a media release from police. The shooting is being investigated as a homicide.Just before 6p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a medical emergency at an apartment in the 7400 Block of Flint, according to a media release from police.At the scene, officers located Dampier with gunshot wounds. She was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Officers took two into custody for questioning.The Johnson County Sheriff's office crime scene investigations unit is assisting police. Police have not reported an arrest.

Homicide: Police ID Kan. woman who died in apartment shooting

ELLIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged domestic violence death in Hays Monday night and have made an arrest.

Just before 10 p.m. Monday, the Hays Police Department Communication Center received a report of an unresponsive male in a house in the 200 block of West Sixth in Hays, according to a media release.

Officers from the HPD and Ellis County Emergency Medical Services&nbsp; first responders were dispatched to the scene, where they found a deceased 54-year-old man, who appeared to have been beaten, according to a news release. The Ellis County Coroner’s Office was notified and also responded to the scene.&nbsp;

Monte J. Wilson, 54, was also located inside the residence and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and aggravated battery. Wilson is currently being held in the Ellis County jail.

"The Hays Police Department is not aware of any other threats to the community reference this disturbance," the HPD said in a news release. "Wilson is presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. "

The HPD, coroner's office and Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the Hays Police Department continue to investigate the incident.&nbsp;

Anyone with information about incident is encouraged to contact Detective David Gillan at (785) 625-1030 or at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dgillan@haysusa.com">dgillan@haysusa.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663692886287.png" alt="Wilson has previous convictions for aggravated battery, criminal threat, aggravated intimidation of a witness and drug crimes, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Wilson has previous convictions for aggravated battery, criminal threat, aggravated intimidation of a witness and drug crimes, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged domestic violence death in Hays Monday night and have made an arrest.Just before 10 p.m. Monday, the Hays Police Department Communication Center received a report of an unresponsive male in a house in the 200 block of West Sixth in Hays, according to a media release.Officers from the HPD and Ellis County Emergency Medical Services&nbsp; first responders were dispatched to the scene, where they found a deceased 54-year-old man, who appeared to have been beaten, according to a news release. The Ellis County Coroner’s Office was notified and also responded to the scene.&nbsp;Monte J. Wilson, 54, was also located inside the residence and was arrested on suspicion of second-degree murder and aggravated battery. Wilson is currently being held in the Ellis County jail."The Hays Police Department is not aware of any other threats to the community reference this disturbance," the HPD said in a news release. "Wilson is presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. "The HPD, coroner's office and Kansas Bureau of Investigation, and the Hays Police Department continue to investigate the incident.&nbsp;Anyone with information about incident is encouraged to contact Detective David Gillan at (785) 625-1030 or at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dgillan@haysusa.com">dgillan@haysusa.com</a>.

Man arrested after alleged domestic violence killing in Hays

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas police detective accused of preying on Black women and girls for decades will be released from jail pending his trial on charges involving two accusers who say he repeatedly sexually abused them, a federal judge ruled Monday.

U.S Magistrate Judge Rachel Schwartz acknowledged the allegations against Roger Golubski represented “reprehensible conduct” and the underlying facts were “shocking,” but said he is not as much of risk as he would have been when the alleged crimes occurred. Prosecutors had also argued that he might try to flee, but Schwartz said his serious medical issues tie him to the community.

Golubski, 69, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-city-indictments-civil-rights-violations-c465a1483c9295eb465847fb8c3463eb">arrested and charged</a>&nbsp;Thursday on six counts of civil rights violations alleging that as an officer with the Kansas City, Kansas, police department, he sexually abused a Black woman and a teenager more than two decades ago. Five counts allege that Golubski kidnapped or tried to kidnap the victims.

Schwartz ordered Golubski to remain at home except for religious services and medical care, to be monitored around the clock, and to have no contact with possible victims or potential witnesses.

Prosecutors filed a motion Friday that included graphic details of his encounters with the two accusers and that added complaints from seven other females who say Golubski harassed and abused them.

Golubski has not been charged in those seven cases, but prosecutors argued they provided more evidence that he is dangerous and has shown “nothing but utter contempt for the law.”

Several women who say they or their relatives were victimized by Golubski attended Monday's hearing.

Golubski, who retired in 2010, has pleaded not guilty. He faces a possible life sentence on each of the six counts.

The case is being tried in federal court, rather than state court, because federal law does not have a statute of limitations for civil rights violations, former U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.

At the time of the alleged crimes, Kansas had a five-year statute of limitations for rape and aggravated sodomy. Kansas no longer has a statute of limitations for rape, but that doesn't apply retroactively, McCallister said.

Golubski's attorney, Tom Lemon, said Golubski needs medical care for diabetes and to recover from quintuple bypass heart surgery. He also said it would be difficult to provide an adequate defense if Golubski remains jailed. The case requires “intensive” work because it appears prosecutors have no physical evidence, just victim statements, Lemon said.

“Now that he is sick and infirm, now the claim is that he is dangerous,” Lemon said. “I don’t see how he is a danger to anyone.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting argued that Golubski's medical care could be worked out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663616484786.png" alt="Golubski was being held in Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Golubski was being held in Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas police detective accused of preying on Black women and girls for decades will be released from jail pending his trial on charges involving two accusers who say he repeatedly sexually abused them, a federal judge ruled Monday.U.S Magistrate Judge Rachel Schwartz acknowledged the allegations against Roger Golubski represented “reprehensible conduct” and the underlying facts were “shocking,” but said he is not as much of risk as he would have been when the alleged crimes occurred. Prosecutors had also argued that he might try to flee, but Schwartz said his serious medical issues tie him to the community.Golubski, 69, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arrests-kansas-city-indictments-civil-rights-violations-c465a1483c9295eb465847fb8c3463eb">arrested and charged</a>&nbsp;Thursday on six counts of civil rights violations alleging that as an officer with the Kansas City, Kansas, police department, he sexually abused a Black woman and a teenager more than two decades ago. Five counts allege that Golubski kidnapped or tried to kidnap the victims.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8DxDTI784Uo" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Schwartz ordered Golubski to remain at home except for religious services and medical care, to be monitored around the clock, and to have no contact with possible victims or potential witnesses.Prosecutors filed a motion Friday that included graphic details of his encounters with the two accusers and that added complaints from seven other females who say Golubski harassed and abused them.Golubski has not been charged in those seven cases, but prosecutors argued they provided more evidence that he is dangerous and has shown “nothing but utter contempt for the law.”Several women who say they or their relatives were victimized by Golubski attended Monday's hearing.Golubski, who retired in 2010, has pleaded not guilty. He faces a possible life sentence on each of the six counts.The case is being tried in federal court, rather than state court, because federal law does not have a statute of limitations for civil rights violations, former U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said.At the time of the alleged crimes, Kansas had a five-year statute of limitations for rape and aggravated sodomy. Kansas no longer has a statute of limitations for rape, but that doesn't apply retroactively, McCallister said.Golubski's attorney, Tom Lemon, said Golubski needs medical care for diabetes and to recover from quintuple bypass heart surgery. He also said it would be difficult to provide an adequate defense if Golubski remains jailed. The case requires “intensive” work because it appears prosecutors have no physical evidence, just victim statements, Lemon said.“Now that he is sick and infirm, now the claim is that he is dangerous,” Lemon said. “I don’t see how he is a danger to anyone.”Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Hunting argued that Golubski's medical care could be worked out.“Mr.Golubski has terrorized a community for a long, long time,” Hunting said.The motion filed Friday alleges Golubski displayed his gun while demanding sex and told the victims he would have them or their relatives imprisoned or killed if they ever told anyone what he did, prosecutors said.The charges accuse Golubski of sexually assaulting a girl more than 10 times over about three years. He repeatedly told the girl, who was 13 when the abuse allegedly began, that he would kill her or her grandmother. He told her he would throw her in a river and sang a version of childhood song with the phrase, "where they won’t find her until she stank,” according to the motion.The other victim in the charged case, Ophelia Williams, was raped and sexually assaulted several times over two or three years, according to the motion. He initially abused Williams shortly after her two sons were arrested, prosecutors said.The Associated Press generally does not name alleged victims of sexual assault, but Williams has told her story publicly.The seven other victims were abused or threatened by Golubski between 1980s and 2004, prosecutors said.One woman said she called the Kansas City, Kansas, police internal affairs department to report her encounter with Golubski but was told “there was nothing they could do because it was (her) word against the defendant’s,” prosecutors wrote.The police department said Monday that Chief Karl Oakman would not have any comment on the motion. Mayor Tyrone Garner has said he is committed to pushing for improvements in police-community relations to restore trust.Another victim said Golubski sexually assaulted and raped her periodically between the mid-1990s and 2004 while threatening to take away her children, prosecutors said. In 2016, the woman was in the hospital when Golubski showed up and said, “Long time no see,” according to the indictment, prompting her to change hospitals, according to the motion.Civil rights groups for years sought an investigation into Golubski. The allegations gained attention after Lamonte McIntyre,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-us-news-ap-top-news-kansas-city-ks-state-wire-3e379716ed9e4dba83412311eaadfd08">who spent 23 years in prison</a>&nbsp;for a double murder he didn’t commit,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-kansas-city-kansas-7b4c4af7410f67d20fd19cb2e9235aad">sued Golubski</a>&nbsp;and other Kansas City, Kansas, officers. McIntyre and his mother, Rose McIntyre, alleged that Golubski framed Lamont in 1994 because she refused the detective’s sexual demands.The local government agreed in June to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-kansas-city-96f163ee13c721c0ab53899dcad05897">settle the lawsuit</a>&nbsp;for $12.5 million.