BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on out of state charges after a wild chase in Barton County.

Just before 12:30pm Tuesday, a man&nbsp;later identified as Kris Hanson, 57 of Wichita, came to the Barton County Sheriff’s Office to get a VIN inspection for an out-of-state title, according to the Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

In order to get an inspection, identification is required. The man provided the records clerk with a driver’s license, as is customary, the clerk ran a check for wants and warrants. The records officer discovered Hanson had outstanding warrants from Benton County, Arkansas for failing to appear on a larceny case.

The records clerk contacted detention officers and advised them of the situation. When deputies came to the lobby to arrest Hanson, he bolted and ran south on Kansas Street. Deputies gave chase.

At least two attempts to incapacitate the suspect with tasers failed. Hanson continued running south on Kansas Street, running between houses and at some point entered and ran through the Barton County Health Department and out an alley door.

Another deputy spotted Hanson in the alley and again gave chase. A third taser deployment was attempted, this time it was successful causing Hanson to fall to the ground. The suspect continued to resist arrest. After a short struggle the deputies were able to subdue Hanson and he was taken into custody.

Hanson was taken back to the Barton County Jail where he was booked on the Arkansas charges which carry no bond. Hanson was also booked on charges of resisting arrest with a bond of $2,500. One deputy was slightly injured in the altercation as was Hanson who fell while running and being tased.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651676508592.jpeg" alt="Hanson-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Hanson-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on out of state charges after a wild chase in Barton County.Just before 12:30pm Tuesday, a man&nbsp;later identified as Kris Hanson, 57 of Wichita, came to the Barton County Sheriff’s Office to get a VIN inspection for an out-of-state title, according to the Sheriff Brian Bellendir.In order to get an inspection, identification is required. The man provided the records clerk with a driver’s license, as is customary, the clerk ran a check for wants and warrants. The records officer discovered Hanson had outstanding warrants from Benton County, Arkansas for failing to appear on a larceny case.The records clerk contacted detention officers and advised them of the situation. When deputies came to the lobby to arrest Hanson, he bolted and ran south on Kansas Street. Deputies gave chase.At least two attempts to incapacitate the suspect with tasers failed. Hanson continued running south on Kansas Street, running between houses and at some point entered and ran through the Barton County Health Department and out an alley door.Another deputy spotted Hanson in the alley and again gave chase. A third taser deployment was attempted, this time it was successful causing Hanson to fall to the ground. The suspect continued to resist arrest. After a short struggle the deputies were able to subdue Hanson and he was taken into custody.Hanson was taken back to the Barton County Jail where he was booked on the Arkansas charges which carry no bond. Hanson was also booked on charges of resisting arrest with a bond of $2,500. One deputy was slightly injured in the altercation as was Hanson who fell while running and being tased.

Kan. deputies chase wanted man through health department

Junction City police reported in their Wednesday tour log that notices to appear have been issued to juveniles in connection with an incident at 1321 Overbrooke Drive. The notices alleged Theft and Damage to Property in four cases, plus Trespass in one of those cases. 

In another case a juvenile was arrested on a requested charge of Criminal Threat stemming from an incident at 2209 Brooke Bend.&nbsp;

Junction City police reported in their Wednesday tour log that notices to appear have been issued to juveniles in connection with an incident at 1321 Overbrooke Drive. The notices alleged Theft and Damage to Property in four cases, plus Trespass in one of those cases. In another case a juvenile was arrested on a requested charge of Criminal Threat stemming from an incident at 2209 Brooke Bend.&nbsp;

Junction City police issue notices to appear in juvenile cases

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have identified one victim as 34-year-old&nbsp;Michael A. Rehard, according to a media release from KCPD.

&nbsp;Rehard is one of three who died in separated incidents. One shooting happened late Saturday while the second one was reported shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday. In the first shooting, officers found two people who had been fatally wounded in the 1800 block of North 26th Street, according to the release.

A third person who had also been shot was taken to the hospital. On Sunday morning, police found Rehard dead and two wounded individuals in the 200 block of North 6th Street. Police have not reported any arrests.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal weekend shooting have identified one victim as 34-year-old&nbsp;Michael A. Rehard, according to a media release from KCPD.&nbsp;Rehard is one of three who died in separated incidents. One shooting happened late Saturday while the second one was reported shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday. In the first shooting, officers found two people who had been fatally wounded in the 1800 block of North 26th Street, according to the release.A third person who had also been shot was taken to the hospital. On Sunday morning, police found Rehard dead and two wounded individuals in the 200 block of North 6th Street. Police have not reported any arrests.

Police ID one of three victims in weekend Kansas City killings

KANSAS CITY (AP)—A man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday, becoming just the fifth person executed in the United States this year.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-sentencing-missouri-8b1099a050b86c4a98c6fd0da5e0e3ed">Carman Deck</a>, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. His fate was sealed a day earlier when neither the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-missouri-4d6d9cf622713c2f79a8d577ccb13520">U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;nor Republican Gov. Mike Parson stepped in to halt the execution. Deck’s death sentence was overturned three times before for procedural issues.

Deck mouthed a few inaudible words as the 5 grams of pentobarbital were administered, then puffed out a couple of breaths before all movement stopped, the process lasting just a few seconds.

“My hope is that one day the world will find peace and that we all will learn to be kind and loving to one another,” Deck said in a written final statement. “We all are a part of this journey through life, connected in every way. Please give love, show love, BE LOVE!”

Parson, in a statement, said the couple killed, James and Zelma Long, “were innocent victims of Carman Deck’s heinous violence. Tonight, justice was served.”

Just four other people have been executed in the U.S. in 2022 —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-oklahoma-oklahoma-city-robbery-mcalester-3693d1a245878cc773aa6bdbbad56ab4">Donald Anthony Grant</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-oklahoma-mcalester-24d25f6c178c5b0852ccae3ba03214f1">Gilbert Ray Postelle&nbsp;</a>in Oklahoma,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-health-alabama-executions-b9b6c18d2d0f1833329d09091998b14a">Matthew Reeves</a>&nbsp;in Alabama and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-shootings-texas-executions-houston-74e25cf0325008b48a21619d257c69d0">Carl Wayne Buntio</a>&nbsp;n last month in Texas. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, the fewest since 1988.

Court records show that Deck, of the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of the Longs, who lived in De Soto, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. He knew the couple, in their late 60s, kept a safe in their home.

In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking directions. Deck wasn’t surprised the couple let them in.

“They’re country folks,” Deck told a detective, according to court records. “They always do.”

Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Deck’s command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.

Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head before doing the same thing to Zelma Long.

A tip alerted police to Deck, and he was arrested later that night outside his sister’s apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was on the floorboard of his car.

Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings in oral, written and audiotaped statements. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Deck’s trial lawyer.

The U.S. Supreme Court threw out his second sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the sentencing jury.

He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/59b0d23c85d04ed7b8374ce433393748">Nine years later</a>, U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry determined that “substantial” evidence arguing against the death penalty in Deck’s first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldn’t be found or declined to cooperate.

In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.

The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including beatings that left welts and sexual abuse. It said he and his siblings often were left alone without food. Deck's attorney, Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, said in a statement that Deck also was raped while in prison for theft at age 19.

“This experience transformed him from a non-violent thief into the person who committed two terrible murders,” Carlyle said. She called his execution “unjust and immoral.”

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-executions-f32c014193ac2fdc77c15e7c3db4ec6c">number of executions</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with declining support, falling from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021 according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition has risen from under 20% to around 45%.

Use of the death penalty has become concentrated mostly in a few Southern and Plains states. Last year, Texas executed three inmates, Oklahoma executed two, and one each were put to death in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Three federal inmates were executed in January 2021, toward the end of President Donald Trump’s administration.

On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-executions-tennessee-nashville-e143acccdd34b46b346c0e1fb02fe823">paused executions</a>&nbsp;in his state for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A man whose death sentence for killing a Missouri couple while robbing their home was overturned three times was scheduled to be executed on Tuesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-sentencing-missouri-8b1099a050b86c4a98c6fd0da5e0e3ed">Carman Deck</a>, 56, would be just the fifth U.S. inmate to be executed this year if his lethal injection goes ahead. His hopes for a reprieve were all but dashed on Monday when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-missouri-4d6d9cf622713c2f79a8d577ccb13520">the U.S. Supreme Court turned aside an appeal</a>&nbsp;and Republican Gov. Mike Parson declined Deck’s clemency request, though he could file new appeals.

Deck, who was from the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of James and Zelma Long and knew they kept a safe in their home De Soto, about 45 miles southwest of St. Louis, according to court records.

In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking for directions. Deck told a detective that he wasn’t surprised to be invited inside by the couple, who were in their late 60s.

“They’re country folks,” Deck said, according to court records. “They always do.”

A tip alerted police to Deck and he was arrested later that night outside his sister’s apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was in his car.

Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Deck’s trial lawyer.

He was condemned to death a second time, but the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the jury.

He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008, but U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry overturned that sentence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/59b0d23c85d04ed7b8374ce433393748">nine years later</a>&nbsp;after she determined that “substantial” evidence arguing against the death penalty during Deck’s first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldn’t be found or declined to cooperate.

Deck’s clemency petition said he suffered sexual abuse and beatings as a child, and that he and his siblings were often left alone without food.

But Parson wasn’t swayed, explaining his rationale for rejecting the petition in a news release: “Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-executions-f32c014193ac2fdc77c15e7c3db4ec6c">The number of executions</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with a decline in public support for capital punishment that has fallen from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021, according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition to capital punishment has risen from under 20% to about 45%.

Just four people have been executed in 2022 —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-oklahoma-oklahoma-city-robbery-mcalester-3693d1a245878cc773aa6bdbbad56ab4">Donald Anthony Grant</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-oklahoma-mcalester-24d25f6c178c5b0852ccae3ba03214f1">Gilbert Ray Postelle</a>&nbsp;in Oklahoma,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-health-alabama-executions-b9b6c18d2d0f1833329d09091998b14a">Matthew Reeves</a>&nbsp;in Alabama and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-shootings-texas-executions-houston-74e25cf0325008b48a21619d257c69d0">Carl Wayne Buntion</a>&nbsp;last month in Texas. All four were convicted killers who were put to death by injection. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, which was the country’s fewest executions since 1988.

On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-executions-tennessee-nashville-e143acccdd34b46b346c0e1fb02fe823">paused executions</a>&nbsp;for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to halt the upcoming execution of Missouri inmate Carman Deck, and Republican Gov. Mike Parson said he will not grant clemency.

Deck, 56, is scheduled to die by injection at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the state prison in Bonne Terre for killing a couple while robbing their rural home in July 1996.

"Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed,” Parson said in a statement. “The State of Missouri will carry out Mr. Deck’s sentence according to the Court’s order and deliver justice.”

Deck's attorney didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Only four executions have been carried out in the U.S. so far in 2022, and the 11 last year were the fewest since 1988. Earlier Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-executions-tennessee-nashville-e143acccdd34b46b346c0e1fb02fe823">paused executions</a>&nbsp;for the rest of the year to enable a review of the state's lethal injection procedures. That decision came after a testing oversight forced the state to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-crime-executions-tennessee-c35f2cf35a7791617bd4e24555d13a2c">call off the execution</a>&nbsp;of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.

Deck, of the St. Louis area, admitted that he killed James Long, 69, and his 67-year-old wife, Zelma, while robbing them at their home in the eastern Missouri town of De Soto in July 1996.

Deck's death sentence was thrown out three times due to procedural errors before a federal appeals court panel restored it in 2020.

The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including sexual abuse and beatings. It also said he and his siblings often were left alone without food.

The number of executions in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with a decline in public support for capital punishment that has fallen from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021, according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition to capital punishment has risen from under 20% to about 45%.

JEFFERSON CITY—On Monday, Governor Mike Parson confirmed that the State of Missouri will carry out the sentence of 56-year-old Carmen Deck on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, as ordered by the Supreme Court of Missouri, according to a statement from Parson's office.

"Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed,"&nbsp;Governor Parson&nbsp;said. "The State of Missouri will carry out Mr. Deck's sentence according to the Court's order and&nbsp;deliver justice."

Deck was tried and convicted for the heinous execution-style murders of two innocent elderly victims during a robbery in 1996. Mr. Deck fully admitted to his callous offenses in verbal, written, and recorded statements to law enforcement.

Court records said Deck and his sister went to the Long home under the guise of asking for directions, but with the intent to rob them. Deck pulled a pistol from his waistband and ordered them to lie facedown on their bed. He shot them in the head.

 In three different proceedings, separate juries have recommended Mr. Deck’s death sentences. Deck's case has been reviewed in the state trial court, Missouri Supreme Court, federal district court, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States Supreme Court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/2/1643738665139.png" alt="Deck photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Deck photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP)—A man who killed a couple during a robbery at their rural home more than a quarter of a century ago was put to death Tuesday, becoming just the fifth person executed in the United States this year.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-sentencing-missouri-8b1099a050b86c4a98c6fd0da5e0e3ed">Carman Deck</a>, 56, died by injection at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m. His fate was sealed a day earlier when neither the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-missouri-4d6d9cf622713c2f79a8d577ccb13520">U.S. Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;nor Republican Gov. Mike Parson stepped in to halt the execution. Deck’s death sentence was overturned three times before for procedural issues.Deck mouthed a few inaudible words as the 5 grams of pentobarbital were administered, then puffed out a couple of breaths before all movement stopped, the process lasting just a few seconds.“My hope is that one day the world will find peace and that we all will learn to be kind and loving to one another,” Deck said in a written final statement. “We all are a part of this journey through life, connected in every way. Please give love, show love, BE LOVE!”Parson, in a statement, said the couple killed, James and Zelma Long, “were innocent victims of Carman Deck’s heinous violence. Tonight, justice was served.”Just four other people have been executed in the U.S. in 2022 —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-oklahoma-oklahoma-city-robbery-mcalester-3693d1a245878cc773aa6bdbbad56ab4">Donald Anthony Grant</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-oklahoma-mcalester-24d25f6c178c5b0852ccae3ba03214f1">Gilbert Ray Postelle&nbsp;</a>in Oklahoma,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-health-alabama-executions-b9b6c18d2d0f1833329d09091998b14a">Matthew Reeves</a>&nbsp;in Alabama and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-shootings-texas-executions-houston-74e25cf0325008b48a21619d257c69d0">Carl Wayne Buntio</a>&nbsp;n last month in Texas. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, the fewest since 1988.Court records show that Deck, of the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of the Longs, who lived in De Soto, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. He knew the couple, in their late 60s, kept a safe in their home.In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking directions. Deck wasn’t surprised the couple let them in.“They’re country folks,” Deck told a detective, according to court records. “They always do.”Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Deck’s command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head before doing the same thing to Zelma Long.A tip alerted police to Deck, and he was arrested later that night outside his sister’s apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was on the floorboard of his car.Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings in oral, written and audiotaped statements. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Deck’s trial lawyer.The U.S. Supreme Court threw out his second sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the sentencing jury.He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/59b0d23c85d04ed7b8374ce433393748">Nine years later</a>, U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry determined that “substantial” evidence arguing against the death penalty in Deck’s first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldn’t be found or declined to cooperate.In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including beatings that left welts and sexual abuse. It said he and his siblings often were left alone without food. Deck's attorney, Elizabeth Unger Carlyle, said in a statement that Deck also was raped while in prison for theft at age 19.“This experience transformed him from a non-violent thief into the person who committed two terrible murders,” Carlyle said. She called his execution “unjust and immoral.”The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-executions-f32c014193ac2fdc77c15e7c3db4ec6c">number of executions</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with declining support, falling from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021 according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition has risen from under 20% to around 45%.Use of the death penalty has become concentrated mostly in a few Southern and Plains states. Last year, Texas executed three inmates, Oklahoma executed two, and one each were put to death in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Three federal inmates were executed in January 2021, toward the end of President Donald Trump’s administration.On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-executions-tennessee-nashville-e143acccdd34b46b346c0e1fb02fe823">paused executions</a>&nbsp;in his state for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.----------KANSAS CITY (AP) —A man whose death sentence for killing a Missouri couple while robbing their home was overturned three times was scheduled to be executed on Tuesday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-sentencing-missouri-8b1099a050b86c4a98c6fd0da5e0e3ed">Carman Deck</a>, 56, would be just the fifth U.S. inmate to be executed this year if his lethal injection goes ahead. His hopes for a reprieve were all but dashed on Monday when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-missouri-4d6d9cf622713c2f79a8d577ccb13520">the U.S. Supreme Court turned aside an appeal</a>&nbsp;and Republican Gov. Mike Parson declined Deck’s clemency request, though he could file new appeals.Deck, who was from the St. Louis area, was a friend of the grandson of James and Zelma Long and knew they kept a safe in their home De Soto, about 45 miles southwest of St. Louis, according to court records.In July 1996, Deck and his sister stopped at the home under the guise of asking for directions. Deck told a detective that he wasn’t surprised to be invited inside by the couple, who were in their late 60s.“They’re country folks,” Deck said, according to court records. “They always do.”Once inside, Deck pulled a gun from his waistband. At Deck’s command, Zelma Long opened the safe and removed jewelry, then got $200 from her purse and more money hidden in a canister.Deck ordered the couple to lie on their stomachs on their bed. Court records said Deck stood there for 10 minutes deciding what to do, then shot James Long twice in the head before doing the same thing to Zelma Long.A tip alerted police to Deck and he was arrested later that night outside his sister’s apartment building in St. Louis County. The decorative tin canister from the Long home was in his car.Prosecutors said Deck later gave a full account of the killings. He was sentenced to death in 1998, but the Missouri Supreme Court tossed the sentence due to errors by Deck’s trial lawyer.He was condemned to death a second time, but the U.S. Supreme Court threw out the sentence in 2005, citing the prejudice caused by Deck being shackled in front of the jury.He was sentenced to death for a third time in 2008, but U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry overturned that sentence&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/59b0d23c85d04ed7b8374ce433393748">nine years later</a>&nbsp;after she determined that “substantial” evidence arguing against the death penalty during Deck’s first two penalty phases was unavailable for the third because witnesses had died, couldn’t be found or declined to cooperate.In October 2020, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals restored the death penalty, ruling that Deck should have raised his concern first in state court, not federal court. Appeals of that ruling were unsuccessful.Deck’s clemency petition said he suffered sexual abuse and beatings as a child, and that he and his siblings were often left alone without food.But Parson wasn’t swayed, explaining his rationale for rejecting the petition in a news release: “Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-executions-f32c014193ac2fdc77c15e7c3db4ec6c">The number of executions</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with a decline in public support for capital punishment that has fallen from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021, according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition to capital punishment has risen from under 20% to about 45%.Just four people have been executed in 2022 —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-oklahoma-oklahoma-city-robbery-mcalester-3693d1a245878cc773aa6bdbbad56ab4">Donald Anthony Grant</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-oklahoma-mcalester-24d25f6c178c5b0852ccae3ba03214f1">Gilbert Ray Postelle</a>&nbsp;in Oklahoma,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-health-alabama-executions-b9b6c18d2d0f1833329d09091998b14a">Matthew Reeves</a>&nbsp;in Alabama and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-shootings-texas-executions-houston-74e25cf0325008b48a21619d257c69d0">Carl Wayne Buntion</a>&nbsp;last month in Texas. All four were convicted killers who were put to death by injection. Eleven people were executed in the U.S. last year, which was the country’s fewest executions since 1988.Use of the death penalty has become concentrated mostly in a few Southern and Plains states. Last year, Texas executed three inmates, Oklahoma executed two, and one each were put to death in Alabama, Mississippi and Missouri. Three federal inmates were executed in January 2021, toward the end of President Donald Trump’s administration.On Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-executions-tennessee-nashville-e143acccdd34b46b346c0e1fb02fe823">paused executions</a>&nbsp;for the rest of the year to enable a review of lethal injection procedures after a testing oversight forced the state to call off the execution of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.---------------WASHINGTON (AP) —The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday declined to halt the upcoming execution of Missouri inmate Carman Deck, and Republican Gov. Mike Parson said he will not grant clemency.Deck, 56, is scheduled to die by injection at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the state prison in Bonne Terre for killing a couple while robbing their rural home in July 1996."Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed,” Parson said in a statement. “The State of Missouri will carry out Mr. Deck’s sentence according to the Court’s order and deliver justice.”Deck's attorney didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment.Only four executions have been carried out in the U.S. so far in 2022, and the 11 last year were the fewest since 1988. Earlier Monday, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-executions-tennessee-nashville-e143acccdd34b46b346c0e1fb02fe823">paused executions</a>&nbsp;for the rest of the year to enable a review of the state's lethal injection procedures. That decision came after a testing oversight forced the state to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-crime-executions-tennessee-c35f2cf35a7791617bd4e24555d13a2c">call off the execution</a>&nbsp;of Oscar Smith an hour before he was to die on April 21.Deck, of the St. Louis area, admitted that he killed James Long, 69, and his 67-year-old wife, Zelma, while robbing them at their home in the eastern Missouri town of De Soto in July 1996.Deck's death sentence was thrown out three times due to procedural errors before a federal appeals court panel restored it in 2020.The clemency petition on behalf of Deck cited abuse he suffered as a child, including sexual abuse and beatings. It also said he and his siblings often were left alone without food.The number of executions in the U.S. has declined significantly since peaking at 98 in 1998. The drop has coincided with a decline in public support for capital punishment that has fallen from a high of 80% in 1994 to 54% in 2021, according to Gallup polls. Since the mid-1990s, opposition to capital punishment has risen from under 20% to about 45%.------------JEFFERSON CITY—On Monday, Governor Mike Parson confirmed that the State of Missouri will carry out the sentence of 56-year-old Carmen Deck on Tuesday, May 3, 2022, as ordered by the Supreme Court of Missouri, according to a statement from Parson's office."Mr. Deck has received due process, and three separate juries of his peers have recommended sentences of death for the brutal murders he committed,"&nbsp;Governor Parson&nbsp;said. "The State of Missouri will carry out Mr. Deck's sentence according to the Court's order and&nbsp;deliver justice."Deck was tried and convicted for the heinous execution-style murders of two innocent elderly victims during a robbery in 1996. Mr. Deck fully admitted to his callous offenses in verbal, written, and recorded statements to law enforcement.Court records said Deck and his sister went to the Long home under the guise of asking for directions, but with the intent to rob them. Deck pulled a pistol from his waistband and ordered them to lie facedown on their bed. He shot them in the head. In three different proceedings, separate juries have recommended Mr. Deck’s death sentences. Deck's case has been reviewed in the state trial court, Missouri Supreme Court, federal district court, Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, and United States Supreme Court.

Execution: Convicted killer put to death for 1996 murder of couple

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an early morning traffic stop.

Just after 12:30a.m. Monday, a deputy sheriff conducted a traffic stop on a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban near NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Independence Avenue for speeding, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

 During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics and arrested 50-year-old Richard L. Stang of Topeka was arrested and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. He is being held on requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to wear a seat belt, driving without a valid driver’s license, operating a vehicle without proper registration and speeding.

Stang has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and use of a false name on a drivers license, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651575259185.png" alt="Stang has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and use of a false name on a drivers license, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections -photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Stang has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and use of a false name on a drivers license, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections -photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an early morning traffic stop.Just after 12:30a.m. Monday, a deputy sheriff conducted a traffic stop on a 2005 Chevrolet Suburban near NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Independence Avenue for speeding, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian. During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics and arrested 50-year-old Richard L. Stang of Topeka was arrested and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections. He is being held on requested charge of possession of methamphetamine, driving under the influence, possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, failure to wear a seat belt, driving without a valid driver’s license, operating a vehicle without proper registration and speeding.Stang has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and use of a false name on a drivers license, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas felon jailed for alleged DUI, meth possession

RENO COUNTY — Police arrested a man staying at a Hutchinson motel Sunday after he allegedly robbed a Papa John's delivery driver.

Just after 11:30p.m. Sunday, a 25-year-old female driver from Papa John's reported to the police that she had tried to deliver pizzas to a location in Hutchison that didn't exist, then was called to go to the parking lot at the Hampton Inn just east of 11th and K-61 to deliver the pizzas.

A man, later identified as 22-year-old Damien Daron Devine, flagged the delivery driver down, displayed a handgun and stole the pizzas and cash from her.

A search warrant was executed for Devine's car and motel room and evidence was found for grounds for an arrest. Police also found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Police booked Devine into jail on requested charges of aggravated robbery and drug offenses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651510799824.png" alt="Devine-photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Devine-photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — Police arrested a man staying at a Hutchinson motel Sunday after he allegedly robbed a Papa John's delivery driver.Just after 11:30p.m. Sunday, a 25-year-old female driver from Papa John's reported to the police that she had tried to deliver pizzas to a location in Hutchison that didn't exist, then was called to go to the parking lot at the Hampton Inn just east of 11th and K-61 to deliver the pizzas.A man, later identified as 22-year-old Damien Daron Devine, flagged the delivery driver down, displayed a handgun and stole the pizzas and cash from her.A search warrant was executed for Devine's car and motel room and evidence was found for grounds for an arrest. Police also found a small amount of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.Police booked Devine into jail on requested charges of aggravated robbery and drug offenses.

Police: Kan. man robbed pizza delivery driver at gunpoint

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused of shooting a relative in the back yard of a home made his first court appearance Friday.

Phoukhong Khamvongsa, 62, Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Just before 5:30p.m. April 25, deputies were sent to a disturbance call involving a weapon in the 4500 block of south Meadowview in Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

When deputies arrived, they located a 55-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the backyard of a residence. 

EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries.&nbsp; The suspect identified as 62-year-old Phoukhong Khamvongsa&nbsp; of Wichita, was arrested at the residence <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=142445">and booked </a>into the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on requested charges of Aggravated Battery.

The victim and suspect are family members, according to Blick.

He is scheduled for another court appearance on May 9. He remains jailed on a $500,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650989518111.png" alt="Khamvongsa-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Khamvongsa-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused of shooting a relative in the back yard of a home made his first court appearance Friday.Phoukhong Khamvongsa, 62, Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.Just before 5:30p.m. April 25, deputies were sent to a disturbance call involving a weapon in the 4500 block of south Meadowview in Wichita, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.When deputies arrived, they located a 55-year-old man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the backyard of a residence. EMS transported the victim to a local hospital for treatment of critical injuries.&nbsp; The suspect identified as 62-year-old Phoukhong Khamvongsa&nbsp; of Wichita, was arrested at the residence <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=142445">and booked </a>into the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on requested charges of Aggravated Battery.The victim and suspect are family members, according to Blick.He is scheduled for another court appearance on May 9. He remains jailed on a $500,000 bond.

Attempted murder: Kan. man charged with shooting family member

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Three people died and three others were injured after two weekend shootings in Kansas City, Kansas. 

A spokesman for the police department in Kansas City, Kansas, Officer Marshee London said one shooting happened late Saturday while the second one was reported shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday. The Kansas City Star reports that in the first shooting, officers found two people who had been fatally wounded in the 1800 block of North 26th Street. 

A third person who had also been shot was taken to the hospital. On Sunday morning, police found one dead person and two wounded individuals in the 200 block of North 6th Street. Police did not immediately name the victims or report any arrests.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Three people died and three others were injured after two weekend shootings in Kansas City, Kansas. A spokesman for the police department in Kansas City, Kansas, Officer Marshee London said one shooting happened late Saturday while the second one was reported shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday. The Kansas City Star reports that in the first shooting, officers found two people who had been fatally wounded in the 1800 block of North 26th Street. A third person who had also been shot was taken to the hospital. On Sunday morning, police found one dead person and two wounded individuals in the 200 block of North 6th Street. Police did not immediately name the victims or report any arrests.

Three killed in two separate shootings in Kansas 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an arrest.

On April 27, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office received information on where an individual with a federal arrest warrant for felon in possession of a firearm was located, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.

An on scene investigation confirmed that the individual was staying at a hotel in the 3700 block of SW Topeka Boulevard. 

The United States Marshals Service Task Force Officer from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant Unit assisted with the arrest of 32-year-old Martwan L. Cay of Topeka. 

During the execution of a subsequent search warrant initiated by the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant Unit, officers found a handgun, ammunition, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and pills believed to contain fentanyl.

Cay was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the federal arrest warrant. He also faces charges of felony interference, felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of opiates, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651182000028.png" alt="Cay-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cay-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an arrest.On April 27, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office received information on where an individual with a federal arrest warrant for felon in possession of a firearm was located, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.An on scene investigation confirmed that the individual was staying at a hotel in the 3700 block of SW Topeka Boulevard. The United States Marshals Service Task Force Officer from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant Unit assisted with the arrest of 32-year-old Martwan L. Cay of Topeka. During the execution of a subsequent search warrant initiated by the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Warrant Unit, officers found a handgun, ammunition, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and pills believed to contain fentanyl.Cay was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the federal arrest warrant. He also faces charges of felony interference, felon in possession of a firearm, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of opiates, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

U.S. Marshals find pills with fentanyl during arrest at Kansas motel

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kanas woman avoids jail time in connection with the abuse of her stepdaughter.

Amanda Moore, 31,&nbsp; Wichita, was sentenced this week to 36 months of probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

If she violates probation, Moore could face three years in prison.

In February of 2019, police responded to home in the 1700 block of South Faulder in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

A 2-year-old girl's father found his daughter vomiting and then not breathing.&nbsp;

The father began lifesaving measures and the girl was taken to a local hospital where it was discovered she'd suffered critical head injuries, according to Davidson. Police arrested Moore, identified as the girl's stepmother on a requested charge of child abuse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650999988247.png" alt="Moore photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Moore photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kanas woman avoids jail time in connection with the abuse of her stepdaughter.Amanda Moore, 31,&nbsp; Wichita, was sentenced this week to 36 months of probation, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.If she violates probation, Moore could face three years in prison.In February of 2019, police responded to home in the 1700 block of South Faulder in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.A 2-year-old girl's father found his daughter vomiting and then not breathing.&nbsp;The father began lifesaving measures and the girl was taken to a local hospital where it was discovered she'd suffered critical head injuries, according to Davidson. Police arrested Moore, identified as the girl's stepmother on a requested charge of child abuse.

Kan. woman sentenced for abuse of 2-year-old stepdaughter 

By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-26/addiction-derailed-their-lives-these-kansans-say-the-criminal-justice-system-made-it-worse">Kansas News Service</a>

TOPEKA, Kansas — Samantha Bishop used drugs to feel better 
about herself. That, coupled with social pressures, drove her ever 
deeper into addiction.

“It just kind of snowballed and became more of an everyday thing,” she said. “I had to have it to be able to function.”

One
 day when Bishop was dealing drugs so she could buy more for herself, 
she sold to an undercover officer. That landed her in prison for more 
than two years.

Four years later, she’s sober. In some respects, 
her story represents success because she recovered. But Bishop and 
others who went through the Kansas criminal justice system contend the 
state is not doing enough to support people with addiction.

“There’s
 a lack of compassion on the criminal justice system side. They look at 
it like, ‘Oh, you're bad. You broke the law,’” she said.

Kansas 
offers programs to help people recover and avoid jail or prison, but 
many people who need them don’t have access. Many Kansans sent to jail 
or prison on drug charges had to drop out of school, became homeless and
 lost meaningful connections with their children.

Bishop’s 
daughter has separation anxiety from when her mother went to prison. 
Bishop admits she made a mistake — like dealing drugs — but she said 
there would be less trauma if she had been given drug treatment instead 
of a prison sentence.

Randy Henderson 
started in law enforcement in 1976 and worked in the trenches of the war
 on drugs in the narcotics division at the Hutchinson Police Department 
from 1988 through 1997.

“My job was to arrest drug offenders, put 
them in jail and I forgot about them, basically,” said Henderson, a 
retired Reno County Sheriff. “When I came out of there in 1998, I had 
kind of a rude awakening.”

Henderson realized he needed to change 
his approach. Despite all the arrests, he didn’t see much progress. As 
sheriff, he helped create drug treatment and mental health programs in 
the Reno County jail. The success of that program convinced local 
elected officials, businesses and donors to establish a drug detox 
program.

But those changes can be slow-moving considering some community advocates were trying for decades to build the rehab facility.

“We’ve all got to open up our eyes and not just look at being the enforcers of the law,” Henderson said.

The
 hundreds of law enforcement agencies in Kansas each respond to 
addiction differently. Police have historically responded the same way 
Henderson did. Some are starting to change their thinking but there “are
 far more (of) the old mindset,” said Hutchinson Police Chief Jeffrey 
Hooper.

Hooper said police often see people in crisis. And don’t 
see those same people again until another crisis strikes. So he’s formed
 a crisis response team of police, mental health and substance use 
experts. This team checks in more often to connect people with the 
resources they need to divert them away from jail or prison.

“We 
had to do better,” Hooper said. “We had to fund something up front to 
keep them out of the criminal justice system because that just compounds
 their problem. Not only do they have a substance misuse disorder, but 
now they have a criminal record.”

He hopes more will follow in his
 footsteps and hopes that more police can take a more sympathetic 
approach to people who get in trouble because they’re battling drug 
problems.

Bishop said the stigma of drug addiction is real. She 
recalled times she didn’t call the police during domestic abuse 
situations because she worried how police might respond. Meanwhile, the 
relationship made Bishop feel worse and compounded the problem.

“Drugs
 (were) present and (I) didn't really want to create more chaos,” she 
said. “It’s an unspoken rule. You just don't talk to the cops or call 
the cops because there is a chance that you will go to jail for whatever
 it is that you're doing.”

Kansas had 2,392 drug 
probation sentences in 2013. That number increased every year between 
2013 and 2019 and peaked at 3,939 drug probation sentences, according to
 data from the Kansas sentencing commission. A majority of those 
sentences, above 70%, were for possession.

The number suddenly 
dropped in 2020, though addiction counselors, judges and attorneys say 
the situation has not improved. One addiction specialist said, “these 
last two years have been the worst I’ve ever seen.”

More probation
 sentences mean more Kansans with addiction are going through the court 
system. A person could take multiple paths when they are first arrested 
on a drug charge, but what happens next depends on the person and the 
circumstances of their case — and which county they happen to get 
arrested in or the particular judge they face.

Shawnee County 
District Attorney Mike Kagay said a handful of judges hear cases like 
that in his county and each one may take a different approach. That 
response can vary county by county and no one clear outcome exists for 
people caught with drugs. But Kagay said he doesn’t want to send people 
to prison.

He said things like a lack of regional drug treatment facilities can make diverting people to treatment harder.

“There
 (are) not enough resources that have been allocated to addressing the 
issues of both drug addiction and mental illness in the state of 
Kansas,” he said. “We’re better off than where we were five years ago. 
But we're not where we need to be, not even close.”

Specialty drug
 courts provide wrap-around services to people on certain charges. Those
 charges do not need to be drug charges, but they have to be related to 
addiction, like writing bad checks to purchase drugs. Chief District 
Judge Nicholas St. Peter’s program serves Cowley County and is one of 
the oldest drug courts in Kansas. It has law enforcement, treatment 
providers, county prosecutors, defense attorneys and others who all work
 to help people recover.

“Drug court is an extremely intense 
program,” St. Peter said. “It’s not designed for your first-time 
substance abuse conviction of somebody who's a recreational, occasional 
drug user.”

Judges who spoke with the Kansas News Service said 
building a stronger support network around someone is a more productive 
way to handle addiction. Lower level offenses won’t result in prison 
time for someone, but giving them probation and sending them back out to
 the same situation they came from may not yield better results.

These
 specialty courts are becoming more popular, but they can be difficult 
to start. There are 13 drug courts programs statewide and less than half
 of the judicial districts in the state have one.

Chief District 
Judge Lori Bolton Fleming doesn’t have a drug court in the 11th district
 — which is Cherokee, Crawford and Labette County — but she is 
interested in starting one. Shortages of defense attorneys, funding or 
transportation issues can all hamper the court’s creation.

One 
judge said drug courts, while beneficial, only add to the overall 
workload of the people involved and it doesn’t bring a pay increase.

“Drug court or any specialty court catches people who wouldn’t otherwise fall through the cracks,” Bolton Fleming said.

Aside
 from drug courts, people on probation can be eligible for 18 months of 
drug treatment as part of a special state program. Kira Johnson, who 
runs the program for the Kansas Sentencing Commission, said it’s 
designed to divert people away from prison.

But that intervention 
program is beyond the reach of many of the people who need it most. Only
 38.2% of people on all drug probation sentences got the services in 
fiscal year 2020. The Kansas Legislature recently approved changes that 
could allow more people to access the program, but some barriers still 
remain.

To be eligible, someone must be high needs according to 
certain treatment screenings and can't have three past convictions for 
possession. That’s prompted criticisms that the program penalizes 
failure.

“Whether they get it this time or next time, it’s not our
 place to try to judge and figure out when that will be, it's just to 
provide them services and try to help them to get them where they are 
functioning healthy members of our society,” said Crystal Norman, 
executive director of addiction recovery provider Valley Hope.

Johnson
 said she would love to treat everyone until they recover, but there has
 to be a cutoff to ensure tax dollars are spent responsibly.

Advocates
 argue spending upfront will save money in the long run because the 
annual cost of housing inmates in state prison is $30,100. Norman said 
if she had the same amount of money the state used to put people in 
prison or jail, she could provide therapy, case management and all other
 kinds of treatment.

“It’s a waste of money, putting them in jail 
and prison to expect them to come out somehow cured when we never 
provided treatment,” she said. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”

Martony
 Cowan knows how to beat addiction. As a juvenile, he struggled. But he 
improved. He got a job and he graduated. Then, his mother died.

“I
 don’t want to say it’s an excuse, but I lost my mom,” said Cowan, who 
is held at the Winfield Correctional Facility. “I was going through a 
dark point in my life and I just relapsed. One time turned into two 
times and two times turned into plenty … until I got arrested.”

Cowan
 bought larger quantities of drugs and when he was caught he was 
considered a drug dealer. Because of his charges, Cowan was not offered 
drug treatment programs and said he was sentenced to just over five 
years in prison.

Jails and prisons have a large population of 
people struggling with addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse 
estimates that 65% of inmates in state prison have active substance 
misuse issues. The Kansas Department of Corrections’ drug treatment 
program had around 750 people, or about 8% of the inmate population, in 
fiscal year 2021.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-16/a-few-kansas-jails-are-finally-allowing-medical-care-for-opioid-addiction" target="_blank">The Kansas News Service reported in February</a>
 that nobody tracks how many Kansas jails offer a combination of 
medication and counseling to inmates, but few do so nationwide. Going to
 jail or prison can abruptly stop drug treatment if nothing is offered 
while inside, and talking to doctors to start treatment can be 
difficult. Kansas prisons offer medication, like Vivitrol, though it 
isn’t uncommon for people to go cold turkey in prison, multiple inmates 
told the Kansas News Service.

The Department of Corrections 
deferred any comments to emailed statements. Carol Pitts, spokesperson 
for the department, said recently approved<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb267/" target="_blank"> legislation</a>
 currently in the Statehouse expands drug treatment programs at the 
Lansing and Winfield prisons. Prisons also offer Alcoholics Anonymous 
programs. All told, Pitts said, “current resources allow the department 
to reach almost half of the residents” with substance use issues.

The state prison’s treatment programs have been called life-changing by some inmates, but it is inaccessible to others.

Cowan
 is working a private industry job. He works when the treatment is 
offered and the staff who run the programs have gone home by the time he
 is off. Some people are also sent back to prison for only a few months 
if they violate parole. Shorter sentences and sanctions may not offer 
enough time for someone to take the four-to-six-month long treatment 
program.

Sherry White, founder and executive director of High 
Point Advocacy and Resource Center, said arresting people instead of 
helping them can lead to future legal troubles. Around 80% of the people
 High Point serves are on probation or parole and almost all of those 
sentences are drug-related.

To help people recover, addiction 
recovery specialists recommend keeping people in their community with 
friends and family, having stable work and housing. Jails and prisons 
can do the exact opposite.

Going to prison can make it harder for 
inmates to save up for a security deposit on an apartment or a down 
payment on a house. From July 2016 through July 2021, KDOC released 
5,238 inmates on indigent status, which means having less than $12 in a 
cumulative spendable amount in the past month.

The left-leaning 
Prison Policy Initiative found that formerly incarcerated people are 
almost 10 times more likely to be homeless and 27% of people with 
records are unemployed.

Even those with money now face the 
challenges of being a former inmate. White’s son was arrested for drug 
charges and struggled to find housing despite having money for rent, so 
he lived in her basement.

“Once you're in the system, it's hard to break out,” White said. “You can not incarcerate a disease out of somebody.”

People with felony drug 
charges are not eligible for food assistance and Kansas has one of the 
most burdensome drug offender registries in the country. People on the 
registry must check in with law enforcement every few months, share all 
social media handles and renew their driver's license yearly. Not doing 
so could put them back in prison.

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-23/critics-say-the-kansas-criminal-justice-systems-fees-and-fines-trap-people-in-a-cycle-of-poverty" target="_blank">Fines and fees</a>
 associated with the court system can also stack up, which can lead to 
future legal consequences. A survey by the Alabama Appleseed Center for 
Law and Justice found that 38% of people committed other crimes, like 
selling drugs, to pay off that debt.

The state Legislature has 
discussed changing some of these laws, but no bills have passed. 
Allowing food assistance for people with drug felonies passed out of 
committee but didn’t advance, and legislation that creates exit 
mechanisms for people to get off the drug registry is still waiting for 
action in the full Senate.

More comprehensive changes were also 
passed over. A bill exempting drug offenders from ever going on the 
registry hasn’t had a hearing. Another proposal to expand the drug 
sentencing grid and reduce possible penalties for drug charges also 
stalled.

Rep. Stephen Owens, a Heston Republican, chairs the 
corrections and juvenile justice committee. His committee worked on a 
handful of key legislation advocates and others were pushing for.

Owens
 was frustrated to see some of the changes fail, but he said the state 
is working to make life easier for people in recovery.

“I see how 
these things will make a significant difference in people’s lives. I 
understand it very well,” he said. “The broader (Legislature) has got to
 understand its benefits as well. And that’s challenging.”

In this
 session, the Legislature created a specialty court resources fund and a
 group to oversee that money in hopes of expanding these courts, which 
could expand drug and mental health courts.

Cowan said when he 
gets out of prison, he is going to move out of state to avoid 
post-prison restrictions. He wants to become a lineman and did take a 
class in prison that will help him, though he would be further along 
with his career goals if he didn’t spend all this time in prison.

“I'm
 now sober and plan on staying sober … so I guess (the system) works. 
But it was definitely overkill,” he said. “It wasn't necessary to this 
extent … It has done me more harm than good.”

Blaise Mesa 
reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas News 
Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email 
him at blaise@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650985519722.png" alt="Carlos Moreno / KCUR" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Moreno / KCUR</figcaption>
 </figure>By BLAISE MESA <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-26/addiction-derailed-their-lives-these-kansans-say-the-criminal-justice-system-made-it-worse">Kansas News Service</a>TOPEKA, Kansas — Samantha Bishop used drugs to feel better 
about herself. That, coupled with social pressures, drove her ever 
deeper into addiction.“It just kind of snowballed and became more of an everyday thing,” she said. “I had to have it to be able to function.”One
 day when Bishop was dealing drugs so she could buy more for herself, 
she sold to an undercover officer. That landed her in prison for more 
than two years.Four years later, she’s sober. In some respects, 
her story represents success because she recovered. But Bishop and 
others who went through the Kansas criminal justice system contend the 
state is not doing enough to support people with addiction.“There’s
 a lack of compassion on the criminal justice system side. They look at 
it like, ‘Oh, you're bad. You broke the law,’” she said.Kansas 
offers programs to help people recover and avoid jail or prison, but 
many people who need them don’t have access. Many Kansans sent to jail 
or prison on drug charges had to drop out of school, became homeless and
 lost meaningful connections with their children.Bishop’s 
daughter has separation anxiety from when her mother went to prison. 
Bishop admits she made a mistake — like dealing drugs — but she said 
there would be less trauma if she had been given drug treatment instead 
of a prison sentence.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650985590005.png" alt="Kansans in recovery say the criminal justice system makes it harder to get off drugs. Chris Neal / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Kansans in recovery say the criminal justice system makes it harder to get off drugs. Chris Neal / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘We've all got to open up our eyes’</h2>Randy Henderson 
started in law enforcement in 1976 and worked in the trenches of the war
 on drugs in the narcotics division at the Hutchinson Police Department 
from 1988 through 1997.“My job was to arrest drug offenders, put 
them in jail and I forgot about them, basically,” said Henderson, a 
retired Reno County Sheriff. “When I came out of there in 1998, I had 
kind of a rude awakening.”Henderson realized he needed to change 
his approach. Despite all the arrests, he didn’t see much progress. As 
sheriff, he helped create drug treatment and mental health programs in 
the Reno County jail. The success of that program convinced local 
elected officials, businesses and donors to establish a drug detox 
program.But those changes can be slow-moving considering some community advocates were trying for decades to build the rehab facility.“We’ve all got to open up our eyes and not just look at being the enforcers of the law,” Henderson said.The
 hundreds of law enforcement agencies in Kansas each respond to 
addiction differently. Police have historically responded the same way 
Henderson did. Some are starting to change their thinking but there “are
 far more (of) the old mindset,” said Hutchinson Police Chief Jeffrey 
Hooper.Hooper said police often see people in crisis. And don’t 
see those same people again until another crisis strikes. So he’s formed
 a crisis response team of police, mental health and substance use 
experts. This team checks in more often to connect people with the 
resources they need to divert them away from jail or prison.“We 
had to do better,” Hooper said. “We had to fund something up front to 
keep them out of the criminal justice system because that just compounds
 their problem. Not only do they have a substance misuse disorder, but 
now they have a criminal record.”He hopes more will follow in his
 footsteps and hopes that more police can take a more sympathetic 
approach to people who get in trouble because they’re battling drug 
problems.Bishop said the stigma of drug addiction is real. She 
recalled times she didn’t call the police during domestic abuse 
situations because she worried how police might respond. Meanwhile, the 
relationship made Bishop feel worse and compounded the problem.“Drugs
 (were) present and (I) didn't really want to create more chaos,” she 
said. “It’s an unspoken rule. You just don't talk to the cops or call 
the cops because there is a chance that you will go to jail for whatever
 it is that you're doing.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650985620477.png" alt="Specialty courts could expand in Kansas after the state Legislature created a fund that'll support its expansion. KNS" />
 <figcaption>Specialty courts could expand in Kansas after the state Legislature created a fund that'll support its expansion. KNS</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Not enough resources’</h2>Kansas had 2,392 drug 
probation sentences in 2013. That number increased every year between 
2013 and 2019 and peaked at 3,939 drug probation sentences, according to
 data from the Kansas sentencing commission. A majority of those 
sentences, above 70%, were for possession.The number suddenly 
dropped in 2020, though addiction counselors, judges and attorneys say 
the situation has not improved. One addiction specialist said, “these 
last two years have been the worst I’ve ever seen.”More probation
 sentences mean more Kansans with addiction are going through the court 
system. A person could take multiple paths when they are first arrested 
on a drug charge, but what happens next depends on the person and the 
circumstances of their case — and which county they happen to get 
arrested in or the particular judge they face.Shawnee County 
District Attorney Mike Kagay said a handful of judges hear cases like 
that in his county and each one may take a different approach. That 
response can vary county by county and no one clear outcome exists for 
people caught with drugs. But Kagay said he doesn’t want to send people 
to prison.He said things like a lack of regional drug treatment facilities can make diverting people to treatment harder.“There
 (are) not enough resources that have been allocated to addressing the 
issues of both drug addiction and mental illness in the state of 
Kansas,” he said. “We’re better off than where we were five years ago. 
But we're not where we need to be, not even close.”Specialty drug
 courts provide wrap-around services to people on certain charges. Those
 charges do not need to be drug charges, but they have to be related to 
addiction, like writing bad checks to purchase drugs. Chief District 
Judge Nicholas St. Peter’s program serves Cowley County and is one of 
the oldest drug courts in Kansas. It has law enforcement, treatment 
providers, county prosecutors, defense attorneys and others who all work
 to help people recover.“Drug court is an extremely intense 
program,” St. Peter said. “It’s not designed for your first-time 
substance abuse conviction of somebody who's a recreational, occasional 
drug user.”Judges who spoke with the Kansas News Service said 
building a stronger support network around someone is a more productive 
way to handle addiction. Lower level offenses won’t result in prison 
time for someone, but giving them probation and sending them back out to
 the same situation they came from may not yield better results.These
 specialty courts are becoming more popular, but they can be difficult 
to start. There are 13 drug courts programs statewide and less than half
 of the judicial districts in the state have one.Chief District 
Judge Lori Bolton Fleming doesn’t have a drug court in the 11th district
 — which is Cherokee, Crawford and Labette County — but she is 
interested in starting one. Shortages of defense attorneys, funding or 
transportation issues can all hamper the court’s creation.One 
judge said drug courts, while beneficial, only add to the overall 
workload of the people involved and it doesn’t bring a pay increase.“Drug court or any specialty court catches people who wouldn’t otherwise fall through the cracks,” Bolton Fleming said.Aside
 from drug courts, people on probation can be eligible for 18 months of 
drug treatment as part of a special state program. Kira Johnson, who 
runs the program for the Kansas Sentencing Commission, said it’s 
designed to divert people away from prison.But that intervention 
program is beyond the reach of many of the people who need it most. Only
 38.2% of people on all drug probation sentences got the services in 
fiscal year 2020. The Kansas Legislature recently approved changes that 
could allow more people to access the program, but some barriers still 
remain.To be eligible, someone must be high needs according to 
certain treatment screenings and can't have three past convictions for 
possession. That’s prompted criticisms that the program penalizes 
failure.“Whether they get it this time or next time, it’s not our
 place to try to judge and figure out when that will be, it's just to 
provide them services and try to help them to get them where they are 
functioning healthy members of our society,” said Crystal Norman, 
executive director of addiction recovery provider Valley Hope.Johnson
 said she would love to treat everyone until they recover, but there has
 to be a cutoff to ensure tax dollars are spent responsibly.Advocates
 argue spending upfront will save money in the long run because the 
annual cost of housing inmates in state prison is $30,100. Norman said 
if she had the same amount of money the state used to put people in 
prison or jail, she could provide therapy, case management and all other
 kinds of treatment.“It’s a waste of money, putting them in jail 
and prison to expect them to come out somehow cured when we never 
provided treatment,” she said. “It just doesn’t make any sense.”<h2>‘It's hard to break out’</h2>Martony
 Cowan knows how to beat addiction. As a juvenile, he struggled. But he 
improved. He got a job and he graduated. Then, his mother died.“I
 don’t want to say it’s an excuse, but I lost my mom,” said Cowan, who 
is held at the Winfield Correctional Facility. “I was going through a 
dark point in my life and I just relapsed. One time turned into two 
times and two times turned into plenty … until I got arrested.”Cowan
 bought larger quantities of drugs and when he was caught he was 
considered a drug dealer. Because of his charges, Cowan was not offered 
drug treatment programs and said he was sentenced to just over five 
years in prison.Jails and prisons have a large population of 
people struggling with addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse 
estimates that 65% of inmates in state prison have active substance 
misuse issues. The Kansas Department of Corrections’ drug treatment 
program had around 750 people, or about 8% of the inmate population, in 
fiscal year 2021.<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-16/a-few-kansas-jails-are-finally-allowing-medical-care-for-opioid-addiction" target="_blank">The Kansas News Service reported in February</a>
 that nobody tracks how many Kansas jails offer a combination of 
medication and counseling to inmates, but few do so nationwide. Going to
 jail or prison can abruptly stop drug treatment if nothing is offered 
while inside, and talking to doctors to start treatment can be 
difficult. Kansas prisons offer medication, like Vivitrol, though it 
isn’t uncommon for people to go cold turkey in prison, multiple inmates 
told the Kansas News Service.The Department of Corrections 
deferred any comments to emailed statements. Carol Pitts, spokesperson 
for the department, said recently approved<a href="http://kslegislature.org/li/b2021_22/measures/sb267/" target="_blank"> legislation</a>
 currently in the Statehouse expands drug treatment programs at the 
Lansing and Winfield prisons. Prisons also offer Alcoholics Anonymous 
programs. All told, Pitts said, “current resources allow the department 
to reach almost half of the residents” with substance use issues.The state prison’s treatment programs have been called life-changing by some inmates, but it is inaccessible to others.Cowan
 is working a private industry job. He works when the treatment is 
offered and the staff who run the programs have gone home by the time he
 is off. Some people are also sent back to prison for only a few months 
if they violate parole. Shorter sentences and sanctions may not offer 
enough time for someone to take the four-to-six-month long treatment 
program.Sherry White, founder and executive director of High 
Point Advocacy and Resource Center, said arresting people instead of 
helping them can lead to future legal troubles. Around 80% of the people
 High Point serves are on probation or parole and almost all of those 
sentences are drug-related.To help people recover, addiction 
recovery specialists recommend keeping people in their community with 
friends and family, having stable work and housing. Jails and prisons 
can do the exact opposite.Going to prison can make it harder for 
inmates to save up for a security deposit on an apartment or a down 
payment on a house. From July 2016 through July 2021, KDOC released 
5,238 inmates on indigent status, which means having less than $12 in a 
cumulative spendable amount in the past month.The left-leaning 
Prison Policy Initiative found that formerly incarcerated people are 
almost 10 times more likely to be homeless and 27% of people with 
records are unemployed.Even those with money now face the 
challenges of being a former inmate. White’s son was arrested for drug 
charges and struggled to find housing despite having money for rent, so 
he lived in her basement.“Once you're in the system, it's hard to break out,” White said. “You can not incarcerate a disease out of somebody.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1650985660701.png" alt="State prisons offer treatment options, but they can be dificult to get inmates say. KNS" />
 <figcaption>State prisons offer treatment options, but they can be dificult to get inmates say. KNS</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘More harm than good'</h2>People with felony drug 
charges are not eligible for food assistance and Kansas has one of the 
most burdensome drug offender registries in the country. People on the 
registry must check in with law enforcement every few months, share all 
social media handles and renew their driver's license yearly. Not doing 
so could put them back in prison.<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-23/critics-say-the-kansas-criminal-justice-systems-fees-and-fines-trap-people-in-a-cycle-of-poverty" target="_blank">Fines and fees</a>
 associated with the court system can also stack up, which can lead to 
future legal consequences. A survey by the Alabama Appleseed Center for 
Law and Justice found that 38% of people committed other crimes, like 
selling drugs, to pay off that debt.The state Legislature has 
discussed changing some of these laws, but no bills have passed. 
Allowing food assistance for people with drug felonies passed out of 
committee but didn’t advance, and legislation that creates exit 
mechanisms for people to get off the drug registry is still waiting for 
action in the full Senate.More comprehensive changes were also 
passed over. A bill exempting drug offenders from ever going on the 
registry hasn’t had a hearing. Another proposal to expand the drug 
sentencing grid and reduce possible penalties for drug charges also 
stalled.Rep. Stephen Owens, a Heston Republican, chairs the 
corrections and juvenile justice committee. His committee worked on a 
handful of key legislation advocates and others were pushing for.Owens
 was frustrated to see some of the changes fail, but he said the state 
is working to make life easier for people in recovery.“I see how 
these things will make a significant difference in people’s lives. I 
understand it very well,” he said. “The broader (Legislature) has got to
 understand its benefits as well. And that’s challenging.”In this
 session, the Legislature created a specialty court resources fund and a
 group to oversee that money in hopes of expanding these courts, which 
could expand drug and mental health courts.Cowan said when he 
gets out of prison, he is going to move out of state to avoid 
post-prison restrictions. He wants to become a lineman and did take a 
class in prison that will help him, though he would be further along 
with his career goals if he didn’t spend all this time in prison.“I'm
 now sober and plan on staying sober … so I guess (the system) works. 
But it was definitely overkill,” he said. “It wasn't necessary to this 
extent … It has done me more harm than good.”Blaise Mesa 
reports on criminal justice and social services for the Kansas News 
Service in Topeka. You can follow him on Twitter @Blaise_Mesa or email 
him at blaise@kcur.org.

Derailed by addiction, Kansans say criminal justice system made it worse

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and searching for a suspect.

On Friday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 900 Block of Everett Avenue, according to a media release.

Police found an adult man at the scene who was pronounced dead.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and searching for a suspect.On Friday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 900 Block of Everett Avenue, according to a media release.Police found an adult man at the scene who was pronounced dead.Police have not reported an arrest.

Police search for suspect after Kan. man found dead 

BARBER COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), along with the Barber County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Medicine Lodge Police Department, the Pratt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harper County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men Friday for methamphetamine-related charges, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just before 9a.m. Friday, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at three locations in Barber County. Operations were conducted at 111 N. 1st&nbsp;St. in Sharon, Kansas, 502 W. Jefferson in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, and at 2368 SE Highway 160 Stump Rd. in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Methamphetamine and firearms were found at the searched locations.

Following the searches, Matthew D. Schmidt, 37, of Sharon, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine, unlawful distribution of methamphetamine using a communication facility, and three counts of felony in possession of stolen property. He was booked into the Kiowa County Jail.

Also arrested during the operation was Caden I. Snyder, 19, of Medicine Lodge. Snyder was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Harper County Jail.&nbsp;&nbsp;Additional arrests are likely, according to the KBI.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651279692187.png" alt="Schmidt-photo Kiowa Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Schmidt-photo Kiowa Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARBER COUNTY –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), along with the Barber County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Medicine Lodge Police Department, the Pratt County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harper County Sheriff’s Office arrested two men Friday for methamphetamine-related charges, according to a media release from the KBI.Just before 9a.m. Friday, law enforcement officers executed search warrants at three locations in Barber County. Operations were conducted at 111 N. 1st&nbsp;St. in Sharon, Kansas, 502 W. Jefferson in Medicine Lodge, Kansas, and at 2368 SE Highway 160 Stump Rd. in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. Methamphetamine and firearms were found at the searched locations.Following the searches, Matthew D. Schmidt, 37, of Sharon, was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, possession of methamphetamine, unlawful distribution of methamphetamine using a communication facility, and three counts of felony in possession of stolen property. He was booked into the Kiowa County Jail.Also arrested during the operation was Caden I. Snyder, 19, of Medicine Lodge. Snyder was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was booked into the Harper County Jail.&nbsp;&nbsp;Additional arrests are likely, according to the KBI.

KBI helps make large meth distribution bust

BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansa man for alleged drug distribution.

Just after 11:30 p.m. Thursday, police conducted a traffic stop at 18th and Jackson in Great Bend on a 2004 Dodge Ram pickup for a traffic violation.

During the stop, the officer could smell an odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and over 100 grams of Marijuana were located, along with drug paraphernalia.

The driver of the vehicle, Brodie Bretz, age 29, was arrested and transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked in lieu of a $50,000 bond on requested charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Police impounded the vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651251435667.jpeg" alt="Bretz-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Bretz-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansa man for alleged drug distribution.Just after 11:30 p.m. Thursday, police conducted a traffic stop at 18th and Jackson in Great Bend on a 2004 Dodge Ram pickup for a traffic violation.During the stop, the officer could smell an odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and over 100 grams of Marijuana were located, along with drug paraphernalia.The driver of the vehicle, Brodie Bretz, age 29, was arrested and transported to the Barton County Jail where he was booked in lieu of a $50,000 bond on requested charges of possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute. Police impounded the vehicle.

Police: Kansas man accused of selling marijuana 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement officers with the Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force executed search warrants on multiple retail businesses throughout Topeka and Shawnee County on Thursday, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 Task Force officers seized illegal products that were being offered for sale and distributed to the general public.

These unlawful products, in various forms and packaging, were identified as Delta-8 THC, Delta9 THC and Delta-10 THC products that have been determined to be unlawful schedule I drugs under Kansas law. 

Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force reports that no retail businesses were shut down during the operation and no arrests have been made at this time.

Each retail business was served with a cease and desist notice calling for an immediate stop to the sale of all Delta-8 THC, Delta-9 THC and Delta-10 THC products. 

Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force will continue to address this issue with other retail businesses that may be engaged in the unlawful sale of these products.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement officers with the Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force executed search warrants on multiple retail businesses throughout Topeka and Shawnee County on Thursday, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Task Force officers seized illegal products that were being offered for sale and distributed to the general public.These unlawful products, in various forms and packaging, were identified as Delta-8 THC, Delta9 THC and Delta-10 THC products that have been determined to be unlawful schedule I drugs under Kansas law. Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force reports that no retail businesses were shut down during the operation and no arrests have been made at this time.Each retail business was served with a cease and desist notice calling for an immediate stop to the sale of all Delta-8 THC, Delta-9 THC and Delta-10 THC products. Shawnee County Drug Enforcement Task Force will continue to address this issue with other retail businesses that may be engaged in the unlawful sale of these products.