NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia canceled in-person classes, dozens of protesters were arrested at New York University and Yale, and the gates to Harvard Yard were closed to the public on Monday as some of the most prestigious U.S. universities sought to defuse campus tensions over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-04-22-2024-85da1c989f71f8c3bf00d8b45a0ed7f1">Israel's war with Hamas</a>.

The various actions followed the arrest last week of more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia's green, as schools struggle with where to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-free-speech-young-generation-tension-b931b0dd41aacaac5c50710de9549b09">draw the line</a>&nbsp;between allowing free expression while maintaining a safe and inclusive campus.

In addition to the demonstrations at the Ivy League schools, pro-Palestinian encampments have sprouted up on other campuses, including at the University of Michigan, New York University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In a statement on Instagram on Monday, New York University officials warned protesters to clear the plaza by 4 p.m. or face consequences. Mass arrests began around 8:30 p.m.

The protests have pitted students against one another, with pro-Palestinian students demanding that their schools condemn Israel's assault on Gaza and divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel. Some Jewish students, meanwhile, say much of the criticism of Israel has veered into antisemitism and made them feel unsafe, and they point out that Hamas is still holding hostages taken during the group's Oct. 7 invasion.

Tensions remained high Monday at Columbia in New York City, where the campus gates were locked to anyone without a school ID and where protests broke out both on campus and outside.

U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, a Democrat from North Carolina who was visiting Columbia with three other Jewish members of Congress, told reporters after meeting with students from the Jewish Law Students Association that there was “an enormous encampment of people” who had taken up about a third of the green.

“We saw signs indicating that Israel should be destroyed,” she said after leaving the Morningside Heights campus.

A woman inside the campus gates led about two dozen protesters on the street outside in a chant of, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” — a charged phrase that can mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/river-sea-israel-gaza-hamas-protests-d7abbd756f481fe50b6fa5c0b907cd49">vastly different things</a>&nbsp;to different groups. Meanwhile, a small group of pro-Israel counter demonstrators protested nearby.

University President Minouche Shafik said in a message to the school community Monday that she was “deeply saddened” by what was happening on campus.

“To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday,” Shafik wrote, noting that students who don’t live on campus should stay away.

Robert Kraft, who owns the New England Patriots football team and funded the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life across from Columbia’s campus, said he was suspending donations to the university.

“I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff and I am not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken,” he said in a statement.

Protests have roiled many college campuses since Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-oct-7-327bfeb7bfce5cb0de1568bf41a0ff06">deadly attack</a>&nbsp;on southern Israel, when militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. During the ensuing war, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and non-combatants but says at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-aqsa-martyrs-hospital-health-care-israel-7c7a6117efae29e22a61e82151144613">two-thirds of the dead are children and women</a>.

Prahlad Iyengar, an MIT graduate student studying electrical engineering, was among about two dozen students who set up a tent encampment on the school's Cambridge, Massachusetts, campus Sunday evening. They are calling for a cease-fire and are protesting what they describe as MIT’s “complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza," he said.

“MIT has not even called for a cease-fire, and that’s a demand we have for sure,” Iyengar said.

He also said MIT has been sending out confusing rules about protests.

“We’re out here to demonstrate that we reserve the right to protest. It’s an essential part of living on a college campus,” Iyengar said.

On Sunday, Elie Buechler, a rabbi for the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative at Columbia, sent a WhatsApp message to nearly 300 Jewish students recommending they go home until it’s safer for them on campus.

The latest developments came ahead of the Monday evening start of the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Nicholas Baum, a 19-year-old Jewish freshman who lives in a Jewish theological seminary building two blocks from Columbia's campus, said protesters over the weekend were "calling for Hamas to blow away Tel Aviv and Israel.” He said some of the protesters shouting antisemitic slurs were not students.

“Jews are scared at Columbia. It’s as simple as that. There’s been so much vilification of Zionism, and it has spilled over into the vilification of Judaism,” he said.

The protest encampment sprung up at Columbia on Wednesday, the same day that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-congress-israel-hamas-antisemitism-3255357b4443c1fb4bae8b8ea5774ee5">Shafik faced bruising criticism</a>&nbsp;at a congressional hearing from Republicans who said she hadn't done enough to fight antisemitism. Two other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-congress-israel-hamas-antisemitism-3255357b4443c1fb4bae8b8ea5774ee5">Ivy League presidents resigned</a>&nbsp;months ago following widely criticized testimony they gave to the same committee.

In her statement Monday, Shafik said the Middle East conflict is terrible and that she understands that many are experiencing deep moral distress.

“But we cannot have one group dictate terms and attempt to disrupt important milestones like graduation to advance their point of view,” Shafik wrote.

Over the coming days, a working group of deans, school administrators and faculty will try to find a resolution to the university crisis, noted Shafik, who didn't say when in-person classes would resume.

U.S. House Republicans from New York urged Shafik to resign, saying in a&nbsp;<a href="https://files.constantcontact.com/81b76c35801/10181832-52e2-49dd-97db-124433534f8d.pdf?rdr=true">letter</a>&nbsp;Monday that she had failed to provide a safe learning environment in recent days as “anarchy has engulfed the campus.”

In Massachusetts, a sign said Harvard Yard was closed to the public Monday. It said structures, including tents and tables, were only allowed into the yard with prior permission. “Students violating these policies are subject to disciplinary action,” the sign said. Security guards were checking people for school IDs.

At Yale, police officers arrested about 45 protesters and charged them with misdemeanor trespassing, said Officer Christian Bruckhart, a New Haven police spokesperson. All were being released on promises to appear in court later, he said.

Protesters set up tents on Beinecke Plaza on Friday and demonstrated over the weekend, calling on Yale to end any investments in defense companies that do business with Israel.

Nadine Cubeisy, a Yale student and one of the protest's organizers, said it was disturbing that “this university that I’m going to, that I contribute to and that my friends give money to is using that money to fund violence.”

In a statement to the campus community on Sunday, Yale President Peter Salovey said university officials had spoken to the student protesters multiple times about the school’s policies and guidelines, including those regarding speech and allowing access to campus spaces.

School officials said they spoke with protesters over several hours and gave them until the end of the weekend to leave Beinecke Plaza. The said they again warned protesters Monday morning and told them that they could face arrest and discipline, including suspension, before police moved in.

A large group of demonstrators regathered after Monday's arrests at Yale and blocked a street near campus, said Bruckhart. There were no reports of any violence or injuries.

Last week, the University of Southern California took the unusual step of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usc-muslim-valedictorian-speech-canceled-palestinians-israel-7b481db2d4e0db040b091bf8457f0b3f">canceling a planned commencement speech</a>&nbsp;by its 2024 valedictorian, who had publicly supported Palestinians. The university cited security concerns in a decision that was praised by some pro-Israel groups but criticized by free-speech advocates.

Several students at Columbia and its sister school, Barnard College, said they were suspended for taking part in last week’s protests, including Barnard student&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/israhirsi/status/1780980484203327780">Isra Hirsi</a>, the daughter of Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. ___

Perry reported from Meredith, New Hampshire, and Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut. Associated Press writers Steve LeBlanc in Boston and Susan Haigh in Hartford contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713832443649.png" alt="Pro-Palestine protests at Columbia-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pro-Palestine protests at Columbia-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Columbia canceled in-person classes, dozens of protesters were arrested at New York University and Yale, and the gates to Harvard Yard were closed to the public on Monday as some of the most prestigious U.S. universities sought to defuse campus tensions over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-04-22-2024-85da1c989f71f8c3bf00d8b45a0ed7f1">Israel's war with Hamas</a>.The various actions followed the arrest last week of more than 100 pro-Palestinian demonstrators who had camped out on Columbia's green, as schools struggle with where to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/campus-free-speech-young-generation-tension-b931b0dd41aacaac5c50710de9549b09">draw the line</a>&nbsp;between allowing free expression while maintaining a safe and inclusive campus.In addition to the demonstrations at the Ivy League schools, pro-Palestinian encampments have sprouted up on other campuses, including at the University of Michigan, New York University, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.In a statement on Instagram on Monday, New York University officials warned protesters to clear the plaza by 4 p.m. or face consequences. Mass arrests began around 8:30 p.m.The protests have pitted students against one another, with pro-Palestinian students demanding that their schools condemn Israel's assault on Gaza and divest from companies that sell weapons to Israel. Some Jewish students, meanwhile, say much of the criticism of Israel has veered into antisemitism and made them feel unsafe, and they point out that Hamas is still holding hostages taken during the group's Oct. 7 invasion.Tensions remained high Monday at Columbia in New York City, where the campus gates were locked to anyone without a school ID and where protests broke out both on campus and outside.U.S. Rep. Kathy Manning, a Democrat from North Carolina who was visiting Columbia with three other Jewish members of Congress, told reporters after meeting with students from the Jewish Law Students Association that there was “an enormous encampment of people” who had taken up about a third of the green.“We saw signs indicating that Israel should be destroyed,” she said after leaving the Morningside Heights campus.A woman inside the campus gates led about two dozen protesters on the street outside in a chant of, "From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!” — a charged phrase that can mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/river-sea-israel-gaza-hamas-protests-d7abbd756f481fe50b6fa5c0b907cd49">vastly different things</a>&nbsp;to different groups. Meanwhile, a small group of pro-Israel counter demonstrators protested nearby.University President Minouche Shafik said in a message to the school community Monday that she was “deeply saddened” by what was happening on campus.“To deescalate the rancor and give us all a chance to consider next steps, I am announcing that all classes will be held virtually on Monday,” Shafik wrote, noting that students who don’t live on campus should stay away.Robert Kraft, who owns the New England Patriots football team and funded the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life across from Columbia’s campus, said he was suspending donations to the university.“I am no longer confident that Columbia can protect its students and staff and I am not comfortable supporting the university until corrective action is taken,” he said in a statement.Protests have roiled many college campuses since Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-oct-7-327bfeb7bfce5cb0de1568bf41a0ff06">deadly attack</a>&nbsp;on southern Israel, when militants killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took roughly 250 hostages. During the ensuing war, Israel has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, according to the local health ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between combatants and non-combatants but says at least&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-aqsa-martyrs-hospital-health-care-israel-7c7a6117efae29e22a61e82151144613">two-thirds of the dead are children and women</a>.Prahlad Iyengar, an MIT graduate student studying electrical engineering, was among about two dozen students who set up a tent encampment on the school's Cambridge, Massachusetts, campus Sunday evening. They are calling for a cease-fire and are protesting what they describe as MIT’s “complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza," he said.“MIT has not even called for a cease-fire, and that’s a demand we have for sure,” Iyengar said.He also said MIT has been sending out confusing rules about protests.“We’re out here to demonstrate that we reserve the right to protest. It’s an essential part of living on a college campus,” Iyengar said.On Sunday, Elie Buechler, a rabbi for the Orthodox Union’s Jewish Learning Initiative at Columbia, sent a WhatsApp message to nearly 300 Jewish students recommending they go home until it’s safer for them on campus.The latest developments came ahead of the Monday evening start of the Jewish holiday of Passover.Nicholas Baum, a 19-year-old Jewish freshman who lives in a Jewish theological seminary building two blocks from Columbia's campus, said protesters over the weekend were "calling for Hamas to blow away Tel Aviv and Israel.” He said some of the protesters shouting antisemitic slurs were not students.“Jews are scared at Columbia. It’s as simple as that. There’s been so much vilification of Zionism, and it has spilled over into the vilification of Judaism,” he said.The protest encampment sprung up at Columbia on Wednesday, the same day that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-congress-israel-hamas-antisemitism-3255357b4443c1fb4bae8b8ea5774ee5">Shafik faced bruising criticism</a>&nbsp;at a congressional hearing from Republicans who said she hadn't done enough to fight antisemitism. Two other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/columbia-president-congress-israel-hamas-antisemitism-3255357b4443c1fb4bae8b8ea5774ee5">Ivy League presidents resigned</a>&nbsp;months ago following widely criticized testimony they gave to the same committee.In her statement Monday, Shafik said the Middle East conflict is terrible and that she understands that many are experiencing deep moral distress.“But we cannot have one group dictate terms and attempt to disrupt important milestones like graduation to advance their point of view,” Shafik wrote.Over the coming days, a working group of deans, school administrators and faculty will try to find a resolution to the university crisis, noted Shafik, who didn't say when in-person classes would resume.U.S. House Republicans from New York urged Shafik to resign, saying in a&nbsp;<a href="https://files.constantcontact.com/81b76c35801/10181832-52e2-49dd-97db-124433534f8d.pdf?rdr=true">letter</a>&nbsp;Monday that she had failed to provide a safe learning environment in recent days as “anarchy has engulfed the campus.”In Massachusetts, a sign said Harvard Yard was closed to the public Monday. It said structures, including tents and tables, were only allowed into the yard with prior permission. “Students violating these policies are subject to disciplinary action,” the sign said. Security guards were checking people for school IDs.At Yale, police officers arrested about 45 protesters and charged them with misdemeanor trespassing, said Officer Christian Bruckhart, a New Haven police spokesperson. All were being released on promises to appear in court later, he said.Protesters set up tents on Beinecke Plaza on Friday and demonstrated over the weekend, calling on Yale to end any investments in defense companies that do business with Israel.Nadine Cubeisy, a Yale student and one of the protest's organizers, said it was disturbing that “this university that I’m going to, that I contribute to and that my friends give money to is using that money to fund violence.”In a statement to the campus community on Sunday, Yale President Peter Salovey said university officials had spoken to the student protesters multiple times about the school’s policies and guidelines, including those regarding speech and allowing access to campus spaces.School officials said they spoke with protesters over several hours and gave them until the end of the weekend to leave Beinecke Plaza. The said they again warned protesters Monday morning and told them that they could face arrest and discipline, including suspension, before police moved in.A large group of demonstrators regathered after Monday's arrests at Yale and blocked a street near campus, said Bruckhart. There were no reports of any violence or injuries.Last week, the University of Southern California took the unusual step of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usc-muslim-valedictorian-speech-canceled-palestinians-israel-7b481db2d4e0db040b091bf8457f0b3f">canceling a planned commencement speech</a>&nbsp;by its 2024 valedictorian, who had publicly supported Palestinians. The university cited security concerns in a decision that was praised by some pro-Israel groups but criticized by free-speech advocates.Several students at Columbia and its sister school, Barnard College, said they were suspended for taking part in last week’s protests, including Barnard student&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/israhirsi/status/1780980484203327780">Isra Hirsi</a>, the daughter of Democratic U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar. ___Perry reported from Meredith, New Hampshire, and Collins reported from Hartford, Connecticut. Associated Press writers Steve LeBlanc in Boston and Susan Haigh in Hartford contributed to this report.--------------

Pro-Palestinian protests sweep US college campuses following mass arrests at Columbia

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Dorian Ayala Cantoran, Failure to appear, arrested 04/19

Sergio Garcia-Martinez, Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, Interference with LEO, Falsely report information leading to obstruction, arrested 04/19

Rickey Gassen, Theft-all other, arrested 04/19

Rodney Horne, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 04/19

Zachary Pyle, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked, Transporting an open container, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 04/20

Christopher Strickland, Outside warrant, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked, arrested 04/20

Patrick Grove, Domestic battery, arrested 04/20

Aaron Scheck, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 04/21

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713803814120.jpeg" alt="Michael Simpkins, Failure to appear, arrested 04/19" />
 <figcaption>Michael Simpkins, Failure to appear, arrested 04/19</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713803848359.jpeg" alt="Diana Pittman, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Theft &lt;$1,500 Pocket picking, Criminal damage to property (Value $1,000 to $25,000), Burglary, Dwelling to commit felony, Theft, Domestic violence or sexually motivated crime, arrested 04/20" />
 <figcaption>Diana Pittman, Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Theft &lt;$1,500 Pocket picking, Criminal damage to property (Value $1,000 to $25,000), Burglary, Dwelling to commit felony, Theft, Domestic violence or sexually motivated crime, arrested 04/20</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713804003345.jpeg" alt="Christopher Hill, Outside warrant, arrested 04/20" />
 <figcaption>Christopher Hill, Outside warrant, arrested 04/20</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713804043684.jpeg" alt="Gavin Cunningham, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 04/21" />
 <figcaption>Gavin Cunningham, DUI-Liquor/Drugs, arrested 04/21</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Dorian Ayala Cantoran, Failure to appear, arrested 04/19Sergio Garcia-Martinez, Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license, Interference with LEO, Falsely report information leading to obstruction, arrested 04/19Rickey Gassen, Theft-all other, arrested 04/19Rodney Horne, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 04/19Zachary Pyle, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked, Transporting an open container, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 04/20Christopher Strickland, Outside warrant, Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked, arrested 04/20Patrick Grove, Domestic battery, arrested 04/20Aaron Scheck, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, arrested 04/21Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos April 20-22

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma judge ordered public defenders to represent four members of an anti-government group who appeared in court Wednesday on charges of kidnapping and killing of&nbsp;27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley of Hugoton, Kansas.

Friends have established online fundraisers for the families of both women.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jilian-kelley??fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2VVw_5DmB0RSKUp3MVjJEwh_DALpml2UGCOblVkG5TxBvHBTOt2k8qcxU_aem_AYNjArbeczoIRSglI4ha9_GHhM7Qt1FEWlkmTC-97MTI3NAo3hMnt4uDIQ2FZIfgu1E">Click here to view</a> the fundraiser for Jilian Kelley

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/veronica-butler-family">Click here to view</a> the fundraiser for Veronica Butler

The judge on also entered not-guilty pleas and denied bail for thee alleged suspects Tifany Adams, 54, and her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, 43, both of Keyes, Oklahoma, as well as Cole and Cora Twombly of Texhoma, Oklahoma.

Texas County Associate District Judge Clark Jett assigned the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System to represent all four defendants, OIDS Executive Director Tim Laughlin told The Associated Press. Laughlin declined to comment about any details of the case or the defendants, citing his agency's policy.

“The reason we don’t comment is to protect our client’s privileges and our client’s interest throughout the trial process,” Laughlin said.

All four are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in the killing of&nbsp; Butler and&nbsp; Kelley who disappeared on March 30 while driving to Oklahoma to pick up Butler's children and attend a birthday party.

During an interview with investigators, Adams, the children's grandmother, admitted she was responsible for the deaths of Butler and Kelley, according to a prosecutor's motion for the defendants to be held without bond.

“Adams, Cullum, Cora and Cole have resources sufficient to organize and execute a complex murder,” OSBI Lt. Amie Gates wrote in an affidavit. “Therefore, they also have the resources to flee if given the opportunity.”

Adam and Cullum also own numerous firearms, and Cullum had a rifle, ammunition, body armor and a “go-bag” prepared at his home, the affidavit says.

Authorities say Adams and Butler were in the middle of a bitter custody battle. Kelley, a pastor's wife, went along with Butler as a court-approved observer to supervise the visit. They never showed up for the party, setting off a two week search that ended with the two couples' arrests on Saturday and the discovery of the bodies on Sunday.

Arrest affidavits painted a gruesome picture of the scene where the women's car was found, not far from the rural highway intersection where Butler had arranged to pick up her son and daughter from Adams. Investigators found blood on the road and Butler’s glasses near a broken hammer.

According to a witness who spoke to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents, all four suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation." The affidavits said they called themselves “God’s Misfits” and held regular meetings at the home of the Twomblys and another couple who Adams said watched the children the day the women disappeared.

Relatives of Tad Cullum and the Twomblys have not returned phone messages seeking comment. Tifany Adams’ stepmother, Elise Adams, said she had no information to share.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713359723848.jpeg" alt="File photo Veronica Butler, left, and Jilian Kelley-Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>File photo Veronica Butler, left, and Jilian Kelley-Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — An Oklahoma judge ordered public defenders to represent four members of an anti-government group who appeared in court Wednesday on charges of kidnapping and killing of&nbsp;27-year-old Veronica Butler and 39-year-old Jilian Kelley of Hugoton, Kansas.Friends have established online fundraisers for the families of both women.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/jilian-kelley??fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2VVw_5DmB0RSKUp3MVjJEwh_DALpml2UGCOblVkG5TxBvHBTOt2k8qcxU_aem_AYNjArbeczoIRSglI4ha9_GHhM7Qt1FEWlkmTC-97MTI3NAo3hMnt4uDIQ2FZIfgu1E">Click here to view</a> the fundraiser for Jilian Kelley<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/veronica-butler-family">Click here to view</a> the fundraiser for Veronica ButlerThe judge on also entered not-guilty pleas and denied bail for thee alleged suspects Tifany Adams, 54, and her boyfriend, Tad Cullum, 43, both of Keyes, Oklahoma, as well as Cole and Cora Twombly of Texhoma, Oklahoma.Texas County Associate District Judge Clark Jett assigned the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System to represent all four defendants, OIDS Executive Director Tim Laughlin told The Associated Press. Laughlin declined to comment about any details of the case or the defendants, citing his agency's policy.“The reason we don’t comment is to protect our client’s privileges and our client’s interest throughout the trial process,” Laughlin said.All four are charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy in the killing of&nbsp; Butler and&nbsp; Kelley who disappeared on March 30 while driving to Oklahoma to pick up Butler's children and attend a birthday party.During an interview with investigators, Adams, the children's grandmother, admitted she was responsible for the deaths of Butler and Kelley, according to a prosecutor's motion for the defendants to be held without bond.“Adams, Cullum, Cora and Cole have resources sufficient to organize and execute a complex murder,” OSBI Lt. Amie Gates wrote in an affidavit. “Therefore, they also have the resources to flee if given the opportunity.”Adam and Cullum also own numerous firearms, and Cullum had a rifle, ammunition, body armor and a “go-bag” prepared at his home, the affidavit says.Authorities say Adams and Butler were in the middle of a bitter custody battle. Kelley, a pastor's wife, went along with Butler as a court-approved observer to supervise the visit. They never showed up for the party, setting off a two week search that ended with the two couples' arrests on Saturday and the discovery of the bodies on Sunday.Arrest affidavits painted a gruesome picture of the scene where the women's car was found, not far from the rural highway intersection where Butler had arranged to pick up her son and daughter from Adams. Investigators found blood on the road and Butler’s glasses near a broken hammer.According to a witness who spoke to Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation agents, all four suspects were part of “an anti-government group that had a religious affiliation." The affidavits said they called themselves “God’s Misfits” and held regular meetings at the home of the Twomblys and another couple who Adams said watched the children the day the women disappeared.Relatives of Tad Cullum and the Twomblys have not returned phone messages seeking comment. Tifany Adams’ stepmother, Elise Adams, said she had no information to share.

Online fundraiser for families of 2 Kansas women who died

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating another drug death in Manhattan.

Just after 6:30p.m. Saturday, police arrested 21-year-old Dache Dijon Island Jones, of Aubrey, Texas, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Jones is being held on&nbsp; a $500,000 bond on requested charges of&nbsp; distribution of a controlled substance resulting in fatality, distribution of opiate/opium/ narcotic/stimulant/heroin dosage &lt;10 units, and the utilization of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug violation. 

The arrest stems from an incident that occurred in June of 2023 wherein law enforcement officers investigated the overdose death of a 25-year-old individual in Manhattan, Kansas.

The investigation is ongoing. Investigations into all other Fentanyl-related overdoses in our community remain active and ongoing as well. Any individuals possessing pertinent information are urged to come forward and assist law enforcement authorities.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating another drug death in Manhattan.Just after 6:30p.m. Saturday, police arrested 21-year-old Dache Dijon Island Jones, of Aubrey, Texas, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.Jones is being held on&nbsp; a $500,000 bond on requested charges of&nbsp; distribution of a controlled substance resulting in fatality, distribution of opiate/opium/ narcotic/stimulant/heroin dosage &lt;10 units, and the utilization of a communication facility in the commission of a felony drug violation. The arrest stems from an incident that occurred in June of 2023 wherein law enforcement officers investigated the overdose death of a 25-year-old individual in Manhattan, Kansas.The investigation is ongoing. Investigations into all other Fentanyl-related overdoses in our community remain active and ongoing as well. Any individuals possessing pertinent information are urged to come forward and assist law enforcement authorities.

Texas woman accused in fentanyl death in Manhattan

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/morgan-wallen">Morgan Wallen</a>, who faces charges stemming in part from accusations that he threw a chair off the rooftop of a six-story bar, says he’s “not proud” of his behavior and accepts responsibility.

The “One Thing at a Time” singer responded publicly Friday night on social media to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/morgan-wallen-arrested-throw-chair-nashville-016f6ed540dae5d4aa794025e3cf3e1e">his arrest in Nashville two weeks ago.</a>&nbsp;He faces a May 3 court date after being charged with three felony counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, court records show.

An arrest affidavit said the chair at Chief’s bar landed about 3 feet (1 meter) from officers, who talked to witnesses and reviewed security footage. Witnesses told officers that they watched Wallen pick up a chair, throw it over the roof and laugh about it. Wallen was booked early April 8 and released.

“I didn’t feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks. I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility,” Wallen wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Wallen, one of the biggest names in contemporary country, is currently on a stadium tour, including a concert scheduled for Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.

“I have the utmost respect for the officers working every day to keep us all safe. Regarding my tour, there will be no change,” his message said, signed ”-MW.”

The “One Thing at a Time” album spent 16 weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 in 2023 and was the most-consumed album in the U.S. last year. Top 10 hits from the album included “Last Night,” “You Proof” and “Thinkin’ Bout Me.”

In 2021, the country singer was suspended indefinitely from his label after video surfaced of him shouting a racial slur. In 2020, he was arrested on public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges after being kicked out of Kid Rock’s bar in downtown Nashville.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712583620863.png" alt="Wallen photo Nashville Police" />
 <figcaption>Wallen photo Nashville Police</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Country music star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/morgan-wallen">Morgan Wallen</a>, who faces charges stemming in part from accusations that he threw a chair off the rooftop of a six-story bar, says he’s “not proud” of his behavior and accepts responsibility.The “One Thing at a Time” singer responded publicly Friday night on social media to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/morgan-wallen-arrested-throw-chair-nashville-016f6ed540dae5d4aa794025e3cf3e1e">his arrest in Nashville two weeks ago.</a>&nbsp;He faces a May 3 court date after being charged with three felony counts of reckless endangerment and one misdemeanor count of disorderly conduct, court records show.An arrest affidavit said the chair at Chief’s bar landed about 3 feet (1 meter) from officers, who talked to witnesses and reviewed security footage. Witnesses told officers that they watched Wallen pick up a chair, throw it over the roof and laugh about it. Wallen was booked early April 8 and released.“I didn’t feel right publicly checking in until I made amends with some folks. I’ve touched base with Nashville law enforcement, my family, and the good people at Chief’s. I’m not proud of my behavior, and I accept responsibility,” Wallen wrote on X, formerly Twitter.Wallen, one of the biggest names in contemporary country, is currently on a stadium tour, including a concert scheduled for Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium in Oxford, Mississippi.“I have the utmost respect for the officers working every day to keep us all safe. Regarding my tour, there will be no change,” his message said, signed ”-MW.”The “One Thing at a Time” album spent 16 weeks at the top of the Billboard 200 in 2023 and was the most-consumed album in the U.S. last year. Top 10 hits from the album included “Last Night,” “You Proof” and “Thinkin’ Bout Me.”In 2021, the country singer was suspended indefinitely from his label after video surfaced of him shouting a racial slur. In 2020, he was arrested on public intoxication and disorderly conduct charges after being kicked out of Kid Rock’s bar in downtown Nashville.

Facing prison time, Morgan Wallen apologized for behavior

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating another incident involving gunfire at the Country Club. Plaza in Kansas City.

Just before 9:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to a report of gunshots near the Marriott at 45th and Main Street, according to KCPD

A woman told police she was pulling into the t parking garage when she heard gunshots, realized she had been hit. EMS transported her to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.

Police have not released suspect information or reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713726397456.png" alt="Police have not reported an arrest -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Police have not reported an arrest -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating another incident involving gunfire at the Country Club. Plaza in Kansas City.Just before 9:30p.m. Saturday, police responded to a report of gunshots near the Marriott at 45th and Main Street, according to KCPDA woman told police she was pulling into the t parking garage when she heard gunshots, realized she had been hit. EMS transported her to a local hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.Police have not released suspect information or reported an arrest.

Police investigate another shooting near KC Country Club Plaza

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with a fight at work with hammer.

Just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, a witness reported two men fighting with hammers in the parking lott at the Dollar General, 840 East Crawford Street, in Salina, according to Salina Police Capt. James Feldman.

During&nbsp;the course of&nbsp;investigation police had contact with 36-year-old Christian Dionicio-Reyes and 46-year-old Cristobal Lopez-Ramirez both of Salina.&nbsp; Police determined&nbsp;that the two had been at a worksite in the 2600 block of East Crawford where the altercation started.

Feldman said after the altercation became heated, Dionicio-Reyes allegedly swung a hammer at Lopez-Ramirez, causing&nbsp; management to send them away from the workplace.

The two followed each other to the nearby Dollar General parking lot to continue their fight.

According to Feldman, Dionicio-Reyes was first to enter the parking lot. He got out of his car as Lopez-Ramirez arrived at the parking lot. 

Dionicio-Reyes went to the trunk of his vehicle, retrieved a hammer, and and walked toward Cristobal, who was seated in his vehicle," Feldman said. 

"Dionicio-Reyes&nbsp;then started hitting at&nbsp; Lopez-Ramirez as the victim exited his vehicle. Lopez-Ramirez then retrieved a hammer from the back of his car."

Feldman said Dionicio-Reyes dropped his cell phone on the ground, which Lopez-Ramirez then smashed with his hammer.

Once the two had enough swinging hammers at each other, they attempted to leave the parking lot as police arrived.&nbsp;

Lopez-Ramirez told officers that Dionicio-Reyes struck him in the arm several times.&nbsp; He initially refused treatment but was taken to Salina Regional Health Center for light medical attention, according to Feldman.

Police arrested both men. Dionicio-Reyes was jailed on requested charges of aggravated battery and requested charges against Lopez-Ramirez were for aggravated assault and felony damage to property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713443780695.png" alt="Lopez-Ramirez photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Lopez-Ramirez photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with a fight at work with hammer.Just after 8 a.m. Wednesday, a witness reported two men fighting with hammers in the parking lott at the Dollar General, 840 East Crawford Street, in Salina, according to Salina Police Capt. James Feldman.During&nbsp;the course of&nbsp;investigation police had contact with 36-year-old Christian Dionicio-Reyes and 46-year-old Cristobal Lopez-Ramirez both of Salina.&nbsp; Police determined&nbsp;that the two had been at a worksite in the 2600 block of East Crawford where the altercation started.Feldman said after the altercation became heated, Dionicio-Reyes allegedly swung a hammer at Lopez-Ramirez, causing&nbsp; management to send them away from the workplace.The two followed each other to the nearby Dollar General parking lot to continue their fight.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713443604080.png" alt="Dionicio-Reyes photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Dionicio-Reyes photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to Feldman, Dionicio-Reyes was first to enter the parking lot. He got out of his car as Lopez-Ramirez arrived at the parking lot. Dionicio-Reyes went to the trunk of his vehicle, retrieved a hammer, and and walked toward Cristobal, who was seated in his vehicle," Feldman said. "Dionicio-Reyes&nbsp;then started hitting at&nbsp; Lopez-Ramirez as the victim exited his vehicle. Lopez-Ramirez then retrieved a hammer from the back of his car."Feldman said Dionicio-Reyes dropped his cell phone on the ground, which Lopez-Ramirez then smashed with his hammer.Once the two had enough swinging hammers at each other, they attempted to leave the parking lot as police arrived.&nbsp;Lopez-Ramirez told officers that Dionicio-Reyes struck him in the arm several times.&nbsp; He initially refused treatment but was taken to Salina Regional Health Center for light medical attention, according to Feldman.Police arrested both men. Dionicio-Reyes was jailed on requested charges of aggravated battery and requested charges against Lopez-Ramirez were for aggravated assault and felony damage to property.

Two Kansas men jailed after violent hammer fight

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

Just before 11p.m.April 18, a a sheriff's deputy located a 2011 Harley Davidson Motorcycle near the intersection of US 160 highway and County Road 4410, east of Independence, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

During routine procedures, it was discovered that the motorcycle was reported stolen from Osage County, Oklahoma. The Deputy placed the driver, identified as 37-year-old Eugene Laurens of Independence, under arrest for possession of stolen property. 

Laurens was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. He is no longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713177647563.png" alt="Laurens photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Laurens photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged theft.Just before 11p.m.April 18, a a sheriff's deputy located a 2011 Harley Davidson Motorcycle near the intersection of US 160 highway and County Road 4410, east of Independence, Kansas, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.During routine procedures, it was discovered that the motorcycle was reported stolen from Osage County, Oklahoma. The Deputy placed the driver, identified as 37-year-old Eugene Laurens of Independence, under arrest for possession of stolen property. Laurens was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. He is no longer in custody.

Sheriff: Kan. man was driving motorcycle stolen in Oklahoma

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Manhattan man on drug allegations.

&nbsp;Just after 9p.m.&nbsp; April 16, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2014 Nissan Altima for a traffic infraction near 150th and Q. Road in rural Jackson County, according to a Saturday morning report from Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The driver, Clay Kendal Neville, 27, of Manhattan, was arrested on requested charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Neville was booked into the Jackson County Jail and has met the bond requirement. He is no longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713619061415.png" alt="Neville photo Jackson Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Neville photo Jackson Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Manhattan man on drug allegations.&nbsp;Just after 9p.m.&nbsp; April 16, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2014 Nissan Altima for a traffic infraction near 150th and Q. Road in rural Jackson County, according to a Saturday morning report from Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse. The driver, Clay Kendal Neville, 27, of Manhattan, was arrested on requested charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Neville was booked into the Jackson County Jail and has met the bond requirement. He is no longer in custody.

Manhattan man jailed on drug allegations 

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Just aft 10:00 p.m. April 17, Sheriff's Deputies initiated a welfare check of a child at a residence&nbsp; in Morrill, Kansas, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

Upon conclusion of the investigation, deputies arrested 31-year-old Samantha Losson and&nbsp; 34-year-old Todd Cain 34both of Morrill on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Felony Obstruction and Aggravated Child Endangerment.&nbsp; 

Cain was additionally charged with Posssession of Marijuana.&nbsp; DCF assisted in the case, according to Merchant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713466728229.png" alt="Cain photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Cain photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.Just aft 10:00 p.m. April 17, Sheriff's Deputies initiated a welfare check of a child at a residence&nbsp; in Morrill, Kansas, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713466682449.png" alt="Losson photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Losson photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Upon conclusion of the investigation, deputies arrested 31-year-old Samantha Losson and&nbsp; 34-year-old Todd Cain 34both of Morrill on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Felony Obstruction and Aggravated Child Endangerment.&nbsp; Cain was additionally charged with Posssession of Marijuana.&nbsp; DCF assisted in the case, according to Merchant.

Kansas DCF assists in drug bust at Kansas home 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with the death of a child.

On Thursday 30-year-old Alexis S. Williams and 31-year-old Kevin S. Martenia were charged with first-degree murder, child abuse and aggravated endangerment of a child, according to a statement from&nbsp;Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe.

They were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the child's death in the summer of 2023.

Authorities released no additional information on the investigation into the child’s death.&nbsp; Martenia has a previous conviction for robbery and has been out of prison since March of 2020, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Both suspects are due back in court on April 25, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713544261995.png" alt="Martenia-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Martenia-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with the death of a child.On Thursday 30-year-old Alexis S. Williams and 31-year-old Kevin S. Martenia were charged with first-degree murder, child abuse and aggravated endangerment of a child, according to a statement from&nbsp;Johnson County District Attorney Stephen Howe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713544223601.png" alt="Williams-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Williams-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>They were arrested on Wednesday in connection with the child's death in the summer of 2023.Authorities released no additional information on the investigation into the child’s death.&nbsp; Martenia has a previous conviction for robbery and has been out of prison since March of 2020, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.Both suspects are due back in court on April 25, according to online jail records.

Kansas couple charged with abuse death of child

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a stabbing&nbsp; have a suspect in custody.

Just before 11:30p.m. April 11, police were dispatched to an armed disturbance at a residence in the the 200 block of North Clinton Street in Olathe, according to Police Major&nbsp;Joe Sudduth.

First responders found a 67-year-old man with a stab wound to his abdomen. The victim was transported to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.

Officers also found a 35-year-old suspect later identified as Marcos Martinez-Amaya at the scene who is an associate of the victim. Police arrested the Martinez-Amaya on requested charges of Aggravated Battery and lodged at the Johnson County Adult Detention Center.&nbsp;

He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712953620190.png" alt="MARTINEZ-AMAYA-photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>MARTINEZ-AMAYA-photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a stabbing&nbsp; have a suspect in custody.Just before 11:30p.m. April 11, police were dispatched to an armed disturbance at a residence in the the 200 block of North Clinton Street in Olathe, according to Police Major&nbsp;Joe Sudduth.First responders found a 67-year-old man with a stab wound to his abdomen. The victim was transported to an area hospital with a non-life-threatening injury.Officers also found a 35-year-old suspect later identified as Marcos Martinez-Amaya at the scene who is an associate of the victim. Police arrested the Martinez-Amaya on requested charges of Aggravated Battery and lodged at the Johnson County Adult Detention Center.&nbsp;He was scheduled for a preliminary hearing Thursday, according to online jail records.

Suspect accused in stabbing at Kansas home

Tristen Andrews, Failure to appear, arrested 04/18

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713538645008.jpeg" alt="Robin Bond, Failure to appear (Two counts), Criminal trespass, arrested 04/18" />
 <figcaption>Robin Bond, Failure to appear (Two counts), Criminal trespass, arrested 04/18</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713538690143.jpeg" alt="Freddie Lewis, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, Transporting an open container, Driving while suspended (2nd or subsequent conviction), arrested 04/18" />
 <figcaption>Freddie Lewis, Driving under the influence of drugs/alcohol, Transporting an open container, Driving while suspended (2nd or subsequent conviction), arrested 04/18</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Tristen Andrews, Failure to appear, arrested 04/18Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Geary County Booking Photos April 19

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities and officials with Kansas City Unified School District 500 are investigating an alleged threat involving a student.

On Thursday, police were called to Gloria Willis Middle School, 1735 N. 64 Terrace, Kansas City, Kansas after reports of an adult who had threatened a student on school propery during school dismissal, according to a media release from police. The school was placed on&nbsp;“Hold Status."

When police arrived,&nbsp; they attempted to contact the alleged suspect who ran into the woods next to the school. Officers and K-9 support searched for the suspect.

&nbsp;Most students were eventually able to leave school. However, a few students remained on school property until the hold was lifted.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities and officials with Kansas City Unified School District 500 are investigating an alleged threat involving a student.On Thursday, police were called to Gloria Willis Middle School, 1735 N. 64 Terrace, Kansas City, Kansas after reports of an adult who had threatened a student on school propery during school dismissal, according to a media release from police. The school was placed on&nbsp;“Hold Status."When police arrived,&nbsp; they attempted to contact the alleged suspect who ran into the woods next to the school. Officers and K-9 support searched for the suspect.&nbsp;Most students were eventually able to leave school. However, a few students remained on school property until the hold was lifted.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police: Suspect allegedly threatened student at Kan. middle school

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s history-making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-selection-8da8759352478be8effd3d5734aae35e">hush money trial</a>, propelling the proceedings closer to opening statements and the start of weeks of dramatic testimony.

<a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/press/PDFs/Letter-re-jury-selection-4-8-24.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the Trump jury selection questionnaire

The court quickly turned to selecting alternate jurors, with the process on track to wrap up by the end of the week. Prosecutors could begin presenting their case early next week.

The jury of New Yorkers includes a sales professional, a software engineer, a security engineer, an English teacher, a speech therapist, multiple lawyers, an investment banker and a retired wealth manager.

The first-ever trial of a former American president is unfolding during this year's race for the White House, meaning the presumptive Republican nominee will spend his days in court confronted by salacious and unflattering testimony about his personal life while simultaneously campaigning to reclaim the office he held for four years.

He's made clear his determination to use his legal jeopardy, already a central issue in the race against Democratic incumbent Joe Biden, to his advantage. After a full day of jury selection, he complained to reporters that he should have been out campaigning but was in court instead for what he said was a “very unfair trial.”

“Everybody’s outraged by it,” he said. “You know the whole world’s watching this New York scam.”

Jury selection proceeded at a plodding pace earlier Thursday when two jurors were dismissed, one after expressing doubt about her ability to be fair following disclosure of details about her identity and the other over concerns that some of his answers in court may have been inaccurate.

But lawyers who began the day with only five jurors settled on the remaining seven in quick succession, along with one alternate. Judge Juan Merchan has said his goal is to have six alternates.

The process of picking a jury is a critical phase in any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former president and the presumptive Republican nominee. Prospective jurors have been grilled on their social media posts, personal lives and political views as the lawyers and judge search for any bias that would prevent them from being impartial.

Inside the court, there’s broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump. A prosecutor this week said that lawyers were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”

To that end, multiple jurors chosen for the panel acknowledged having personal opinions of Trump or his presidency.

One juror, a man who works in investment banking, earlier described himself as “ambivalent” about Trump, adding, “I might not like some of his policies, but there has been some good” for the country.

A woman picked for the jury said she thought Trump seemed “very selfish and self serving," adding, “I don’t really appreciate that from any public servant.” Defense lawyers were out of peremptory strikes, which allow them to dismiss a juror without giving a reason.

The trial centers on a $130,000 payment that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">Michael Cohen</a>, Trump's former lawyer and personal fixer, made to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the final days of the 2016 race.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could get up to four years in prison if convicted, though it’s not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.

Trump faces four criminal cases, but it's not clear that any others will reach trial before the November election. Appeals and legal wrangling have caused delays in the other three cases charging Trump with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn the 2020 election results</a>&nbsp;and with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>.

The jury selection process picked up momentum Tuesday with the selection of seven jurors. But on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Merchan</a>&nbsp;revealed in court that one of the seven, a cancer nurse, had “conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case.”

And though jurors’ names are being kept confidential, the woman told the judge and the lawyers that she had doubts after she said aspects of her identity had been made public.

“Yesterday alone I had friends, colleagues and family push things to my phone regarding questioning my identity as a juror," she said. "I don’t believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision making in the courtroom.”

A second seated juror was dismissed after prosecutors raised concerns that he may not have been honest in answering a jury selection question by saying that he had never been accused or convicted of a crime.

The IT professional was summoned to court to answer questions after prosecutors said they found an article about a person with the same name who had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political posters pertaining to the political right in suburban Westchester County.

A prosecutor also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a deferred prosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting Trump’s case.

Because the juror was questioned Thursday at the judge’s bench, off-microphone and out of earshot of reporters, it was not known whether the man confirmed or denied that either instance was connected to him.

After dismissing from the jury the nurse who had already been selected, Merchan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-media-jurors-anonymity-f858be6648fa2df7d2ab69efd30a524c">ordered journalists</a>&nbsp;in court not to report prospective jurors’ answers to questions about their current and former employers.

“We just lost, probably, what probably would have been a very good juror for this case, and the first thing that she said was she was afraid and intimidated by the press, all the press, and everything that had happened," Merchan said.

In other developments, prosecutors asked for Trump to be held in contempt over a series of social media posts this week.

The district attorney's office on Monday sought a $3,000 fine for Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated the order. Since then, prosecutors said he made seven additional posts that they believe violate the order.

Several of the posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer,” and one from Wednesday repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury, said prosecutor Christopher Conroy.

Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen “has been attacking President Trump in public statements,” and Trump was just replying.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713486725551.png" alt="Trump outside the courtroom Thursday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Trump outside the courtroom Thursday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A jury of 12 people was seated Thursday in former President Donald Trump’s history-making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-jury-selection-8da8759352478be8effd3d5734aae35e">hush money trial</a>, propelling the proceedings closer to opening statements and the start of weeks of dramatic testimony.<a href="https://www.nycourts.gov/LegacyPDFS/press/PDFs/Letter-re-jury-selection-4-8-24.pdf">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the Trump jury selection questionnaireThe court quickly turned to selecting alternate jurors, with the process on track to wrap up by the end of the week. Prosecutors could begin presenting their case early next week.The jury of New Yorkers includes a sales professional, a software engineer, a security engineer, an English teacher, a speech therapist, multiple lawyers, an investment banker and a retired wealth manager.The first-ever trial of a former American president is unfolding during this year's race for the White House, meaning the presumptive Republican nominee will spend his days in court confronted by salacious and unflattering testimony about his personal life while simultaneously campaigning to reclaim the office he held for four years.He's made clear his determination to use his legal jeopardy, already a central issue in the race against Democratic incumbent Joe Biden, to his advantage. After a full day of jury selection, he complained to reporters that he should have been out campaigning but was in court instead for what he said was a “very unfair trial.”“Everybody’s outraged by it,” he said. “You know the whole world’s watching this New York scam.”Jury selection proceeded at a plodding pace earlier Thursday when two jurors were dismissed, one after expressing doubt about her ability to be fair following disclosure of details about her identity and the other over concerns that some of his answers in court may have been inaccurate.But lawyers who began the day with only five jurors settled on the remaining seven in quick succession, along with one alternate. Judge Juan Merchan has said his goal is to have six alternates.The process of picking a jury is a critical phase in any criminal trial but especially so when the defendant is a former president and the presumptive Republican nominee. Prospective jurors have been grilled on their social media posts, personal lives and political views as the lawyers and judge search for any bias that would prevent them from being impartial.Inside the court, there’s broad acknowledgment of the futility in trying to find jurors without knowledge of Trump. A prosecutor this week said that lawyers were not looking for people who had been “living under a rock for the past eight years.”To that end, multiple jurors chosen for the panel acknowledged having personal opinions of Trump or his presidency.One juror, a man who works in investment banking, earlier described himself as “ambivalent” about Trump, adding, “I might not like some of his policies, but there has been some good” for the country.A woman picked for the jury said she thought Trump seemed “very selfish and self serving," adding, “I don’t really appreciate that from any public servant.” Defense lawyers were out of peremptory strikes, which allow them to dismiss a juror without giving a reason.The trial centers on a $130,000 payment that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">Michael Cohen</a>, Trump's former lawyer and personal fixer, made to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from becoming public in the final days of the 2016 race.Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could get up to four years in prison if convicted, though it’s not clear that the judge would opt to put him behind bars. Trump would almost certainly appeal any conviction.Trump faces four criminal cases, but it's not clear that any others will reach trial before the November election. Appeals and legal wrangling have caused delays in the other three cases charging Trump with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn the 2020 election results</a>&nbsp;and with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>.The jury selection process picked up momentum Tuesday with the selection of seven jurors. But on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-criminal-trial-judge-merchan-c227f5eab200cccffb19ed931b4dac92">Merchan</a>&nbsp;revealed in court that one of the seven, a cancer nurse, had “conveyed that after sleeping on it overnight she had concerns about her ability to be fair and impartial in this case.”And though jurors’ names are being kept confidential, the woman told the judge and the lawyers that she had doubts after she said aspects of her identity had been made public.“Yesterday alone I had friends, colleagues and family push things to my phone regarding questioning my identity as a juror," she said. "I don’t believe at this point that I can be fair and unbiased and let the outside influences not affect my decision making in the courtroom.”A second seated juror was dismissed after prosecutors raised concerns that he may not have been honest in answering a jury selection question by saying that he had never been accused or convicted of a crime.The IT professional was summoned to court to answer questions after prosecutors said they found an article about a person with the same name who had been arrested in the 1990s for tearing down political posters pertaining to the political right in suburban Westchester County.A prosecutor also disclosed that a relative of the man may have been involved in a deferred prosecution agreement in the 1990s with the Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is prosecuting Trump’s case.Because the juror was questioned Thursday at the judge’s bench, off-microphone and out of earshot of reporters, it was not known whether the man confirmed or denied that either instance was connected to him.After dismissing from the jury the nurse who had already been selected, Merchan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-media-jurors-anonymity-f858be6648fa2df7d2ab69efd30a524c">ordered journalists</a>&nbsp;in court not to report prospective jurors’ answers to questions about their current and former employers.“We just lost, probably, what probably would have been a very good juror for this case, and the first thing that she said was she was afraid and intimidated by the press, all the press, and everything that had happened," Merchan said.In other developments, prosecutors asked for Trump to be held in contempt over a series of social media posts this week.The district attorney's office on Monday sought a $3,000 fine for Trump for three Truth Social posts they said violated the order. Since then, prosecutors said he made seven additional posts that they believe violate the order.Several of the posts involved an article that referred to former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer,” and one from Wednesday repeated a claim by a Fox News host that liberal activists were lying to get on the jury, said prosecutor Christopher Conroy.Trump lawyer Emil Bove said Cohen “has been attacking President Trump in public statements,” and Trump was just replying.

12 jurors sworn in for the 1st criminal trial of a former U.S. President

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on child sex crime allegations involving three juvenile victims known to him.

On March 22, police in Garden City received a report of child sexual assault and began an investigation, according to a media release from police. Through the investigation, it was learned that 37-year-old .Jose Angulo allegedly sexually assaulted two juvenile victims and attempted to sexually assault another juvenile victim over the course of several years.

On April 17 police arrested Angulo at his residence. He is being held in the Finney County Jail on multiple requested counts of Rape, Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child, Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, and Attempted Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child.&nbsp; 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713448622100.png" alt="Angulo-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Angulo-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on child sex crime allegations involving three juvenile victims known to him.On March 22, police in Garden City received a report of child sexual assault and began an investigation, according to a media release from police. Through the investigation, it was learned that 37-year-old .Jose Angulo allegedly sexually assaulted two juvenile victims and attempted to sexually assault another juvenile victim over the course of several years.On April 17 police arrested Angulo at his residence. He is being held in the Finney County Jail on multiple requested counts of Rape, Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child, Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, and Attempted Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child.&nbsp;

Man accused of child sex crimes in SW Kan. over several years

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an August 2023 shooting that injured a teen&nbsp; have arrested&nbsp;Dreyona K. Seymore, 21 of Atchison.

Just after 4p.m. August 26, police responded to a shooting that had just occurred in the 400 block U Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; First responders found a 15-year-old girl had been shot while she was sitting in a parked vehicle. 

A private vehicle transported the teen to Amberwell Hospital and she was later taken to a Kansas City hospital, and released the next day.

An investigation determined that the victim was sitting in a parked vehicle when a second vehicle pulled up next to the parked vehicle and a person in the moving vehicle fired a shot into the parked vehicle, striking the 15 year old victim.

On Wednesday, police arrested Seymore in the 1100 block North 7th Street on a District Court warrant for aggravated battery and criminal discharge of a firearm. She is being held on a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713476029734.png" alt="Seymore photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Seymore photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an August 2023 shooting that injured a teen&nbsp; have arrested&nbsp;Dreyona K. Seymore, 21 of Atchison.Just after 4p.m. August 26, police responded to a shooting that had just occurred in the 400 block U Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp; First responders found a 15-year-old girl had been shot while she was sitting in a parked vehicle. A private vehicle transported the teen to Amberwell Hospital and she was later taken to a Kansas City hospital, and released the next day.An investigation determined that the victim was sitting in a parked vehicle when a second vehicle pulled up next to the parked vehicle and a person in the moving vehicle fired a shot into the parked vehicle, striking the 15 year old victim.On Wednesday, police arrested Seymore in the 1100 block North 7th Street on a District Court warrant for aggravated battery and criminal discharge of a firearm. She is being held on a $500,000 bond, according to online jail records.

Kansas woman jailed for drive-by shooting of 15-year-old

SALINE COUNTY —A Salina man allegedly parked a 1998 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck on the railroad tracks on the south side of the intersection of South Halstead Road and West Old Highway 40, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

Just before 12:15 a.m. Thursday a westbound train struck the empty vehicle.&nbsp; Deputies checked the area and located the driver identified as 25-year-old Mackenzie Lewis of Salina more than a mile from the crash.

Soldan said deputies were unable to identify why Lewis parked the vehicle on the tracks but found drug paraphernalia and some methamphetamine in the truck and on Lewis. He also had no proof of insurance.

Deputies arrested Lewis on requested charges for drug possession, drug paraphernalia, parking in a prohibited place and no proof of insurance.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713455349454.jpeg" alt="Saline County Sheriff's Deputies observed the crash scene Thursday around 12:30 a.m. near South Halstead Road and West Old Highway 40 in Saline County. Photo&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Saline County Sheriff's Deputies observed the crash scene Thursday around 12:30 a.m. near South Halstead Road and West Old Highway 40 in Saline County. Photo&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —A Salina man allegedly parked a 1998 Chevrolet 1500 pickup truck on the railroad tracks on the south side of the intersection of South Halstead Road and West Old Highway 40, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.Just before 12:15 a.m. Thursday a westbound train struck the empty vehicle.&nbsp; Deputies checked the area and located the driver identified as 25-year-old Mackenzie Lewis of Salina more than a mile from the crash.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713455401752.jpeg" alt="Lewis photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Lewis photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>Soldan said deputies were unable to identify why Lewis parked the vehicle on the tracks but found drug paraphernalia and some methamphetamine in the truck and on Lewis. He also had no proof of insurance.Deputies arrested Lewis on requested charges for drug possession, drug paraphernalia, parking in a prohibited place and no proof of insurance.

Train struck pickup Kansas man parked on railroad tracks

Corin Cotto, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 04/17

Marcos Coronado, Cancelled/suspended/revoked drivers license, arrested 04/18

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713463760979.jpeg" alt="Dustin Smith, Theft &lt;$1,500 Pocket picking, Domestic battery, Knowing rude physical contact with family member or dating relationship, Criminal damage to property, Felony, arrested 04/17" />
 <figcaption>Dustin Smith, Theft &lt;$1,500 Pocket picking, Domestic battery, Knowing rude physical contact with family member or dating relationship, Criminal damage to property, Felony, arrested 04/17</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713463859568.jpeg" alt="Kamel Brooks, Probation violation, arrested 04/17" />
 <figcaption>Kamel Brooks, Probation violation, arrested 04/17</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713463897346.jpeg" alt="Anthony Brown, Aggravated domestic battery, Choke in rude manner, Family member/dating relationship, arrested 04/17" />
 <figcaption>Anthony Brown, Aggravated domestic battery, Choke in rude manner, Family member/dating relationship, arrested 04/17</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713463977791.jpeg" alt="Tracy Potter, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of marijuana (1 prior conviction), Traffic contraband in correctional facility, Failure to appear, arrested 04/17" />
 <figcaption>Tracy Potter, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, Possession of marijuana (1 prior conviction), Traffic contraband in correctional facility, Failure to appear, arrested 04/17</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713464077796.jpeg" alt="Linda Jackson, Assault, arrested 04/17" />
 <figcaption>Linda Jackson, Assault, arrested 04/17</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713464107687.jpeg" alt="Alfred Spikes, Driving while license canceled, suspended, or revoked, arrested 04/18" />
 <figcaption>Alfred Spikes, Driving while license canceled, suspended, or revoked, arrested 04/18</figcaption>
 </figure>Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.Corin Cotto, Criminal deprivation of property, arrested 04/17Marcos Coronado, Cancelled/suspended/revoked drivers license, arrested 04/18Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.