Daily Record (Kansas City, MO) articles from January 2007

Daily Record (Kansas City, MO) archives from January 2007

Commentary: Another year behind me.
January 1, 2007... Byline: Craig Napier Made it. As I begin my third year practicing law I am happy for many things, but I'm probably most happy about being finished with my second year of practicing law. As far as years go it was pretty good. It was 2005...

State and Region Briefs.
January 3, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Man charged in murder after telling of battery A Kansas City man was charged last week for the murder of his grandfather. Justin J. Lowe, 23, is accused of beating his 71-year-old...

Kansas City man charged in murder after telling of battery.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick A Kansas City man was charged last week for the murder of his grandfather. Justin J. Lowe, 23, is accused of beating his 71-year-old grandfather, James Lowe, to death on Dec. 26 at his home in the 8500 block of 91st...

Kansas City brothers accused of beating man over stolen camera.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick Two brothers face charges that they severely beat a man last week over a stolen camera. Matthew K. Currivan, 23, and Daniel Currivan, 17, both of Kansas City, were charged by Jackson County prosecutors with...

Jackson County man claims former employer violated FMLA.
January 3, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick A Jackson County man is suing his former employer for an alleged violation of the Family Medical Leave Act. Craig Euritt's lawsuit, filed last week in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, claims he was terminated in...

Kansas City suits join gas-temperature fight.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick Motorists in Missouri and Kansas are joining a nationwide fight against gasoline retailers. Three recent federal class action lawsuits -- two in Missouri and another in Kansas -- claim nearly two dozen convenience...

Kansas City Council member indicted for mortgage fraud.
January 4, 2007... Byline: The Kansas City Daily Record staff Kansas City Councilwoman Saundra McFadden-Weaver and two others were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for conspiracy and wire fraud. McFadden-Weaver, 47, and Emanuel M. Kind, 51, both of...

Commentary: In electronic world, paper trail becomes hard habit to give up.
January 4, 2007... Byline: Christine Ann Hughes It's the New Year, and I'm on vacation. That is, if you can call battling an invasion of paper from the depths of large brown bags hidden in the darkest corner of the master bedroom closet a vacation. My...

Kansas City-based gun supplier claims breach of contract on manufacturer.
January 5, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick A local supplier of shotguns is suing a Turkish company that allegedly backed out of an agreement late last year. Tristar Sporting Arms, a North Kansas City-based wholesaler, claimed in its lawsuit filed Wednesday...

Grand jury indicts attorney for perjury in Neal loan case.
January 8, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick Attorney Carl Bussey, a former member of the Jackson County Legislature, faces federal charges that he lied about giving loans to former Municipal Court Judge Deborah Neal. Bussey, 58, was charged Friday in a...

Commentary: Dice will roll -- in my favor, I hope.
January 8, 2007... Byline: Craig Napier Well, my veteran office partner and I have decided to get things going to organize a small firm and implement a marketing strategy. I am scouring the local media outlets trying to put together a sensible plan to spend...

University of Missouri-Kansas City law professor to lead Oregon school.
January 9, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick Robert Klonoff is going home. After three years as a professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Law, Klonoff is returning to his hometown of Portland, Ore., where he will become dean of Lewis &...

Judge restrains part of new campaign finance law.
January 9, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck, Missouri Lawyers Media A Cole County judge on Monday issued a temporary restraining order against a portion of a new state law that bans campaign contributions during the January-to-May legislative session. Other...

K.C. lawyer, insurer settle over mold damage to family's house.
January 10, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick A Kansas City lawyer who had to sell his home because of mold and water damage agreed to settle his case against the insurer that refused to cover his losses. Louis Accurso, who sought more than $2 million, and...

State and Region Briefs.
January 10, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Charges brought against man for shooting that wounded two Jackson County prosecutors charged a Kansas City man with two counts of first-degree assault after allegedly shooting two people...

Charges brought against K.C. man for shooting that wounded two.
January 10, 2007... Byline: The Daily Record Staff Jackson County prosecutors charged a Kansas City man with two counts of first-degree assault after allegedly shooting two people Sunday. According to a court records, police responded to a home in the 1200...

Independence man charged in restraint, mother's assault.
January 10, 2007... Byline: The Daily Record Staff An Independence man faces charges that he assaulted his mother and held ex-girlfriend against her will. Howard S. Harmon, 27, was charged with felonious restraint, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of...

Charges brought against Kansas City man for raping pregnant woman.
January 11, 2007... Byline: Dailly Record Staff Report A man who allegedly sexually assaulted a pregnant woman faces rape and sodomy charges. Stanley C. Johnson, 42, of Kansas City, is accused of raping a 23-year-old woman Friday in her home. The victim is 33...

Wolff looks to improvements in state judicial evaluations.
January 11, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck, Missouri Lawyers Media In his final State of the Judiciary address, Missouri Supreme Court Judge Michael A. Wolff gave a succinct call for increased judicial salaries and announced plans for a newer, better Missouri Bar...

Convicted of now invalid law, sex offender wants off registry.
January 11, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka, Missouri Lawyers Media The Missouri Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in the case of a convicted sex offender who claims a discarded state law clears him of his past crime and saves him from the...

Two Kansas City men face robbery charges for stealing pickup.
January 11, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Two Kansas City men face charges robbery charges for allegedly stealing a man's vehicle after he offered to help them. Pedro F. Lopez, 43, and Gabino Santos, 36, were both charged with...

Deputy prosecutor steps up for Jackson County.
January 12, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick A familiar face in the Jackson County prosecutor's office is its new leader. Veteran prosecutor Jim Kanatzar was announced Thursday afternoon by his predecessor, new County Executive Mike Sanders, as the Jackson...

Charges brought against Kansas City teen for September homicide.
January 12, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff A Kansas City teenager faces a second-degree murder charge for a September shooting that left one man dead. Devin Douglas, 17, was charged Thursday for the death of 25-year-old Devan G. Murray....

Commentary: Too often cases face trial outside courtroom.
January 12, 2007... Byline: Mike Hoeflich During March 2006 national attention turned to Durham, N.C., where members of the Duke lacrosse team were charged with rape by the local prosecutor, Michael Nifong. As described by Nifong, the lacrosse players had...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: January 15, 2007.
January 15, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick Lawyers for a Louisiana family involved in a deadly wreck with a Kansas City Southern Railway train finalized the terms of the $37.5 million settlement last week. The settlement was divided among the family members...

Commentary: Never burst a bubble full of dreams.
January 15, 2007... Byline: Craig Napier Somewhere, over the rainbow. Way up high. I have recently been counseling my office partner's 25-year-old son about the personal statement he will submit to every law school that he is applying to in the coming...

Centuries of representation in Kansas City.
January 17, 2007... Byline: Bridget Heos Law is a tough business. Three law firms in Kansas City have survived it for more than 130 years. These are the oldest firms in the city. We asked leaders at the firms to tell us their stories and offer insight into...

Kansas City man charged in Sunday-morning shooting of bouncer.
January 17, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff A Kansas City man faces first-degree murder and assault charges for a Sunday-morning shooting that left one dead. According to a police report, Gene E. Dudley, 21, shot and killed 33-year-old...

Charges filed in murder case from August stabbing in Jackson County.
January 17, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff Jackson County prosecutors filed a second-degree murder charge in connection with an August stabbing death. Kendrick D. Carter, 26, of Kansas City, was charged Saturday with the homicide of Frederick A. Stewart,...

Charges filed in murder case from August stabbing in Jackson County.
January 17, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff Jackson County prosecutors filed a second-degree murder charge in connection with an August stabbing death. Kendrick D. Carter, 26, of Kansas City, was charged Saturday with the homicide of Frederick A. Stewart,...

Third of four defendants sentenced for 2005 murder in Kansas City.
January 17, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff A third person was sentenced last week for the September 2005 murder of Kansas City Symphony musician Steven Peters. Under a plea agreement, Michael A. Jones, 19, of Kansas City, received 10 years in prison for...

Kansas City law firms announce staffing changes: Janaury 19, 2007.
January 19, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Christopher C. Javillonar was voted president-elect of the Asian American Bar Association of Kansas City for 2007. Javillonar is an associate at Bryan Cave, where he focuses on complex...

More charges filed in November double murder.
January 19, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff A third person faces charges in connection with a November shooting at the Cloverleaf Apartments that left two people dead and a young boy seriously wounded. Erica Bennett, 21, of Independence,...

Independence man sentenced for pit bull attacks in May.
January 19, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff An Independence man entered a plea on three counts of third-degree assault stemming from pit bull attacks last spring. Bryan P. Smith, 34, was given a suspended execution of sentence, 100 days shock time in the...

Grain Valley teen certified as adult for mother's murder.
January 19, 2007... Byline: Dailly Record Staff Report Taylor Marquez was officially charged with first-degree murder for his mother's death in July. The 16-year-old from Grain Valley was certified Wednesday as an adult in Jackson County Family Court. Marquez...

Jackson County Courthouse Roundup: Budget talks still stuck.
January 22, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick The Jackson County executive and the Circuit Court continue to make little progress in their attempt to resolve an ongoing budget dispute. County Executive Michael Sanders told members of the county Legislature on...

Nixon wants child-support ruling as parents wait on modifications.
January 22, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka, Missouri Lawyers Media With hundreds of amended child support orders waiting in limbo, Attorney General Jay Nixon has asked the state Supreme Court to consider the merits of a pending child support case in the high...

Commentary: Big screen gives public view of lawyers.
January 22, 2007... Byline: Craig Napier My partner is an adjunct professor at a local university, and I'm kind of envious. He is teaching a class about law and popular culture, and we have been musing about how he is going to set up his syllabus for the...

Women from Lee's Summit and Overland Park plead guilty in identity theft conspiracy.
January 22, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Women from Lee's Summit and Overland Park pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to participating in an identity theft conspiracy. Barbara DeLuce, 60, of Lee's Summit, and Hope G. Madewell, 28,...

Charges filed against Kansas City man in December robbery of Royal Foods.
January 22, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff Jackson County prosecutors charged a Kansas City man in connection with a December robbery at Royal Foods. Myron M. McGinnis, 21, faces first-degree robbery and armed criminal action charges. According to...

Former Chief Justice Charles Blackmar dies at age 84.(Obituary)
January 23, 2007... Byline: John Demoor, Missouri Lawyers Media Former Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Blakey Blackmar died Friday after a brief illness in Clearwater, Fla., where he lived part of year, according to a spokesperson for the Missouri...

Missouri Supreme Court temporarily halts child-support hearing.
January 23, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka, Missouri Lawyers Media In a nod to Attorney General Jay Nixon's request for the state Supreme Court to consider Missouri's process for changing child-support payments, the high court granted a woman's writ of...

Prosecution eliminates death penalty possibility in Gilyard case.
January 23, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick Though he is accused of committing 13 murders, Lorenzo Gilyard will no longer face the death penalty. In his first major decision since being sworn into office Thursday, Jackson County Prosecutor Jim Kanatzar...

Clayton residents plan eminent-domain appeal.
January 23, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka, Missouri Lawyers Media Property owners who lost a contentious eminent domain case to Centene Corp. and Clayton on Friday plan to quickly appeal the court's decision to condemn their land. The owners expressed...

State Farm wins $20M reversal in lawsuit.
January 24, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick An appellate court panel wiped out one of Jackson County's largest jury verdicts from 2005. A $19.76 million verdict in favor of five former State Farm Insurance agents, who sued the company after they were...

Fifteen years later, St. Louis County courthouse shooting heads to retrial.
January 24, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka Jury selection begins today in the retrial of Kenneth Baumruk, whose murder conviction for a 1992 rampage in the St. Louis County courthouse was reversed by the Missouri Supreme Court. The shootings left Baumruk's...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: January 24, 2007.
January 24, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff City loses appeal in 2003 death of UMKC student The parents of a girl struck and killed by a car were successful in defending a verdict awarded to them in 2004. Tan Huifang and Chen Zhiping, who are residents...

Missouri House rejects raise plan.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck, Missouri Lawyers Media The fate of a pay raise for judges is in the hands of the state Senate. Under a constitutional amendment, the Missouri House and Senate can veto the first pay hike approved by a citizen's panel in...

Double degrees bring lawyers advantages.
January 25, 2007... Byline: Bridget Heos Dr. Sam Cullan was representing a woman in an infant brain-injury case. The defendant doctor delivered the baby vaginally, using the drug Pitocin to strengthen contractions. Expert witnesses disagreed on whether the...

Wal-Mart argues against class action in appeal.
January 26, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick With plans to reverse a Jackson County judge's 2003 decision, Wal-Mart argued before an en banc appellate panel Thursday that nearly 200,000 employees in a class action suit lacked a common complaint. Former and...

Commentary: Hoeflich: Legal system should hold Stimson accountable.
January 26, 2007... Byline: Mike Hoeflich In my previous column I wrote about the troubling ethical issues raised by the actions of Mike Nifong, the Durham, N.C., prosecutor in the now infamous Duke lacrosse team rape prosecution. It would seem that Mr....

State and Region Briefs.
January 26, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff Liberty man receives 12-month sentence for meth A Liberty man has been sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole for participating in a conspiracy to distribute...

Mexican woman charged with bankruptcy fraud in Kansas City.
January 26, 2007... Byline: Kansas City Daily Record A Mexican national was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for bankruptcy fraud and misusing a Social Security account number. Oralia Gonzales, 34, a citizen of Mexico living in Kansas City was...

Liberty man receives 12-month sentence for meth.
January 26, 2007... Byline: Kansas City Daily Record Staff A Liberty man has been sentenced to 12 years and seven months in federal prison without parole for participating in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, primarily in the Lee's Summit area. Ryan...

McCaskill campaigner joins Blackwell Sanders.
January 26, 2007... Byline: Kansas City Daily Record Staff Political strategist Richard Martin joined Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin as the firm's managing director for governmental affairs. Martin, 47, was most recently involved with Claire McCaskill's...

Cameron man pleads guilty to drugging minor for porn.
January 26, 2007... Byline: Kansas City Daily Record Staff A Cameron man pleaded guilty Thursday to using a minor in his custody to produce child pornography. William S. Price, 43, formerly a nursing supervisor at the Missouri State Veterans Home in Caldwell...

Friends recall judge's opinions, gentle demeanor.
January 29, 2007... Byline: Bridget Heos Brilliant. Opinionated. Gentle. That's how friends and family described retired Missouri Supreme Court Chief Justice Charles Blackmar at his remembrance service Friday at Country Club Christian Church. Michael Wolff...

UMKC professor helps senators move immigration bill in Missouri.
January 29, 2007... Byline: Allison Retka The University of Missouri-Kansas City law professor who's supporting a metro St. Louis community in its anti-immigration ordinance battle is the legal adviser and Republican-friendly face of a recent immigration bill...

Commentary: One day it'll all be worth my troubles.
January 29, 2007... Byline: Craig Napier I do not think they understand. My wife thinks that working late is 7:30 p.m. I keep saying she is crazy, but that probably has failed to truly communicate my point. We sometimes have to spend hours reading crappy...

Kansas City Legal Briefs: January 29, 2007.
January 29, 2007... Byline: The Kansas City Daily Record staff J.E. Dunn Construction claims that water damage at two downtown construction sites muddied its progress. Dunn and the Hilton President hotel blamed the damages on Kissick Construction Co. in a...

Missouri Senate committee allows pay raises for judges.
January 30, 2007... Byline: Scott Lauck On July 1, Missouri judges will begin receiving their first pay raise in seven years after a key Senate committee on Monday failed to endorse a proposal that would have vetoed their pay hike. Technically, the...

Marketing strategies for attorneys: New ways to get your name known.
January 30, 2007... Byline: Bridget Heos Ask a lawyer what his best marketing strategy is, and he'll tell you "word-of-mouth." Referrals from clients. Referrals from other lawyers. For years, lawyers hoped their hard work, smart courtroom choices and good...

Nicaraguan living in Kansas City charged with assaulting U.S. officer.
January 30, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff A Nicaraguan man was indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday for illegally re-entering the United States and assaulting a federal law enforcement officer. Augusto Rodriguez-Masis, 31, a...

Kansas City woman's assault with hairbrush leads to sodomy charge.
January 30, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff A Kansas City woman faces charges for allegedly sexually assaulting her roommate with a hairbrush. Cherry Reed, 44, was charged with forcible sodomy for the Saturday evening assault. According to police reports,...

Kansas City man faces charges for touching foster children.
January 30, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff Jackson County prosecutors accused a Kansas City man of inappropriately touching two foster children in his care. Bobbie L. Huckabey, 38, was charged with two counts of first-degree attempted statutory sodomy....

Woman charged in August murder in downtown Kansas city.
January 30, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff Charges were filed in connection with an August murder in downtown Kansas City. Joycelyn R. White, who will turn 23 on Wednesday, was charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action for the shooting...

Kansas couple get jail time for restraining relative.
January 30, 2007... Byline: Daily Record Staff A Buckner couple received 120 days shock time for their part in restraining and abusing a 19-year-old female relative at their home. Thomas E. Silkwood and his wife, Elizabeth G. Silkwood, both 43, were sentenced...

Budget not to cut Jackson County Circuit Court jobs.
January 31, 2007... Byline: Charles Emerick Budget cuts will not force any Jackson County Circuit Court workers to find new employment. The 2007 county budget, which was unanimously approved by the County Legislature on Monday, calls for 19 county employees...

Missouri Legal Briefs: January 31, 2007.
January 31, 2007... Byline: The (Kansas City) Daily Record staff California man pleads guilty to pharmaceutical drug fraud A California man pleaded guilty in federal court Friday to participating in a conspiracy to sell stolen pharmaceutical drugs. Paul...