Leonard Charles accosted a woman at a video store on Christmas Day, then came back and threatened to kill the clerks. After being convicted at trial, would he get the maximum time in prison? He might have, if the proper paperwork had arrived.
Edward Mendenahall got drunk, got in an argument and shot his aunt in the buttocks last month. When his public defender asked for a reduction in his $75,000 bond, Judge David Kaufman asked himself: is this guy safe?
Mickey Dyer chatted with a 15-year-old girl online, hoping for an illicit rendezvous. The teen turned out to be a grown policewoman. Dyer didn’t fight the charge of electronic solicitation. He sought therapy. Even the prosecutor thought Dyer might be able to turn his life around. Still, the law said he should go to prison.
When Dominique Willis came to court last fall, he was prepared to start college and seemed to be leaving the life behind that had him convicted of a felony robbery. But he didn’t go to school, he couldn’t find a job, didn’t keep up with his community service and tested positive for smoking marijuana. When he returned to court, after two months in the county jail and facing about five years in prison, he gave an emotion plea for a second chance.
Postscript: After the hearing, Willis’ uncle asked where he could find the video. “I want to play it for him, if he starts messing up again, to remind him of what he said today.” For him and others who are interested, I’ve also posted Willis’ full statement.
Four years ago, when Kris Filatreault was 22, he got drunk and crawled in bed with his girlfriend’s 15-year-old daughter. He was convicted of fondling the girl and received probation. Four times since then, he faced probation violations because of substance abuse. This is his latest PV hearing.
Previously on “Common Law”, we heard preliminary hearing testimony from women who said they were threatened by Leonard Charles on Christmas Day at a west Wichita video store. When Charles went to trial, a jury found him guilty, though of a less serious crime than he was facing. His public defender Lacy Gilmour explains:
When William Mott was 22, he was convicted of driving under the influence for an accident that killed a friend. Last June, Mott picked up his fourth DUI. His 9-year-old son was with him, so Mott also faced a charge of endangering a child. Mott sought treatment and says he’s overcoming his problems. Judge Kaufman set up a sentence he thinks will show if Mott is serious about changing.
No one knew whether Gloria Ibarra would enter a plea to killing her boyfriend or stand trial for murder. Defendants may struggle over pleas, but judges must make sure those decisions are made knowingly and freely.
After stealing $20,000 from his employer, Vernon Kralicek had been on probation four years — four times as long as most people. Each time Kralicek appeared in court with a violaton, Judge David Kaufman extended the probation. This time, Kralicek returned with five different probation violations.
