Provence-Alpes-Cte d'Azur, Nimes, Ecklund pleaded guilty to both offenses and submitted an affidavit stipulating to the factual basis for her plea. Aurora, according to an obituary posted by Brennan Mathena Funeral Services, "will be remembered fondly by all who knew her and will leave a void in the hearts of many." Deputy District Attorney at Shawnee County . Kansas Rep. Steve Watkins (R) was charged Tuesday with three felonies and a misdemeanor over allegations he voted illegally in a 2019 local election.Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay anno Ecklund and her attorney appeared by Zoom from the Shawnee County Jail. See State v. Phinney, 280 Kan. 394, 398-99, 122 P.3d 356 (2005). Kagay assumed office on January 9, 2017. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area. STATE OF KANSAS, Appellee, v. MICHELLE LEIGH ECKLUND, Appellant. 10th Ave. Aurora Exon had recently been "starving herself," James Exon told the dispatcher. 1 we do not support a public official using money that was allocated for GVI and using it for something else. 2022 Supp. School districts | Seonaid Nichols said she'd beenin a relationship with James Exon from July 2014 to February 2019, though they never married. ': Here's how Topeka's SAVE initiative is working to prevent violence. background-color: #f9f9f9; He also provided condolences and sentiments to the families in Nashville follwing the recent shooting. Investigators found that Exon would not feed or attend to his children for days because of his addiction issues, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said in a news release Tuesday. The district court held a combined plea and sentencing hearing in November 2021. State v. Gayden, 281 Kan. 290, 293, 130 P.3d 108 (2006) ("A claim that a sentence fails to conform to constitutional requirements is not a claim it fails to conform to statutory requirements."). K.S.A. North Topeka construction project closes intersection. } After entering a guilty plea, Michelle L. Ecklund appeals her conviction and sentence, arguing the district court violated her right to be physically present at her combined plea and sentencing hearing because it failed to get a waiver of that right before allowing her to appear over Zoom. } Ecklund may thus not file a direct appeal from a plea unless she first moves to withdraw her plea and the district court denies that motion. The Capital-Journal reports that Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay decided not to file charges against the Rev. Representatives from more than 30 Topeka-area congregations are alleging that Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay has given up on efforts to prevent violent crime and shootings among young adults, focusing instead on a program geared mostly toward children. } color: white; So her claim does not fall within the definition of an illegal sentence under K.S.A. The child "loved cuddling with her daddy, and playing with her brother and friends," according to her obituary. A father from Kansas was convicted of killing his 2-year-old daughter, who, according to the prosecution, died from hunger and malnutrition while her father was "intoxicated and passed out for days on end." Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Prosecutor wont bring charges against accused Topeka priest, Ralph Yarl described as excellent student and talented musician at Staley High School, Team coverage: Charges filed in shooting of Ralph Yarl, Family of teen shot on Northland doorstep speaks about his achievements, the road ahead. Kagay commended Deputy District Attorneys Lauren Amrein and Lee for their work prosecuting the case, and Topeka police for their work investigating it. She has not done so. 22-3504 at any time. 13 Rue du Champ Roman, Saint-Martin-d'Hres, Gerald E. Wells, of Jerry Wells Attorney-at-Law, of Lawrence, for appellant. Phone Email. See State v. Solomon, 257 Kan. 212, 218-19, 891 P.2d 407 (1995). Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. .widget-row { .widget-value { See Phinney, 280 Kan. at 399. Launched earlier this year after two years of planning. We agree. vertical-align: top; "James" Exon on Monday of crimes that included first-degree murder and second-degree murder in the January 2021 malnutrition death in Topeka of his 2-year-old daughter, Aurora Exon. 223602 from taking a direct appeal from the sentence imposed." The Legislature established the committee to: evaluate resources available to assess and treat people assigned to specialty courts or for operating specialty courts; secure grants, funds, and other .
If appellate jurisdiction does not exist, Ecklund's appeal must be dismissed. Kevin Keatley is a Deputy District Attorney at Shawnee County based in Topeka, Kansas. Its going to extend the speedy trial waiver that we had in place during COVID until early next year, Kagay said. Gerald E. Wells, of Jerry Wells Attorney-at-Law, of Lawrence, for appellant. JUMP pointed to other communities, such as South Bend, Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky, that have seen shootings cut by about half since implementing group violence intervention strategies. Bretagne, Carcassonne, Chandler is accused. background-color: grey; She has not done so. TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Kansas man has been convicted of murder after his 2-year-old daughter died of malnutrition while he was passed out for days from intoxication, prosecutors said. Finally, maintaining that her sentence is illegal, Ecklund asks for an order finding her conviction and sentence are null and void, and for such other relief deem[ed] proper.. At a news conference Monday morning, representatives from the Topeka Justice Unity & Ministry Project called on Kagay to both clarify comments he made last week on his offices Strategies Against Violence Everywhere initiative and to work with the organization to implement broader, group violence intervention strategies. Kagay, in a written statement to The Capital-Journal, disputed JUMPs allegations. After entering a guilty plea, Michelle L. Ecklund appeals her conviction and sentence, arguing the district court violated her right to be physically present at her combined plea and sentencing hearing because it failed to get a waiver of that right before allowing her to appear over Zoom. Ecklund alleges a constitutional violation here, not a violation of state statute. The high court, however, didn't dismiss the case and left it open for the Shawnee County district attorney's office to try again, leading to Chandler's second trial, which took most of August. State v. Coman, 294 Kan. 84, 89, 273 P.3d 701 (2012). } A previous version of this story misattributed a quote to Pastor Clarence Newton. With the help of a $300,000 grant from the Topeka Community Foundation, a program coordinator in the district attorneys office helps pull together teams of people and mentors who can guide those at-risk individuals to make better decisions. font-weight: bold; Ballotpedia features 407,502 encyclopedic articles written and curated by our professional staff of editors, writers, and researchers. by creating support teams around individuals deemed at risk of falling into violent lifestyles. Kansas Father Convicted Of Murdering 2-Year-Old Daughter lowlife monster. color: white; Our adults are no more difficult than anywhere else in the country, and if GVI can happen elsewhere, it can happen in Topeka.. He was nominated to run for United States Senate in the 2014 election for the Democratic Party, but withdrew from the race on September 3, 2014.. Taylor did not run for reelection in 2016 and was succeeded by Mike Kagay, a Republican who . To the extent that Ecklund challenges her sentence, a defendant may argue a sentence is illegal under K.S.A. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay's original report stated, per PEOPLE, "Law enforcement and first responders found Exon's 2-year-old daughter unresponsive, cold to the touch, with an appearance that she had been dead for several days. Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes 38400, 13 Rue du Champ Roman, Did the District Court Err in Sentencing Ecklund? SAVE has explained this repeatedly to representatives from Topeka Jump. The DA indicated that Kitt spent several years in this role until he again joined the DAs Office as Chief of Staff for Kagay in January 2017. 2022 Supp. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay says on Monday, Sept. 12, he appointed Charles Kitt as his new Chief Deputy District Attorney. Instead, K.S.A. Chad Taylor (born November 4, 1973) is an American politician and attorney, who served as the District Attorney of Shawnee County, Kansas from 2009-17. Shawnee Co. DA appoints familiar face as new Chief Deputy DA, SE Topeka shooting leaves 1 person deceased, Kansas officials hunt for suspect that caused hit-and-run on I-70, Game Wardens warn against mushroom hunting in barred Kansas preserve, Rollover crash in South Central Kansas claims life of one woman, Salute our Heroes: Topeka man feeding the community, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay. color: white; Sentencing was scheduled for 9 a.m. July 28 by Shawnee County District Court Judge Jessica Heinen, who presided over Exon's trial. "Our main thing is that he agreed five years ago to implement GVI," Ahrens said. For more information, you can watch the full interview above. He had custody because the mom was worthless too and that poor little one starved to death. The police chief disagrees. TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Shawnee Co. District Attorney Mike Kagay says he is looking at "anything and everything" in determining the next steps in the Dana Chandler case. Aurora's 6-year-old brother, Teddy Exon, who was 4 years old at the time of her death, testified during the father's trial. We thus do not reach the State's argument that Ecklund inadequately briefed her claim or that Order 2020-PR-056 lacks the requirements Ecklund attributes to it. The Shawnee County District Attorney's Office reports that Jeffrey J. Exon was convicted. display: inline-block; Jusqu' prsent, les critiques n'ont pas t ajoutes. There are two problems with the DA's action, Pennington said. The district court received the stipulated facts, accepted Ecklund's plea, and sentenced Ecklund to probation in accordance with her plea agreement. .top_disclaimer { Elections in 2023 | | background-color: white; Nouvelle-Aquitaine, Narbonne, Further, group representatives said they were blindsided when Kagay unilaterally announced the creation of SAVE without the organization's input. Around 10 a.m. on Jan.. margin-bottom:0px; color: white; color: black; 10:00 12:30 14:00 19:00. Via Christi Hospitals Wichita v. Kan-Pak, 310 Kan. 883, 889, 451 P.3d 459 (2019). Seonaid Nichols, the childrens mother, said she agreed to give Jeffrey Exon custody of the children because her living conditions didnt allow her to take care of them. "During the trial, Exon's 6-year-old son, who was 4 at the. clear: both; } background-color: red; Copyright 2023 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. In June 2021, the State charged Ecklund with single misdemeanor counts of violating a protective order and interference with a law enforcement officer. Michael R. Serra, deputy district attorney, Michael F. Kagay, district attorney, and Derek Schmidt, attorney general, for appellee. border: 1px solid #a2a9b1 !important; Ecklund and her attorney appeared by Zoom from the Shawnee County Jail. Representatives from more than 30 Topeka-area congregations are alleging that Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay has given up on efforts to prevent violent crime and shootings. Exon's 6-year-old son, who was 4 when his sister died, testified at trial that his dad locked them in their rooms for several days without food while he . Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay's original report stated, per PEOPLE, "Law enforcement and first responders found Exon's 2-year-old daughter unresponsive, cold to the touch, with an appearance that she had been dead for several days." JUMP member and Southern Hills Mennonite Church Pastor Gabe Pennington said SAVE is not what was presented to the organization years ago as part of Kagays commitment to reduce community violence. Five years after Kansas juvenile justice reforms, what has changed and what still needs to be fixed? Grand Est, Ajaccio, TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Putting a stop to human trafficking in Shawnee County continues to be a priority for District Attorney Mike Kagay. TermsPrivacyDisclaimerCookiesDo Not Sell My Information, Begin typing to search, use arrow keys to navigate, use enter to select, Stay up-to-date with FindLaw's newsletter for legal professionals. Occitanie, Poitiers, Aurora Exon seemed "perfectly fine" when she and Teddy Exon visited Nichols and her boyfriend at St. Marys on Dec. 26, 2020, the last time Nichols saw her alive, Nichols said. Our general rule provides: No appeal shall be taken by the defendant from a judgment of conviction before a district judge upon a plea of guilty or nolo contendere. K.S.A. font-weight: bold; background-color: grey; In addition to speaking on the speedy-trial extension, Kagay also spoke touched on some recent crime that has been happening in Topeka. Jeffrey J. Exon was convicted Monday in the death of Aurora Exon at their home in Topeka. } .external_links_table { width: auto !important; } "Is that how you treat a community partner?" Exon's substance abuse problems led to his not feeding his kids for days, the court heard. color: black; Full title:State of Kansas, Appellee, v. Michelle Leigh Ecklund, Appellant. ", Aurora Exon, 2, was found dead Jan 5 in a home on S.W. font-size: 1.2em; } display: inline-block; The email address cannot be subscribed. }, What's on my ballot? He touted his creation of a community engagement director position and said his focus is always on rehabilitating offenders. I am so sorry for your loss - she looks like such a happy child. Jeffrey Exon called authorities to the home on Jan. 5, 2021, when Aurora was found dead. Elisabeth Towns. Ahrens said. Kagay commended Deputy District Attorneys Lauren Amrein and Lee for their work prosecuting the case, and Topeka police for their work investigating it. According to Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay, investigators discovered five empty liquor bottles in Exon's bedroom. So to the extent that Ecklund challenges her conviction, we lack jurisdiction.float:right; Mike Kagay is a District Attorney at Shawnee County based in Topeka, Kansas. Investigators found that Exon would not feed or attend to his children for days because of his addiction issues, Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay said in a news release Tuesday. .infobox p { That is a misappropriation of funds and is not acceptable. https://t.co/4cdyM9Oula. After he graduated, he started his legal career as a prosecutor in the office. TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Shawnee County District Attorney has appointed a familiar face as his new Chief Deputy District Attorney. Kagay's current term ends in 2025. We are very pleased that we were able to work with the legislature and get a favorable outcome on that piece of law, Kagay said. }. Auvergne-Rhne-Alpes 38400 .widget-row.Democratic { Story continues. When the session first began, Kagay spoke with KSNT 27 News to discuss the significant backlog of cases the courts are facing following the shut-down of the pandemic. Phone Email. State legislature | float: right; Exon faces a presumed sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years on the first-degree murder conviction, Kagay said. Topeka police quicker to shoot Black men with knives than white men with machetes, groups say, As YWCA Northeast Kansas hosts Week Without Violence, 'There's always work to be done'. He said the vacancy was created by the appointment of former Chief Deputy Brett Watson as a District Court Judge. When the session first. .widget-row.Independent, .widget-row.Nonpartisan, .widget-row.Constitution { Although there are exceptions to this general rule, Ecklund makes no attempt to argue in her brief that any of the exceptions apply. The district court held a combined plea and sentencing hearing in November 2021. State of Kansas, Appellee, v. Michelle Leigh Ecklund, Appellant. .widget-row.Republican { We believe the public needs to know that there are proven strategies that work, Berry said. TOPEKA, Kan. 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