Widow of Boston Bombing Suspect hires Criminal Defense Lawyer

Came across this on Kansas First News.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The widow of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev has hired a prominent criminal lawyer with experience defending terrorism cases as she continues to face questions from federal authorities.

Katherine Russell added New York lawyer Joshua Dratel to her legal team, her attorney Amato DeLuca said Wednesday. Dratel has represented a number of terrorism suspects in federal courts and military commissions, including Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, detainee David Hicks, who attended an al-Qaida-linked training camp in Afghanistan.

“Mr. Dratel’s unique, specialized experience will help insure that Katie can assist in the ongoing investigation in the most constructive way possible,” DeLuca said in a written statement.  He said Russell, who has not been charged with any crime, will continue to meet with investigators as “part of a series of meetings over many hours where she has answered questions.”  Providence-based DeLuca and Miriam Weizenbaum have been representing Russell, who is from Rhode Island. They specialize in civil cases such as personal injury law.

An FBI spokeswoman wouldn’t comment when asked Wednesday whether Russell is cooperating.
DeLuca has said Russell had no reason to suspect her husband and his brother in the deadly April 15 bombing.  Tamerlan Tsarnaev and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, ethnic Chechens from southern Russia, are accused of planting two shrapnel-packed pressure cooker bombs near the marathon’s finish line, killing three people and injuring about 260. Tamerlan was killed in a getaway attempt after a gunbattle with police. Dzhokhar, who was captured hiding in a tarp-covered boat outside a house in a Boston suburb, was charged with using a weapon of mass destruction to kill. Their mother has said the allegations against them are lies.

Russell, 24, married Tamerlan Tsarnaev in 2010, and they had been living in Cambridge, Mass., with their 2-year-old daughter when the bombing happened. Russell has been staying in her family’s home in North Kingstown, just south of Providence, since her husband and brother-in-law were identified as suspects in the case.

Hicks, an Australian, spent more than five years at Guantanamo. He pleaded guilty in March 2007 and served a nine-month sentence in Australia.

Kansas City Lawyer sentenced to federal prison for conspiring to launder drug money

Looks like someone has been watching a little to much breaking bad.  This KC lawyer got himself in some hot water.  Here is the article on Fox 4.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A Kansas City lawyer has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for conspiring to launder drug money of an undercover agent posing as a marijuana dealer, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said Monday.

Ronald E. Partee, 66, Kansas City, Mo., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering. In his plea, Partee admitted he conspired with co-defendants Mendy Read-Forbes, 38, of Platte City, Mo., and Laura Shoop, 46, also of Platte City, Mo.

The investigation began in March 2012 when a KBI agent working undercover met Read-Forbes. Read-Forbes was holding herself out as the owner of Forbes & Newhard Credit Solutions, Inc., a nonprofit organization established to provide credit counseling to people who were in bankruptcy proceedings. In fact, she was not the legal owner but exercised control of the company’s bank account along with Partee. Shoop was an acquaintance of Read-Forbes who worked at various times for the company.

The KBI agent was posing as a marijuana dealer. Forbes offered to consult with Partee and to devise a scheme to launder the dealer’s drug proceeds. As part of the scheme, Forbes offered to deposit money given to her by the agent she thought was a drug dealer into the bank accounts of Forbes and Newhard Credit Solutions or related companies and then to return the money to the dealer via checks, money orders or wire transfers. The bank accounts were in Kansas.

To make the transactions appear legitimate, Forbes gave the drug dealer a contract titled “Purchase and Sale of Business Agreement.” The contract, bearing the signature of Partee and the drug dealer, made it appear that the marijuana dealer was purchasing assets of FCP, Inc., a corporation controlled by Forbes and Partee.

To make it appear that the drug dealer was engaged in business as a certified credit counselor with Forbes and Newhard Credit Solutions, Forbes gave the drug dealer a certificate saying he had completed training as a bankruptcy specialist.

In addition, Forbes created a fictitious company called Maximum Lawn Care, LLC, and opened bank accounts where cash from the drug dealer was deposited.  Partee was at various times a member of the board of directors for Forbes and Newhard and a signator on FCP’s bank accounts. On April 20, 2012, Partee approved two wire transfers from the FCP account that he believed were drug funds. He sent $5,000 to a bank account of Maximus Lawn Care and $5,000 to the bank account of an undercover agent posing as a drug dealer. During a meeting May 25, 2012, at Partee’s office, the undercover agent posing as a drug dealer sought advice from Partee concerning where he could store marijuana. During the meeting, which was recorded, Partee engaged in the discussion.

Defendants Read-Forbes and Shoop are awaiting trial. In a separate case, Mendy Read-Forbes and Brian Forbeshave been charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud and one count of money laundering.

Grissom commended the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jabari Wamble for their work on the case.

Terrible accident in Marion County leaves young man dead

Zachariah Antoszyk of Marion Kansas, was killed on Sunday April 28, 2013.  In a tragic accident of which the details are still not entirely known the young man's life was cut short.  According to the Kansas Highway Patrol which worked the scene of the accident, it was a two vehicle accident involving a semi truck and a 1993 Toyota Pickup.  According to the police report, the accident occurred around 3:00 a.m. on April 28, when a 1999 International Semi truck was northbound on Kansas Hwy 56 when it crossed the center line for unknown reasons, and went into the west ditch.  The driver of the semi,  Shane Mascareno of Jetmore, brought the vehicle back onto the roadway however the attached trailer collided with the 1993 Toyota operated by Zachariah Antoszyk.  The resulting impact caused serious damage to the pickup.

Zachariah Antoszyk, was taken to Herrington Municipal Hospital, and passed away at the age of 22. Mr. Mascareno was not injured.

View the Police Report here for 30 days.

When your loved one has been seriously injured or killed in an incident like this you need to obtain an experienced personal injury lawyer to investigate the facts and determine whom is at fault.   If you or a loved one find themselves in need of an experienced personal injury lawyer please contact the attorneys of Copley Roth and Wilson LLC.  Our firm has extensive experience handling personal injury and wrongful death claims and is here to compassionately assist you in your time of need. If you, a loved one, or a family member has suffered the devastating , and oftentimes tragic consequences of failed security, please do not hesitate to contact Copley Roth and Wilson, LLC (913-451-9500) to address any questions or concerns you may have.  The initial consultation(s) telephone and in person, are always free.

Accident in Cass County leaves Harrisonville woman seriously injured

Kathleen Mcmillin, of Harrisonville Missouri was seriously injured in a April 24, 2013 accident.  According to the Missouri Highway Patrol and the investigating officer Sgt. A.J. Bell the accident occurred at 7:10 a.m. on westbound Missouri Highway 2 just one mile east of Route O.  According to the preliminary investigation, driver Justin Saling, age 20, of Paola Kansas was driving a 1999 Ford, Mr. Saling lost control on an ice covered roadway, and slammed into a 2007 Suzuki.  The 2007 Suzuki was owned and driven by Kathleen Mcmillin.  The 1999 Ford was then struck by a third vehicle a 2003 Oldsmobile. Both Kathleen Mcmillin and Jsting Saling were transported to medical facilities for treatment.  Kathleen Mcmillin was transported to Research Medical by Air Ambulance, and Mr. Saling was transported to Cass Regional.  Follow up condition is unknown.

Police Report (online for 30 Days)

When seriously injured in an incident like this you need to obtain an experienced personal injury lawyer to investigate the facts and determine whom is at fault.   If you or a loved one find themselves in need of an experienced personal injury lawyer please contact the attorneys of Copley Roth and Wilson LLC.  Our firm has extensive experience handling personal injury and wrongful death claims and is here to compassionately assist you in your time of need. If you, a loved one, or a family member has suffered the devastating , and oftentimes tragic consequences of failed security, please do not hesitate to contact Copley Roth and Wilson, LLC (913-451-9500) to address any questions or concerns you may have.  The initial consultation(s) telephone and in person, are always free.

Former Kansas Cheer coach convicted of 10 sexual crimes with cheerleaders

This article just came across the Kansas City Star.  It looks like a Sedgwick County man was involved in all types of sexual exploits with 4 young girls whom he was supposed to be coaching.  A jury found him guilty of ten counts and he has a sentencing set for June 14.

Here is the Kansas City Star article.

By: Hurst Laviana of the Wichita Eagle

A former cheer coach is facing the possibility of life in prison after being convicted Tuesday of molesting four of his underage students.

A Sedgwick County jury deliberated just two hours before finding Timothy Wells-Lee guilty of 10 of 11 charges filed against him. Wells-Lee, 29, could get a life term when he is sentenced June 14.  District Attorney Marc Bennett said he was pleased with the verdict.

He said a sexual abuse case in some ways can be more difficult to prosecute than a murder case where there’s a body and other obvious evidence of a crime.  “In a case like this, a young woman has to come forward and relive what hopefully will be the worst moment of her life,” he said.  Wells-Lee was accused of having sexual relationships with girls while they ranged in age from 12 to 14. The 11 counts accused him of fondling, having oral sex and having sexual intercourse with the girls from 2006 through 2008. He was acquitted of the least serious of the 11 charges – a count that accused him of fondling one of the girls when she was 14.

All four girls testified at the trial, as did Wells-Lee. He denied having any sexual contact with three of the girls, and he said his sexual relationship with the fourth girl didn’t begin until after her 16th birthday.  During his closing argument, Bennett asked whether there was any reason for any of the he girls to lie.  “And not just one girl – four,” he said. “Why are they making the accusations? What motive is there?” Bennett urged the jury to consider each count on each girl on its own merits.

“This isn’t a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down to the whole thing,” he said.

Defense lawyer Roger Falk argued in his closing remarks that the dates and times that the girls said the abuse occurred didn’t coincide with actual events. He cited as an example the testimony of one girl who said she had sex with Wells-Lee in his apartment in March 2009 after he had moved to Oklahoma City.

“The dates don’t match up. The acts don’t match up,” he said.  Deputy District Attorney Kim Parker, who had the final comments for the jury, said Wells-Lee used his position as the girls’ coach to take advantage of them sexually.  “He ran the show with these little girls all during a time when he was 10 to 12 years older than they were,” she said. “He took advantage of their immaturity all for his own sexual gratification.”

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/23/4197907/jury-begins-deliberations-in-trial.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/23/4197907/jury-begins-deliberations-in-trial.html#storylink=cpy

Supreme Court upholds your constitutional rights!

Your fourth amendment and fifth amendment rights are preserved at least a little while longer.  Although no one likes that some people choose to drink and drive drivers unconstitutionally taking blood from a suspected drunk driver is not allowed by the United States Supreme Court.

Here is an article in the Kansas City Star talking about the decision.

U.S. Supreme Court denies Missouri's push for

warrantless blood tests in DUI cases

By: Brian Burnes of the KC Star

Missouri’s push to more easily draw blood from people suspected of driving drunk failed to convince U.S. Supreme Court justices Wednesday.  Law enforcement must continue to seek warrants to take blood from drivers stopped for possibly driving impaired, the court ruled in a case that originated in southeast Missouri.  More than 30 other states and the Obama administration had joined Missouri in asking justices to give officers almost complete discretion in drawing blood samples without a warrant.
The ruling thrilled Doug Bonney, chief counsel with the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and Western Missouri office in Kansas City.

“It shows that the court understood that drunk-driving laws can be enforced in a way that is consistent with the Constitution,” said Bonney, referring to the Fourth Amendment’s protection against unreasonable searches and seizures.

At least the court left in place current procedures for obtaining such blood tests, said Eric Zahnd, Platte County prosecutor who also is head of the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys.
“The good news is that those tests will still be an arrow in the quiver of law enforcement in appropriate circumstances,” Zahnd said. “I am heartened that the court continues to recognize that alcohol dissipates naturally from the blood and therefore time is of the essence in these cases.”
The Supreme Court held that police usually must try to obtain a search warrant from a judge before ordering blood tests for drunken-driving suspects.

In their 8-1 ruling, justices sided with a Missouri man who had been subjected to a blood test without a warrant and was found to have nearly twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.  Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the court that the natural dissipation of alcohol in the blood is generally not sufficient reason to dispense with the requirement that police get a judge’s approval before drawing a blood sample.

The case stemmed from the Oct. 3, 2010, arrest of Tyler McNeely in rural Cape Girardeau County.
A state trooper stopped McNeely after he observed his car speeding and swerving. McNeely, who had two previous drunken-driving convictions, refused to submit to a breath test to measure the alcohol level in his body. He also failed several field sobriety tests.  The arresting officer, Cpl. Mark Winder of the Missouri Highway Patrol, said McNeely’s speech was slurred.

Winder did not attempt to get a warrant but drove McNeely to a hospital, where a technician drew his blood. McNeely’s blood alcohol content was 0.154 percent, well above the 0.08 percent legal limit.
After a circuit court threw out the test results, the Missouri Supreme Court upheld that action, saying that the blood test violated the Constitution. Police need a warrant to take a suspect’s blood except when a delay could threaten a life or destroy potential evidence, the Missouri court added.  About half the states already prohibit warrantless blood tests in all or most suspected drunken-driving cases.
Bonney, of the local ACLU office, filed a brief with the Missouri Supreme Court on the McNeely case. McNeely’s lawyer then asked the ACLU to argue Missouri v. McNeely before the Supreme Court. Steve Shapiro, the organization’s national legal director, did so in January, and Bonney attended the arguments.  Zahnd, meanwhile, is continuing on other fronts with efforts to expedite evidence-gathering in possible drunken-driving cases.

The Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, he said, is supporting House Bill 461, pending legislation that would add a subsection to the state’s evidence-tampering statute saying that a suspected drunk driver who refuses to provide a breath or blood sample would be charged with that offense.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/04/17/4187515/supreme-court-denies-missouris.html#storylink=cpy

KU football player arrested for suspicion of DUI and other charges.

Looks like the boys in blue busted one of our boys in blue.  Nicolas Sizemore was arrested this weekend on suspicion of DUI.  He has been issued a bond from the Lawrence municipal court and given a new court date to appear on the charges.  An article in the Lawrence Journal World covers the story.  Accordingly, the KU Head coach, Charlie Weis has suspended him for the first three games of the season for violating team rules.

DUI is a unique crime that many people, from all walks of life can easily find themselves charged with in the state of Kansas. If you've been charged with a DUI it doesn't mean you're a bad person. DUI charges are usually the result of an error in judgment. People usually don't consciously drive under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. What is more common is that people drive under the mistaken belief that they are "okay"; to drive. Of course, most people aren't equipped to determine what their blood alcohol concentration (BAC) is before they start driving.

Most people that are charged with a DUI in Kansas know that it is a serious charge but beyond that have no idea what to do. They find themselves with many questions and concerns but because they have never been in trouble before they do not know where to turn, or they are embarrassed and are unwilling to seek help. From the outset there are very important deadlines that need to be met to preserve not only your freedom but your privilege to drive. In Kansas, simply one missed deadline will cause you to automatically loose your ability to contest the suspension of your driver's license.

From the start of your DUI case you need the help of an experienced DUI defense attorney. You need to sit down with an attorney that can give you some honest and accurate advice, based on experience handling these types of cases. The DUI laws change nearly every year and the consequences of those changes can way heavily on your case. 

The article is below.

KU Football player Nick Sizemore arrest on suspicion of DUI, leaving the scene of an accident

by Ian Cummings

A senior Kansas University football player has been suspended after being arrested early Sunday morning on suspicion of DUI early Sunday morning in the 1800 block of West Sixth Street.  Nicolas Wade Sizemore, 22, Lititz, Pa., was stopped by police for driving without headlights just after midnight, said Sgt. Trent McKinley, a Lawrence Police Department spokesman. Officers suspected that Sizemore was intoxicated and had struck a parked vehicle in the parking lot of The Ranch, 2515 W. Sixth St., minutes before being stopped. He was booked into Douglas County Jail on suspicion of DUI and leaving the scene of a noninjury accident.

Sizemore was issued a notice to appear in Lawrence Municipal Court on May 1 and was released from jail on a $700 bond.  Kansas football coach Charlie Weis announced Monday morning that Sizemore, a senior tight end, has been suspended for the first three games of the 2013 season for a violation of team rules, according to a news release from Kansas Athletics.

“As I have previously stated, every player on our team knows and understands our rules and regulations,” Weis said in the statement. “They also know the consequences for violations.”