State Courts

Man accused of shooting Rosann Kapaun ruled competent to stand trial

By Ron Sylvester

Sedgwick County District Judge Ben Burgess this morning reinstated the case against Charles Cullum, who is accused of shooting Rosann Kapaun nearly two years ago.

Cullum’s case had been taken off the docket last spring for him to undergo a mental evaluation. Cullum returned to court this morning after being determined competent to understand the charges against him and assist in his defense.

Kapaun, 43, was the niece of the Rev. Emil Kapaun, the man for whom Kapaun Mount Carmel High School in Wichita is named. Police say she was abducted from her apartment in the 1600 block of East 46th Street South on May 16, 2007. She was shot and killed the next day.

In October, two co-defendants were sentenced for participating in the killings of Kapaun and Chad Clayton.

Clayton, 26, was shot during a robbery at a house in the 6700 block of West O’Neil, six days after Kapaun’s kidnapping. Steven Cornelius received a 24-year prison sentence and Eric Huerta is serving 31 years for second-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping and other charges.

Cullum’s trial is tentatively set for next month.

Full post as published by What the Judge Ate for Breakfast on January 15, 2009 (boomark / email).