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Captial murder charges dismissed

The State has dismissed capital murder charges against Jason Strand and Kendrick Shears, two Hutchison Correctional Facility inmates accused of the murder of fellow inmate David Warren. Tim Frieden and Jeff Wicks represented Mr. Shears, and John V. Wachtel and Roger L. Falk represented Mr. Strand. Here is a hutchnews.com article on the dismissal.

At a preliminary hearing in March, the court found that probable cause existed for the capital murder charges against Shears and Strand, but the men had not been arraigned at the time of the dismissal. Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder said in a news release, ?To proceed to trial, with full knowledge of the overwhelming weaknesses in the credibility of key witnesses, would be reckless, irresponsible and likely result in acquittal."

A third defendant, Charvell Robinson, had also been charged with capital murder in the case, but the court found at the March preliminary hearing that there was no probable cause to believe that Mr. Robinson committed any crime. Marc Manna and Gary W. Owens represented Mr. Robinson.

Full post as published by Kansas Defenders on May 19, 2009 (boomark / email).