October 2014 Special KSC Docket (Kansas City)

Here are the criminal cases on the KSC docket for October 29, 2014, held in Kansas City, Kansas. This is a special setting of the KSC at the Kansas City Kansas Community College.

 

These summaries are based on the issues listed in the briefs filed and may not very accurately or fully describe the actual issues in the cases. I recommend you review the briefs yourself if you would like more details. Don't forget, arguments are streamed live over the internet at the appellate court website and archived (here) if you would like to listen in to any of these arguments.

[Update: here are some photos from the travelling docket.]

October 29--Wednesday--a.m.

State v. Michael Lewis, No. 108,310 (Johnson)
Direct appeal; Felony murder
Rachel L. Pickering (brief); Kimberly Streit Vogelsberg (argue)
[Affd/Vacd; Rosen; Feb. 20, 2015]

• Insufficient evidence of underlying felony
• No voluntary waiver of jury trial
• Failure to dismiss after destruction of possibly exculpatory evidence

State v. Daren Knox, No. 104,266 (Wyandotte)
Direct appeal; First-degree murder
Rachel L. Pickering
[Affirmed; Luckert; April 10, 2015]

• Failure to give lesser-included offense instruction
• Improper closing argument
• Improper exclusion of defense evidence
• Failure to give self-defense instruction
• Improper limitation of defense cross-examination