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Experts discuss bail and possible changes to discovery law

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- Public safety has been one of the major hold ups in the state's now 12-day late budget. The Governor is pushing for some reform surrounding the least restrictive means standard and possibly discovery laws. But what exactly are discovery laws in the criminal context? Steve Coffey, partner at O’Connell and Aronowitz said in 2019, the changes to discovery forced the DA to disclose to the Defense Attorney their file, that includes all statements from witnesses, grand jury testimonies, photos, internal documents, anything pertaining to the case within 15 days.  Drag storytime postponed following backlash in Lake Luzerne "It's a big advantage to the defense because now they have a right to see exactly what the DA is seeing. In effect, they’re looking at the same records as both sides," said Coffey. While it’s unclear what changes are being proposed for discovery, some are saying there could be rollbacks. In a statement the Legal Aid Society said in part, “Now, Gov...

Pittsfield PD arrest suspect with drugs and a handgun

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- On Wednesday night, Pittsfield Police patroling Burbank Park noticed an occupied vehicle parked near the boat ramp. Police say while they were speaking with the driver and passenger, they observed a bullet and drug paraphernalia in the front seat. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Both individuals were detained. Police searched the vehicle and located a handgun and drugs. Neither individual possessed a license to carry. The driver was arrested on drug and firearm charges and arraigned in District Court on Thursday morning.

Emergency rule seeks to limit access to certain procedures for transgender Missourians

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey released details of an emergency rule Thursday seeking to make it harder for transgender children and adults to access certain medical procedures, calling them “experimental” and arguing they need “substantial guardrails.” The rule, once filed with the Secretary of State, would be in effect from April 27 to Feb. 6, 2024.Citing the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act — a law intended to prosecute fraudulent business practices — Bailey’s office prescribed a multi-faceted disclosure and screening process for physicians offering gender-affirming care.The attorney general’s rule mandates that anyone receiving puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones or gender-transition surgery must first receive 15 hourly sessions with a psychologist or psychiatrist over at least 18 months.The rules also include a provision that bars physicians from prescribing puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones unless a patient has three “most recent, consecutive years” of ...

Missouri gets F, Illinois gets A- in annual gun law scorecard

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Gun control laws might look a little different on a state-to-state basis, though one new analysis suggests there's a stark contrast between both states of the St. Louis Metropolitan area. GIFFORDS Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence recently released its annual gun law scorecard, evaluating states based on their gun control laws. Missouri received a failing grade in the scorecard, while Illinois received an "A-" grade. A research team with GIFFORDS, an American advocacy organization promoting gun control, has released an annual gun law scorecard for several years. The scorecard offers grades and ranks for each state on their crimes rates, in addition to their enforcement and strength of gun laws. Top Story: Missouri students physically restrained, secluded thousands of times “There is no debate. Lawmakers can save lives, reduce violence, and make their states safer by following a simple blueprint: pass gun violence prevention laws," said Peter Ambler, Executive Directo...

Ban on transgender care passes Missouri House, setting up possible clash with Senate

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

Differences between the House and Senate on how strict a ban on certain transgender health care should be could spell trouble for the proposal’s chances as the Missouri legislative session nears completion.Leaders in both chambers told reporters Thursday they are pushing for their respective body’s legislation.The Senate passed a version last month that allows transgender minors currently receiving care to continue treatments and includes an expiration date for the ban on hormone therapy. Both provisions were included as a compromise to end a Democratic filibuster. The House version, passed Thursday, leaves the compromise language out. Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden, R-Columbia, said the House needs to pass his chamber’s version for any bill to have a chance this year. “We don’t get second chances on huge, huge issues like that very often,” Rowden said.Republicans in the House, however, stand by their version of the bill without any compromise.“I stand by what ...

Kevin Strickland sues K.C. Police Board over wrongful imprisonment

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri man who spent more than 40 years in prison for a triple murder he did not commit alleges in a lawsuit that Kansas City police conducted a reckless investigation that led to his conviction.Kevin Strickland, 63, filed a lawsuit Tuesday in Jackson County Court against the Kansas City Police Board of Commissioners, which oversees the police department, and five officers who have retired.Strickland alleges that officers attributed false statements to him during the investigation and pressured the only eyewitness to the murders to identify him as the killer, The Kansas City Star reported.The Kansas City Police Department said it does not comment on pending lawsuits.Strickland was released from prison in November 2021 after a judge ruled he was wrongfully convicted of killing three people in Kansas City in 1978. That decision followed a hearing held after Jackson County prosecutors said a review of the case led them to believe Str...

The MASH spin-off set in St. Louis you probably forgot about

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- There have been several TV shows and movies set in St. Louis. Many people will recall that Up in the Air was filmed at Lambert Airport, or that Escape from New York used St. Louis as a stand-in for a bombed-out Manhattan. You may not know that a spinoff of one of the most popular TV shows of all time is also set in St. Louis. That's probably because the show Walter was never picked up as a regular series.Who is Walter? Well, that is the first name of a fictional character from the Mash TV show and movie. It takes place during the Korean War from 1950-1953. Gary Burghoff played the beloved Walter "Radar" O’Reilly. The actor left the show in a special two part episode that aired in 1979. The character left the 4077th after a hardship discharge because is uncle died.The pilot for the Mash spin-off Walter aired only once on CBS in July 1984. You can see it here. Trending: St. Louis County battles over marijuana sales tax The new show picks up in 1954 after O’Reilly moves...

Missouri farm net income projected to decrease in 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

The net income for Missouri farms is predicted to fall this year, according to a spring 2023 report by the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center at MU.The year 2022 saw a record high for the state in agriculture, which was attributed to high commodity prices and the top seven crops in Missouri expanding 270,000 acres that year, according to the report.Despite this, experts from the center warned about an expected decline in these numbers for 2023 in the 2022 report. They have now officially projected it in the latest report.Missouri farm income is projected to decrease $546 million in the coming year, leveling out with the 2011-2014 averages. The state’s agriculture sector still fares better than the national numbers, with a 14% decrease in the state’s farm income comparing to a 19% decrease on a national scale.What’s to blame for this drop?The analysis center believes it might be due to the widespread drought impacting cattle inventory. It also reported that crop and livest...

Missouri Senate considers ‘Chris Sifford Day’ honoring Carnahan aide who died in plane crash

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

In the fall of 2000, tragedy struck Missouri politics when an airplane carrying then-Gov. Mel Carnahan, his son Randy Carnahan and adviser Chris Sifford crashed in bad weather.The death of Carnahan as he closed out eight years as governor during a monumental struggle with then-Sen. John Ashcroft grabbed the attention of the state and the nation. Family, friends and coworkers, however, also deeply mourned the death of Sifford, 37 at the time, who had been at Carnahan’s side throughout his two terms as chief executive.Born in Puxico in Stoddard County, educated at what was then called Southwest Missouri State University in Springfield, Sifford worked as a journalist before joining Carnahan’s 1992 campaign for governor.Sifford is recalled as funny, humble and devoted to his family. On Wednesday, Sen. Greg Razer, D-Kansas City, said that legacy and his hard work in public service should be honored by designating his birthday, Aug. 6, as “Chris Sifford Day.” The Senate Progress and ...

Colorado teen cyclist suffers brain injury after crash involving hikers on a mountain biking-only trail

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:40:59 GMT

A teenager and competitive mountain bicyclist suffered a brain injury and is hospitalized after a collision involving hikers on a downhill biking-only trail.Cayel Holmgren, 17, was injured Saturday in a crash on a trail in the Floyd Hill Open Space, according to a GoFundMe page post.Cayel, an experienced and avid mountain biker who dreams of competing in college and professionally, is recovering in intensive care at a local hospital. He was biking with his father, Brian Holmgren, when the incident happened.Brian suspects the crash “was a result of 2 hikers ignoring all signage and hiking up a known downhill biking-only trail,” according to a GoFundMe page created to help Cayel and his family with medical expenses and other costs. “The consequences of these 2 hikers have been devastating, not only to Cayel’s life, but to his promising cycling career.”The incident happened on the Sluice trail, according to Clear Creek County officials.“Our thoughts and we...