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It's the only way Tory Bowen knows to honestly describe what happened to her.

She was raped.

But a judge prohibited her from uttering the word "rape" in front of a jury. The term "sexual assault" also was taboo, and Bowen could not refer to herself as a victim or use the word "assailant" to describe the man who allegedly raped her.

The defendant's presumption of innocence and right to a fair trial trumps Bowen's right of free speech, said the Lincoln, Neb., judge who issued the order.

"It shouldn't be up to a judge to tell me whether or not I was raped," Bowen said. "I should be able to tell the jury in my own words what happened to me."

A 44-year-old man accused of raping and killing an 85-year-old woman at a Buhler retirement community faces a preliminary hearing July 28.

Marvin J. Gifford Jr. of McPherson is accused of killing Pearl Arthaud in her independent-living apartment at the Sunshine Meadows Retirement Community in Buhler on May 18 and could face the death penalty.

Gifford is also accused of two sexual assaults on elderly women in the Hutchinson area in late March and early April. He was arrested after he began serving a two-year sentence in McPherson County for a 2006 conviction for lewd and lascivious behavior. He has also been convicted of attempted aggravated sexual battery there.

Gifford made his first appearance Friday in Reno County District Court.

A preliminary hearing allows prosecutors to present evidence for why they believe a trial is warranted.

The founder of one of the anti-abortion movement's most famous organizations said Friday in Wichita that the movement is badly weakened --"on the ropes" -- in part because the nation's clergy have lost their desire to pursue the cause and in part because young people don't care.

Speaking at a news conference he called at the Hyatt Regency Wichita, Operation Rescue founder Randall Terry said the movement has lost steam because religious leaders have lost courage, young people have lost interest, and many churches fear taking on the fight.

While some leaders of the anti-abortion movement were willing to endorse presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, who supports abortion rights,Terry said, he was arrested earlier this year protesting abortion outside one of Giuliani's campaign offices in New Hampshire.

Reporters at the news conference asked Terry if another reason for weakness in the movement might be infighting between him and other anti-abortion leaders, such as Troy Newman.

Terry, who's based in Washington, D.C., is suing Newman, of Wichita, over the use of the name Operation Rescue.

Malcolm Webber, the self-proclaimed chief of an unrecognized American Indian tribe, cannot have a separate trial from other tribal members in an alleged scam to defraud immigrants, a federal judge ruled Thursday.

U.S. District Judge Wesley Brown ruled that Webber, also known as Grand Chief Thunderbird IV, has not shown a "real risk" that his defense will be prejudiced by a single trial.

Prosecutors contend the Kaweah Indian Nation defrauded legal and illegal immigrants across the nation by falsely claiming tribal membership would give them U.S. citizenship and would allow immigrants to obtain other documents and benefits, including Social Security cards.

Attorney Kurt Kerns, who represents Webber, argued in court documents that Webber believed he was providing a legitimate method for illegal immigrants to become registered in the United States and enjoy a first step toward citizenship.

He wanted to separate the trials because Webber contends the bulk of the alleged fraud was committed by underlings in their efforts to make money while other defendants are arguing that they were duped by Webber.

A former Wichita police lieutenant who is now the second in command at the Bel Aire Police Department has filed as a Republican candidate for Sedgwick County sheriff.

Carl Enterkin, 59, became the sixth candidate for the position being vacated by outgoing Sheriff Gary Steed.

The filing means at least five Republicans will square off in the Aug. 5 primary. The filing deadline is noon Tuesday, and only one Democrat has filed for the office.

All the candidates have extensive law enforcement backgrounds, and several have master's degrees.

Steed hasn't officially endorsed any of the candidates, but he has openly supported the candidacy of his undersheriff, Bob Hinshaw, a Republican.

Democrat Jim Slattery has picked up support from two longtime Republicans in his bid for the U.S. Senate.

Slattery's campaign announced Friday that Nelson and Judy Krueger had endorsed the former congressman and lobbyist, joining his campaign's steering committee.

Nelson Krueger was an administrative assistant for former U.S. Sen. Bob Dole in Kansas, his wife served as campaign manager for former Gov. Bill Graves and later secretary of appointments and deputy chief of staff.

Slattery faces Lee Jones of Overland Park in the August primary. The winner faces incumbent Republican Pat Roberts in November.

Slattery represented the 2nd District of eastern Kansas in the House from 1983 to 1994, giving up his seat to run for governor. After losing that race, he joined a Washington law and lobbying firm.

For the first time since 1992, Nola Foulston faces opposition in an election for Sedgwick County district attorney.

On Friday, Republican Mark Schoenhofer, who has been in private practice since 1994, filed his candidacy to unseat her. Foulston, a Democrat, has held the office since 1989.

"I'm running because I believe that it is time for new blood in the office," said Schoenhofer, who worked for Foulston as an assistant district attorney from 1993 to 1994.

Asked what change he would bring, Schoenhofer said he would try more cases in court than Foulston does, in addition to managing the office.

"I believe in being involved, hands-on involved," he said.

Attorney General Steve Six is dropping strong hints that he'll run for a full term in 2010, but he's not quite ready to declare his candidacy.

Six took over the office Jan. 31. Gov. Kathleen Sebelius appointed him to replace Paul Morrison, who was forced to resign because of a scandal over an extramarital affair. Fellow Democrats have assumed Six will run.

"I found that I do really enjoy the work of the attorney general's office and appreciate all the good we can do for the people of Kansas," Six said during an interview Thursday.

He added: "What that leaves me to believe is that I can continue this job into the future, but I believe it's premature to determine whether I'll be a candidate in 2010."

Christian Morgan, the state Republican Party's executive director, said that because of Morrison's problems, Kansans will be skeptical as they watch the attorney general's office.

Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Jim Slattery released a description of his past lobbying activities on Thursday, hoping to quiet GOP critics who say he's too closely connected to special interests.

The former congressman from Topeka says he's providing the information in the interest of openness and accountability.

"Voters deserve an explanation of the work I've done since I left public office," Slattery said. "I'm pleased to provide this information."

The list contains brief summaries of the work Slattery did for 40 companies and associations -- ranging from Kansas City-based utility Aquila Inc. to paper and lumber giant Weyerhaeuser Co. --during his 14-year stint as a lawyer at Wiley Rein, a major Washington law firm. Slattery began working at the firm when he left Congress in 1995, a few months after losing the Kansas governor's race.

Slattery is seeking the right to challenge Republican incumbent Sen. Pat Roberts, who is seeking a third term. Roberts' campaign has made Slattery's work as a lobbyist a key point of attack in early radio ads.

With four fairly familiar faces, the race in western Sedgwick County's Commission District 3 is shaping up as one of the most competitive of the election season.

Fifteen-year incumbent Tom Winters will face a contest in the primary Aug. 5 and, if he wins that, in the general election Nov. 4.

On Thursday, Kansas Taxpayers Network president Karl Peterjohn became the fourth candidate to enter the race. He will challenge Winters in the Republican primary.

The winner will face the winner of the Democratic primary pitting Goddard Mayor Marcey Gregory against former congressional and Wichita City Council candidate Patrick Quaney.

It will be the first time Winters has faced substantial opposition since the 2000 primary, when he bested two challengers. He's run unopposed three times since.