Andanh.com

A federal judge on Thursday denied the government's efforts to gag defense attorneys, family and supporters of a Haysville doctor accused of unlawfully prescribing medication.

U.S. District Judge Monti Belot said an impartial jury can be seated in the case of Stephen Schneider and his wife, Linda, by questioning potential jurors about their exposure to pretrial publicity.

"The parties should not misinterpret this ruling as an endorsement of statements to the media by their counsel or their surrogates," Belot wrote. "This court firmly believes that cases should be tried in the courtroom, not on the courthouse steps."

Belot also denied the prosecution's request to order the defense to turn over a recorded statement the doctor made in jail for the Associated Press during an attorney visit. Belot said the matter was moot because defense attorneys contend only the AP has the recording.

Prosecutors had sought a court order restraining the defendants, their family and Siobhan Reynolds, president of the patient advocacy group Pain Relief Network, from talking to the media. The government also sought an order keeping Reynolds and Pat Hatcher, the sister of Linda Schneider, from contacting victims and witnesses.

The search for a suspect named in the killing of Deshonda Walker continues, and police say he may have fled the city.

Authorities have issued a warrant for Albert C. Thomas' arrest in Walker's shooting early July 2 in the 3400 block of East Munger in southeast Wichita.

"He may still be in town," Capt. Brent Allred said.

But given the fact that more than a week has passed and police have been unable to find him, Allred said, it's more likely Thomas has fled the area.

Thomas has been entered into the National Crime Information Center database so law enforcement officers around the country will know he's wanted.

Jurors rarely get to witness the incident that has put them in judgment before a defendant.

But on Thursday, jurors watched the fatal stabbing of LaShanda Callaway, 27, via a security video from the Wichita convenience store.

Cherish McCullough is pleading self-defense at her trial, claiming that Callaway was the aggressor that day.

Seeing the crime take place has taken a toll on the McCullough and Callaway families.

Sedgwick County District Judge Ben Burgess has warned both families about displaying emotions in front of jurors.

Democratic candidate Jim Slattery would see a dramatic cut in his salary if he's elected to the U.S. Senate this fall.

The former congressman from Topeka earned $585,000 last year working for a major Washington law firm. That's more than three times what he would earn if he unseats incumbent Republican Sen. Pat Roberts.

The information comes from a personal financial disclosure form filed with the Senate this week. The form offers a peek into the wealth Slattery has acquired as a lawyer and lobbyist since leaving the U.S. House in 1996, an issue Roberts has raised in negative ads during the campaign.

In all, Slattery disclosed assets worth at least $4.2 million and as much as $9.4 million. The forms report assets and liabilities in broad ranges that make it impossible to determine exactly how much a candidate is worth.

Most of those assets are in mutual funds and retirement accounts. He also owns an office building in Topeka worth between $500,000 and $1 million, a farm in Atchison worth between $250,000 and $500,000 and two townhouses in Topeka worth $100,000 to $250,000.

Turnover in the jail and morale among Sedgwick County sheriff's deputies were the main issues of contention in a Thursday night forum that drew five of the six candidates for Sedgwick County sheriff.

Undersheriff Bob Hinshaw, who is running against candidates who are challenging his record, conceded that the annual turnover rate at the Sedgwick County Jail is 25 percent. But he said the figure includes retirements and transfers to road patrol duties.

"Is there a morale problem? You betcha," he said. "But there's always going to be a morale problem in any large law enforcement agency."

The forum, which was hosted by the South City Neighborhood Association, drew more than 50 people to the Dawson United Methodist Church, 2741 S. Laura.

The five Republican candidates in the August primary are running for the right to face Democrat Walt Kuykendall in the general election.

Sheila Johnson is the single mother of two with one grandchild. She's also caring for an aging mother and trying to pay off more than $100,000 in student loans.

While her job as a sales executive pays around $75,000, the increasing cost of gasoline, food and other daily expenses has curtailed her ability to save money, and she is afraid things may get worse.

"I have never, ever experienced the crunch I'm feeling now," the 40-year-old Johnson told Michelle Obama during a roundtable discussion of women's issues Thursday at the University of Missouri-Kansas City. "And I cannot imagine families who have not been as blessed as I am. How are they surviving, how are they able to make it from one day to the next?"

The roundtable discussion was one of a series of such gatherings Obama is holding to listen to women's concerns and promote the presidential campaign of her husband, Democrat Barack Obama.

The five women chosen to talk to Obama were from varying economic situations, but they all discussed how difficult the current economy has made it to pay bills and provide good lives for their children.

The Republican primary for the Kansas House 96th District seat will feature a political veteran who is not campaigning and a newcomer in his first campaign.

Mark Gietzen will face the admittedly "green behind the ears" Phil Hermanson.

The winner will face Democratic incumbent Terry McLachlan in the general election in November. McLachlan is unopposed in the primary.

The 96th District encompasses portions of southwestern Wichita and parts of the surrounding townships of Riverside and Waco.

Hermanson held his campaign kickoff at his home Wednesday night.