• Nov 18, 2019
  • KSNW TV
  • -
  • by John Asebes

WICHITA – A Wichita teenager is recovering after being bitten in the face by a Sedgwick County Sheriff K-9.

The dog got out of his enclosure Sunday night and was found hours later a couple of blocks away.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s put out a notification, but the family says they did not see it and took the dog in.

“I said, ‘Okay, fine. We will keep the dog overnight and take it to the humane society in the morning,’” says Coryinna Hill.

The dog, Bocephus, stayed with Hill and her family all night long sleeping with her 14-year-old son in the basement. There was no identification on the dog saying it was a sheriff’s K-9.

“He was friendly and was a non-aggressive dog,” she says.

That changed when her son took the dog to use the bathroom in the morning, and it did what a dog like that may do.

“As he reached down to let go of the leash, the dog bit him in the face and the back as he turned,” Hill says.

“Unfortunately, accidents happen and like I said it is very unfortunate that the young man was bitten, but I am not going to blame the dog,” says Hill.

The family says the sheriff’s office has been quite helpful in checking in on them but wonder if it all could have been prevented.

“Our concern to is how did the dog get out of its enclosure,” Hill says.

Right now, the sheriff’s office is doing an internal investigation. Bocephus will sit out for at least 10 days. The handler, as of now, facing no consequences.

“The investigation is still ongoing. We would not have any type of action taken on the dog. The dog is doing what it was trained to do,” Lt. Tim Myers says.

A local attorney explains the owner of the dog should be the one paying a consequence or at least a medical bill.

“Since the common law, it has been true that if a dangerous animal gets away the owner has to pay,” says Defense Attorney Dan Monnat.

Sheriff’s officials say they do not require the dogs to wear special ID, but could look into that procedure given the results of the investigation.

See the full story at KSN.com

  • Nov 13, 2019
  • Monnat & Spurrier

WICHITA, Kansas – Noted criminal defense attorney Dan Monnat, of Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, has been named to the Top 10 list of Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers for 2019. It is Monnat’s second year to be named among the prestigious Top 10. Before now he had been listed on the Top 100 list overall for 14 years.

Monnat has practiced in Wichita and across Kansas for nearly 45 years, concentrating on criminal defense, white-collar criminal defense, appellate defense and bet-the-company litigation. His cases have attracted international attention, including the defense of late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller and defense of an innocent man wrongly accused of being the notorious BTK.

“I’m truly honored and humbled by this recognition from Missouri and Kansas Super Lawyers,” Monnat said. “It has always been my great privilege to uphold the Constitution and protect and defend the rights of those accused,” Monnat said. “After nearly 45 years of practice, I remain as passionate as ever about winning each client’s case through a relentless combination of thought, action, courage and care.”

A graduate of California State University, Monnat earned a Juris Doctorate from Creighton University School of Law and is a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College.

Monnat currently sits on the Kansas Trial Lawyers Association’s Board of Editors and is the Criminal Law Chair. He is a Fellow of the American Bar Association, the Kansas Bar Association, the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American Board of Criminal Lawyers. He is a Life Member and past Board Member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, as well as a two-term past president of the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

A frequent national lecturer and editorial contributor on criminal defense topics, Monnat is the author of “Sentencing, Probation, and Collateral Consequences,” a chapter of the Kansas Bar Association’s Kansas Criminal Law Handbook, 5th edition.

Monnat & Spurrier was founded in 1985 by Monnat and legal scholar Stan Spurrier. The firm has seven lawyers and has earned a reputation for its work in criminal defense, white-collar criminal defense and appellate practice.

  • Nov 04, 2019
  • KSNW TV
  • -
  • by John Asebes

WICHITA – Wichita police said a fetus was discovered in a box on Sunday in south Wichita. It happened at about 4:45 p.m. near Skinner and Greenway.

Police said a 57-year-old woman found the box with bloody material and a fetus inside. The fetus is presumed to be 10 weeks gestation or younger. The coroner will try to determine the age of the fetus.

Police said the investigation will continue after they receive the coroner’s report.

“We don’t believe it will be criminal,” said Capt. Brent Allred, Wichita Police Department. “This is a unique situation. We usually don’t see these, but we will go from there.”

If you know anything about this case, you are asked to call detectives at (316) 268-4407.

See the full interview at KSN.com

  • Nov 01, 2019
  • Monnat & Spurrier
  • -
  • by Dan Monnat

WICHITA – A joint survey by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers has awarded Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, five “Best Law Firms” 2020 Rankings for the Wichita area in the sectors of General Practice Criminal Defense, White-Collar Criminal Defense, Appellate Practice, Bet-the-Company Litigation, and DUI/DWI Defense.

“We are always gratified by the comments and rankings attributed to us by these client and peer surveys,” said Dan Monnat. “Protecting the rights and liberties of our clients is our highest priority, and for us it’s the most crucial rank of all.”

“Best Law Firms” Rankings are based on a rigorous process that includes evaluations by clients who are asked to rank firms for their expertise, responsiveness, cost-effectiveness, civility, and whether they would refer others to the firm. Additionally, Best Lawyers conducts an independent analysis of each firm and surveys attorneys in similar practice areas to compile its final list of rankings.

Defense attorney Dan Monnat and legal scholar Stan Spurrier founded Monnat & Spurrier in 1985. The firm has gained an international reputation for its defense of such high-profile clients as late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller; the unfortunate innocent person whose home was mistakenly raided by police as being that of serial killer BTK; and most recently, the Western Kansas man wrongly accused of murdering a four-year-old child by cruelly beating or shaking her.

In addition to Monnat and Spurrier, the firm includes shareholders Trevor Riddle and Sal Intagliata, and associates Matt Gorney, Eli O’Brien and Sarah Ellen Johnson.