The 2022 edition of Who’s Who Legal: Business Crime Defense has named Dan Monnat, of Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, one of the world’s leading business crime defense attorneys. He is the only attorney from Wichita and one of only two attorneys in Kansas selected to the list, which encompasses the top attorneys from 38 countries worldwide.

“Who’s Who focuses on an international list of lawyers with expertise in representing companies and individuals involved in white-collar criminal litigation,” Monnat said. “While the Who’s Who research focuses primarily on white-collar criminal trial practice, it also encompasses those attorneys who have significant experience in cutting-edge matters involving compliance, investigations, enforcement proceedings, and parallel or related civil litigation. I’ve been privileged to be part of the Who’s Who list since 2014, and each year it’s an even greater honor.”

Monnat has practiced in Kansas for 45 years, handling criminal and white-collar criminal cases that have attracted international attention, including the defense of late-term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller.

Monnat is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, the American Bar Foundation, and the Kansas Bar Foundation. He has been named one of the Top 10 Super Lawyers in Kansas and Missouri for the past four years, and has been included on the Super Lawyers Top 100 list for more than 15 years.

A graduate of California State University, Monnat received his J.D. from Creighton University School of Law and is a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College.

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

Monnat served as a member of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Board of Directors from 1996 – 2004, and is a two-term past president of the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

WICHITA — Four Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, attorneys have been honored by Best Lawyers in America® 2023, including firm President Dan Monnat, who was named to the prestigious list for the 35th consecutive year.

Dan Monnat has practiced in Wichita and throughout Kansas for more than 45 years, defending individuals and companies in high-stakes federal and state jury trials, appellate courts, regulatory proceedings, grand jury, and other investigations. Monnat makes his 35th consecutive appearance on the list and was recognized this year in four distinct areas: Criminal Defense-General Practice; Criminal Defense-White Collar; Bet-the-Company Litigation; and Appellate Practice.

A noted legal author and lecturer, Monnat is a graduate of California State University, with a J.D. from Creighton University School of Law. He is a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College.

Sal Intagliata earned his eighth consecutive listing by Best Lawyers in the areas of Criminal Defense: General Practice; Criminal Defense: White-Collar, and DUI / DWI Defense. A shareholder at Monnat & Spurrier, his career includes 23 years as a distinguished criminal defense attorney in private practice, as well as four years as a Sedgwick County Assistant District Attorney, where he prosecuted cases in the Gangs/Violent Crimes Division.

Intagliata earned his bachelor’s degree, with distinction, from the University of Kansas. He earned his J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law in May 1995.

Stan Spurrier, an accomplished legal scholar who co-founded the firm with Monnat in 1985, was recognized in the areas of: Appellate Practice; Criminal Defense: General Practice; and Criminal Defense: White-Collar.

Spurrier earned his bachelor’s degree from Wichita State University and his J.D., magna cum laude, from Washburn University School of Law.

Eli O’Brien is an associate attorney whose primary practice includes defense of serious felony accusations, as well as DUI / DWI cases. He was honored by Best Lawyers in the area of Criminal Defense: White-Collar.

Before joining Monnat & Spurrier in 2015, O’Brien was a trial attorney with the Sedgwick County Public Defender’s Office. A graduate of Washburn University School of Law, O’Brien also holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Emporia State University.

“Selection to Best Lawyers in America is based on reviews by legal peers who are in the best position to evaluate the professional conduct and capabilities of their colleagues,” said Monnat. “In a profession that’s often adversarial, the true honor for our firm is to receive such consistent, high regards from our peers.”

WICHITA, Kan. – Chambers USA 2022 has once again ranked Dan Monnat, of Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, among Kansas’ top litigators in the areas of White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations, citing his work in healthcare and financial investigations. Chambers has placed Monnat among the state’s top-tier attorneys in this sector for 12 consecutive years.

“I’ve always said that the practice of law is about more than the law… it’s about the thought, action, courage and care we bring to bear in the defense of every client,” Monnat said. “I’m honored that the lawyers and clients surveyed by Chambers have continued to recognize this commitment in my practice, and have seen fit to name me to this distinguished list for the past dozen years.”

For more than 45 years, Monnat has practiced criminal law, white-collar criminal law and appellate law in Wichita and across Kansas. Highly regarded by peers and clients alike, Monnat has been named one of Super Lawyers’ Top 10 Lawyers in Missouri and Kansas every year since 2018. A graduate of California State University, he received his J.D. from Creighton University School of Law. He also is a graduate of Gerry Spence’s Trial Lawyer’s College.

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

Monnat has earned distinction as a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Criminal Lawyers, the American Bar Foundation, and the Kansas Bar Foundation. He currently sits on the Kansas Association of Trial Lawyers’ Board of Editors.

Monnat is a member of the National Trial Lawyers Association. He is a past member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and lectures frequently at NACDL conferences and at other legal seminars nationwide.

Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, was founded in 1985 by Monnat and legal scholar Stan Spurrier. In addition to Monnat and Spurrier, the firm includes shareholder Sal Intagliata and associates Eli O’Brien and Alex Sheppard.

WICHITA, Kan. – Alex Sheppard has joined Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered as an associate attorney. His primary practice will focus on the defense of criminal cases including DUIs, drug offenses and domestic violence.

Sheppard comes to Monnat & Spurrier from a prominent personal injury firm where he fought big insurance companies and recovered millions in compensation for injured parties.

“We’re extremely pleased to have Alex join our firm,” said firm President Dan Monnat. “His competitive drive, detailed preparation and work ethic are excellent attributes for a courtroom attorney, whether he’s trying a criminal misdemeanor or a serious felony. Alex’s trial experience will serve our clients especially well.”

A graduate of Washburn University School of Law, Sheppard also holds a bachelor’s degree in biopsychology from Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa, where he received an athletic scholarship and swam on its men’s swim team.

Sheppard is a member of the Kansas Bar Association, Wichita Bar Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers and Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. Active in the Wichita community, Sheppard is a member of Wichita Young Professionals.

Founded in 1985 by litigator Dan Monnat and legal scholar Stan Spurrier, Monnat & Spurrier has built a national reputation for criminal defense and appellate defense, computer crimes defense, and white-collar criminal defense. In addition to Monnat, Spurrier and Sheppard, the firm includes former prosecutor Sal Intagliata and former public defender Eli O’Brien.

Attorney Eli O’Brien led the successful defense of a former federal employee accused of the domestic violence aggravated assault of his probation officer wife. The defendant was found not guilty after a multi-day jury trial.

WICHITA — “No one’s happy about the situation at all. But it’s an opportunity to do the right thing,” said Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple.

Just one day after Wichita leaders announced an investigation into the police department regarding alleged inappropriate and racist messages being shared by officers, Mayor Whipple said he’s already warning of the repercussions.

“In these types of situations, it’s going to lead to these cases getting tossed out so that other cases can actually take precedence over them, which means we will potentially have people who committed crimes going out scot free,” said Whipple.

It’s actually a law under “Brady-Giglio”, which means when law enforcement officers are called as witnesses, a prosecutor must disclose any evidence that could impact the accuracy of their testimony.

“They have a history of the deviant behavior behind the association they have with each other in the attitude that they have. And that’s something that we should not tolerate,” said Larry Burks Sr., the President NAACP-Wichita.

The district attorney’s office has already pulled all of the records involving the sheriff’s office employees who Sheriff Jeff Easter said were sharing similar and offensive texts.

The DA dismissed about 50 pending traffic tickets, 10 pending and nonviolent criminal cases, and reviewed 120 criminal cases that had already been resolved by the three deputies who were involved.

“I really appreciate the DA going and doing what he has already done with the cases that those officers have been involved with. And those are being looked at right now. I understand that some of those cases have been dismissed. I’m sure a whole lot more that needs to take place,” said Burks Sr.

“Motive, interest, bias, dishonesty is always relevant to credibility,” said Dan Monnat, a local defense attorney.

Monnat said prosecutors can’t withhold evidence that would favor someone accused of a crime.

“Isn’t the jury entitled to know that the so-called objective, forthright testimony they heard from the law enforcement officer on the witness stand is in fact, shaded and undermined by the subjective racism of the off-duty policeman,” said Monnat.

District Attorney Marc Bennett sent an email response to KAKE News Wednesday night saying he did meet with representatives with the WPD, but at this point in the process he’s still assessing the situation and does not have an update.

See full video at KAKE.com

HUTCHINSON, Kan.  – What started the Cottonwood Complex blaze that claimed one life and destroyed at least 35 homes?

“We are still in the investigation. There’s not a lot I can say about it, but we are in the middle of that,” said Reno County sheriff Darrian Campbell. “When you see 35 homes totally destroyed, that’s awful. That’s awful. I have no words.”

Campbell says he is impressed with all the help in Reno County, from fire crews coming from all over the state to volunteers pitching in and his staff working overtime.

But he says charges are a possibility, and the state fire marshal’s office is also investigating since there has been a death in the fire.

“Also, there’s so much monetary damage done by this fire,” said Campbell. “We just have to look into it and investigate it. If somebody is responsible for it, we can possibly hold them accountable.”

Some residents near the fire are asking about fines or legal charges coming as a result of the fire.

“I think somebody should have to pay for this,” said Patricia Strait, who lives near the fire. “There’s like, what, 35 houses that were burned down? How many people are out of a home?”

Patricia says her sister lost her home in the fire. And that fire barely missed her own home.

Campbell continues to praise those responders at every level that have stepped up to help.

“The outpour for offers to help is phenomenal, and I just wanted to say thank you to all those agencies,” said Campbell.

Campbell also said the state fire marshal’s office is involved because of a death resulting from the fire.

“Everybody knows that there has been a body found, so automatically, the state fire marshal office has to be notified, and they were on the scene,” said Campbell. “So the state fire marshal, Hutchinson fire department and Reno county sheriff’s office went ahead and responded and to work that crime scene. And I say crime scene because that’s now how it has to be investigated.”

KSN Legal analyst Dan Monnat looked into charges due to the fire.

“The person could be liable for, even unintended deaths,” said Monnat. “There are possibly two homicide charges that could be charged. One is second-degree murder, which is the killing of a human being under circumstances recklessly manifesting an extreme disregard for the value of human life or involuntary manslaughter, which is simply the killing of another human being, recklessly.”

Monnat says those would be extreme charges, but there is case law in Kansas that looks at unintentional consequences from a fire.

KSN News reached out to the district attorney’s office in Reno County.

Deputy district attorney Andrew Davidson responded.

“The investigation into the wildfires is still ongoing, and the Reno County District Attorney’s Office cannot comment about the investigation at this time,” said Davidson. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families affected by this tragedy.”

See full story at KSN.com

WICHITA, Kansas – Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers has named Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, attorneys Sal Intagliata and Eli O’Brien to its esteemed list for 2021. Intagliata was honored by Super Lawyers for the eighth consecutive year, while O’Brien earned recognition as one of Super Lawyers’ “Rising Stars.”

Only 5 percent of eligible attorneys are selected for the overall Super Lawyers list. Only 2.5 percent of eligible attorneys are honored among the Rising Stars list, which includes only those attorneys under 40 years of age.

Sal Intagliata is a shareholder in the firm and has practiced law for more than 26 years. His career includes 22 years as a distinguished criminal defense attorney in private practice and four years as a Sedgwick County Assistant District Attorney prosecuting cases in the Gangs/Violent Crimes Division.

Intagliata serves on the Kansas Judicial Council Criminal Law Advisory Committee and the Kansas Supreme Court Pretrial Justice Task Force. He is a past member of the Board of Governors of the Kansas Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He is a past vice president of the Wichita Bar Association, as well as a past member of its Board of Governors and past chair of its Criminal Practice Division.

Intagliata earned his bachelor’s degree, with distinction, from the University of Kansas, graduating with dual majors in political science and Spanish. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Kansas School of Law. He is also a graduate of the National Criminal Defense College.

Eli O’Brien makes his inaugural appearance on Super Lawyers’ Rising Stars list. Since joining the firm as an associate in 2015, his primary practice has included defense of serious felony accusations, as well as DUI and DWI cases.

Prior to joining the firm, he was a trial attorney with the Sedgwick County Public Defender’s Office. Over the years as a public defender and private practice defense attorney, his jury trials have resulted in a number of acquittals.

A graduate of Washburn University School of Law and the National Criminal Defense College Trial Practice Institute, O’Brien also holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Emporia State University.

WICHITA – There are questions about a forensic pathologist who once worked for the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center. While there, he conducted hundreds of autopsies for murders, suicides…even testifying as an expert witness in homicide cases. Factfinder 12 investigator Alex Flippin looked into the doctor’s records, finding inconsistencies about where he said he worked and when he said worked there…raising questions about his education and training. Those questions were presented to the State of Kansas to find out if it saw the same inconsistencies and, if so, why the state then granted the doctor a license.

Because of bizarre circumstances surrounding his death, Bob Rai, of Alberta, Canada, believes his cousin was murdered…and he believes Dr. Bamidele Adeagbo was incorrect when he ruled the death a suicide while working as a forensic pathologist in Canada.

“In January of 2014, my cousin was found burned to death inside of his vehicle. Bamidele Adeagbo wrote the autopsy report,” Rai said. “That’s how he came onto my radar, and I started researching into where he started his career, where he got his education etc. and it took me all the way back to the state of Kansas.”

Dr. Adeagbo worked for the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center from 2008 to 2011. While there, he performed 895 autopsies – 109 of them suicides – another 43 were deemed homicides. Factfinder 12 spent months combing through hundreds of pages of Adeagbo’s school records, test scores, places he worked and the applications he filled out to work there. What we found were a lot of inconsistencies.

We started in Kansas, where on his application to become licensed to practice in the state, Adeagbo said he spent a little less than a year from 1998 to 1999 working as a therapeutic counselor for the Salvation Army. Then we went to Indiana, where he works as a doctor now.

On the application to that state, he lists the same job – this time saying he worked there, not from ‘98 to ‘99, but from ‘98 to 2001. The same years, but different dates are listed for the Salvation Army job on another record held by the Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS) – a service used by medical boards to check a doctor’s work and education records. On three different forms, the same job is listed, but with three different date ranges.

Back in Kansas, Adeagbo’s application shows he held two positions at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia for a total of 13 months. The doctor indicates on the application that, for one of those months, he served in a “pathology observership.” In Indiana, Adeagbo lists that same position but says he started that job in December of 1999. Remember, on the Kansas form he said he began that job in January of 1999. That is a discrepancy of almost a year. Also on that form, the doctor doesn’t even list the observership. On the FCVS records, Fox Chase isn’t mentioned at all.

Factfinder 12 contacted Fox Chase Cancer Center to see if they could provide exact dates when Adeagbo was there. In an emailed response, a representative with the center wrote, “No one recalls anyone by that name and we don’t usually sponsor observerships in surgical pathology.”

We responded and asked they check again. We received another emailed response reading, “He was not in the surgical pathology department at any time.”

In June of 2008, Adeagbo tells the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts (KSBHA) that he had never been denied a license to practice. Except, according to the State of Louisiana, he was denied a license three months before applying to practice in Kansas. Our investigation did find that denial of license listed on his application to practice in Indiana.

The KSBHA tells Factfinder 12 that it does not allow applying doctors to supply their medical school transcripts themselves. A KSBHA wrote in an email, “Official transcripts must be provided/verified…generally the federation the Federation Credentials Verification Service.”

We checked the FCVS record on Dr. Adeagbo and found that the FCVS, after several attempts, was unable to obtain the transcripts from Adeagbo’s medical school in Nigeria.

So, why does this matter? Because the determinations made by forensic pathologists help guide criminal cases. They help determine if something criminal occurred that led to a death, and they’re often called to testify under oath about their findings. They have to be credible. Juries will use parts of their testimony to determine guilt or innocence, and Dr. Adeagbo’s records certainly raise questions and for some, like Wichita defense attorney Dan Monnat, they raise concerns.

“All those things are red flags that should suggest to you, me and the defense attorney that this expert is not qualified,” Monnat said after reviewing the findings of the Factfinder 12 investigation.

Adeagbo did testify in homicide cases, so we asked Monnat whether what we uncovered could have any impact on those cases that were all heard by juries more than a decade ago.

“You’ve got to be able to demonstrate to the court three things. Number one, that the testimony provided by the expert, as here, is in fact false. That the prosecution knew it was false and that the perjured testimony was material,” Monnat added.

Monnat says proving those three things is a complex, uphill battle that has limited possibilities of success for anyone hoping for a new trial. When asked what he would think if he had been the attorney representing a client in a trial where Dr. Adeagbo had testified, Monnat said he would have to decide whether to contact his client and suggest an additional action may be in order on that client’s behalf.

So, now removed by years, the question may not be about what can be done, but what should be done.

“Organize a panel to review all the cases in which the suspect expert testified and review them to see if there are convictions that ought to be set aside,” Monnat said. “I applaud all the prosecutors that have done that. And there’s no reason to think that wouldn’t happen here…based on what I’ve seen so far? Yes, it certainly seems like this should be reviewed by a prosecutorial authority.”

Factfinder 12 reached Dr. Adeagbo at the hospital where he works in Indiana to share with him what we found. He told us administrators at Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia may not remember him because he wasn’t there very long. He also said, at the time he applied for a license in Kansas, he did not know he’d been denied a license in Louisiana.

Since leaving Kansas, Dr. Adeagbo has continued working as a forensic pathologist with no record of censure or infraction that we could find.

The real question: How was a doctor, with the inconsistent records we found, able to receive a license in Kansas? We asked that questions to the Kansas State Board of Healing Arts. In an emailed response, a representative with the organization said the American Medical Association confirmed Dr. Adeagbo’s education and, even though they also said they require the medical school a doctor attends to provide his record, they accepted notarized copies from Adeagbo himself and a certificate from the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates.

The same representative said our investigation raises new “factual allegations” that are being addressed, but that Kansas law prohibits from talking about their investigation with us unless the board files a petition for discipline.

See full video at KWCH.com

WICHITA, Kansas – For the fourth consecutive year, celebrated criminal defense attorney Dan Monnat, of Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered, has been ranked among the Top 10 of Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers. He has been among the overall Top 100 of Missouri & Kansas Super Lawyers for more than 15 years.

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

“After more than 45 years of practice, it continues to be my greatest privilege to stand with those accused and defend their Constitutional rights,” Monnat said. “There are many accomplished attorneys and great legal minds among the Super Lawyers honorees, and I’m truly humbled to be listed among the Top 10 again this year.”

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 co-author of “Sentencing, Probation, and Collateral Consequences,” a chapter of the Kansas Bar Association’s Kansas Criminal Law Handbook, 5th edition.

Monnat & Spurrier celebrates its 36th anniversary this year. The firm was founded in 1985 by Monnat and legal scholar Stan Spurrier. Today the firm has five lawyers and has earned a reputation for its work in all sectors of criminal defense and criminal appeals.