Drug Checkpoints… Are They Legal?

WICHITA, Kansas — DUI check lanes are legal…drug check lanes appear to be a legal question mark…. “No law enforcement officer has a constitutional privilege to manufacture a traffic violation that did not occur,” says KSN Legal Analyst Dan Monnat. “Such a stop would be an unreasonable seizure.….”

Jon McConnell Named to The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40

The National Trial Lawyers has named Monnat & Spurrier, Chartered attorney Jon McConnell to its Top 40 Under 40 list. The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 Under 40 is composed of the top trial lawyers from each state, or regions of certain highly populated states, who are younger than 40. Membership into The National Trial Lawyers: Top 40 under 40 is by invitation only and is extended exclusively to those trial lawyers practicing civil plaintiff and/or criminal defense law.

High Court Reverses Jessica’s Law Convictions of Former Police Chief

The Kansas Supreme Court on Friday reversed the convictions and ordered a new trial for a former Inman police chief convicted on 15 counts of sexual assault on children living in his home. Daniel Monnat, a Wichita attorney who argued Akins’ appeal, praised the Supreme Court finding that the prosecutor’s comments denied Akins a fair trial and said, “Courtroom theatrics are not evidence….”

Kansas Supreme Court Reverses Convictions of Ex-Inman Police Chief

The Kansas Supreme Court, citing prosecutorial misconduct, has reversed child-sex-crimes convictions of a former Inman police chief and ordered that he get a new trial. Michael Adkins attorney, Dan Monnat, said, “Courtroom theatrics are not evidence…”

Former Inman Police Chief to Get New Trial

“A former Kansas police chief who was convicted of child sex crimes will get a new trial. Friday, the Kansas Supreme Court granted Akins a new trial after finding prosecutorial misconduct. Dan Monnat, Akins’ attorney, says he’s confident his client will be exonerated at a new trial. In the meantime, he’ll likely ask a judge to release Akins on bond. Michael Akins once served as Chief of Police in Inman. In 2011, Akins was sentenced to two life sentences for sexually assaulting three children.”

Ex-Kan. Police Chief to Get New Trial

McPHERSON, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has ordered a new trial for a former police chief convicted of 15 counts of sexually molesting three girls. Forty-two-year-old Michael Akins Jr. was convicted in 2011 and sentenced to two life terms. He was police chief in the central Kansas town of Inman when he was charged. The Supreme Court reversed…

Kansas Supreme Court Reverses Convictions, Life Sentences of Ex-Kansas Police Chief Mike Akins Jr.

Citing prosecutorial misconduct, the Kansas Supreme Court has reversed 15 convictions and two consecutive life sentences of ex-Inman, Kansas, police chief Mike Akins Jr. “Mr. Akins is confident that he will be found not guilty at any new trial,” said his lawyer, Dan Monnat. The Akins’ decision was Monnat’s “fourth reversal of a life sentence for sex offenses under Jessica’s Law…”

Sex Convictions of Former Inman Police Chief Overturned by Kansas Supreme Court

The Kansas Supreme Court reversed a former Inman police chief’s convictions on sexual abuse charges Friday, and a new trial was ordered…. In the appeal, Akins attorney, Dan Monnat, alleged the assistant attorney general who prosecuted the case… made several errors that denied Akins a fair trial, saying the prosecutor “posed as her own unsworn psuedo-psychological expert….”

Free Speech Battle Heats Up

LAWRENCE, Kansas – Freedom of speech. It’s in the First Amendment. Some say it’s been dampened in Kansas. Says KSN Legal Analyst Dan Monnat: “The issue involved in the Board of Regents policy here, brings up exactly the question that has not been decided by the United States Supreme Court. That is, whether the rule restricting speech of public employees applies in academic freedom and scholarship.”

Questionnaire Could Determine Who Has to Take Drug Test for Welfare Benefits

WICHITA, Kansas – A drug abuse assessment form may become one of the factors that determines which welfare recipients will have to take a drug test to receive benefits. But how the test is administered may mean a person could be giving up Constitutional rights just to feed her or his family, says KSN Legal Expert Dan Monnat…