WICHITA – A federal judge ordered the Kansas Highway Patrol to stop using a procedure called the “Kansas Two-Step,” on the grounds that it was a violation of the fourth amendment. Criminal defense attorney Dan Monnat tells KSN TV that when a traffic stop is over, the KHP has a responsibility to let drivers go. Instead, troopers would return the motorist’s license, walk “two steps” away thus ending the traffic stop, then go back to question the driver about another matter…

After a juror in an April murder trial was caught looking up information online about the case, his actions resulted in a mistrial. Now, a second jury is convened and local criminal defense attorney Dan Monnat tells KAKE TV: “Jury selection is the vanguard of your 6th Amendment Constitutional right to be tried by an impartial jury. In the retrial, it is imperative the judge, prosecution and defense to hammer home the rules to the jury…. All here want to emphasize the independent duty of each juror to police themselves and make sure they are not listening to any outside sources….”

A Wichita apartment complex told its tenants they could get $20 off their rent if they leave a five-star review. Attorney Dan Monnat weighs in on whether this crosses the line saying, “Is an influenced… or incentivized… or paid-for… or bribed-for online review in a consumer transaction a fair review? … If it’s a biased, exaggerated, or untrue review, then it may qualify as a deceptive practice…”

WICHITA — A teenager accused of killing another teen at Towne East Square last year will be tried as an adult rather than a juvenile, a highly unusual change, according to Wichita defense attorney Dan Monnat. “This juvenile is 17 years old, so he could be treated in a juvenile detention facility until he’s 23, so it’s a maximum six-year sentence. On the other hand, if this juvenile is instead treated as an adult, he is exposed to a possible sentence of life in prison….”

Defense Attorney by Day and Rockstar by night. That’s what KSN-TV calls Dan Monnat, who rocks the lead vocals and drums in a bootleg R&B trio known as The House Band. Dan says there is a common soul between musicians and trial lawyers who share their talents to persuade people about the “epic experiences of life: love, peace, war, sorrow, enthusiasm, celebration, and mourning….

President Joe Biden is pardoning thousands of Americans convicted of “simple possession” of marijuana under federal law. 12 News spoke with criminal defense attorney Dan Monnat to gain perspective on what kind of impact this could have on Kansas, where Monnat says “far less than a blunt is enough to prosecute somebody in Kansas….”