Normally I won't get involved with politics, yet this one hits close to home. Here's my story.
Endorsing Stephen Carlton – My tale of two “judges”
Not too many people pay attention to judicial elections. But for me it’s a matter of life and death.
I have had the unique position of dealing with both of the candidates for Division II Circuit Court Judge: Jasper County prosecutor, Dean Dankelson, and Division VI Judge, Stephen P. Carlton. Voters will choose between them this Tuesday.
Two years ago, I had a child whose mother was dealing with severe drug addiction, and was facing several felony charges.
Unfortunately, the behavior worsened. The mother kidnapped my daughter on two separate occasions. The police said they wanted kidnapping charges filed against the mother, as we had information that the mother was seeking someone to kill or injure me. She was facing a charge in Vernon County for hiring someone to hurt another woman. The police asked that we touch base with the prosecutor, as the officers would be going over to seek charges.
When the prosecutor was contacted he was rude and disinterested. Dean Dankelson refused to hear the reasons we needed to act quickly for the safety of my child. He waved off our concerns, saying he didn't have the time. I cannot explain to you the fear and anger that the system refused to help me.
Then my attorney sought help through the family court. Judge Stephen Carlton reacted promptly, professionally and in accordance with the law to help get my child returned. He provided us with orders that allowed us to go to Vernon County where we thought she was with the child. The Vernon County prosecutor and judge promptly assisted my attorney and provided Sheriff’s officers to go to the home where she was believed to be hiding. They found my one year-old daughter hidden under the home in a crawl space. The mother had her bags packed and was planning to flee the area with our child.
Instead of kidnapping, Mr. Dankelson begrudgingly charged her with a misdemeanor custody interference. This allowed her to leave jail on bond, which left us very worried. Then a few weeks later, our fears were confirmed: this woman hired two armed gunmen to invade my home and kidnap my daughter. They kicked in the door to my house and fired shots through the wall into the bedroom where I was with my child. Had I not placed some furniture items in the closet, we would have both been killed. The bullets stopped inside those pieces of furniture or would have struck either one or both of us. My daughter and I should have had the full extent of the law to protect us. Instead we got an inch of plywood.
It was only after this incident that Mr. Dankelson filed appropriate charges. While awaiting disposition of her case, the mother tried to hire someone at the jail to try again to remove me from my daughter’s life by violence. At disposition Mr. Dankelson agreed to dismiss the assault charge that would force the mother to serve 85% of her 15 year sentence. I am now in a position where this woman will likely be out of prison very soon. The pattern is very clear: I have no reason to believe that she will stop her efforts to remove my daughter from my life by any means necessary.
The only person who seemed to understand the gravity of this situation, and how the law could be used to protect me and my child was Judge Stephen P. Carlton. In all the meeting with prosecutors and staff I never met Mr. Dankelson. He offered no apology for failing to recognize the danger of this situation when we reached out to him. He never entered the courtroom for any of the hearings in this matter. He did not reach out to let me know that when he dismissed one charge I could be fighting for my child’s life again in less than 5 years on a 15 year sentence. His lack of response and failure to protect my child left me feeling that the prosecutor does not look out for the victims. Judge Carlton made me feel that he was empathetic to the situation and that his number one priority was the safety of my child. I thank him that I still have my child, and at least for a few more months we can live safely.
Judge Stephen P. Carlton has proven experience and a track record of following the law to protect victims in both civil and criminal court. Please keep this in mind when you place your vote this Tuesday, August 2.
This is not a popularity contest or a test of who we think is a nice person - it's a life or death difference in who will take action for people in our community like me and my daughter. Thank you.
21 comments:
This has happened more times than it should have with Dankelson. He's a horrible prosecutor and would make a nightmare of a judge.
I have a very good friend who was an administrative assistant at Dankelson's office. One of his deputy's wanted to hire a personal friend so my friend was let go. My friend is a wonderful, responsible, competent person who is not the type of person to ever get fired. This tells me that Dankelson is not a person of integrity. I will never vote for him.
Is it just me but this guy states he never met Dankleson, so he sure has a bias opinion against him for never meeting. Sad situation but there has to be more to the story. To be fair, you have posted in giving info that this guy's attorney donated $300 to Judge Carlton.
It's not necessary to have to meet the man in person to feel the extent of his bad professionalism.
Actually it's kind of a difficult to meet this guy when he never shows up in the courtroom.
Interesting that 7:20 responded so quickly, yet the post wasn't updated until after 8:30 on the blog. Hmmm....
Nothing funny about it. All of my posts and the comments are two hours off. When I first created the blog, I set it at the wrong time and I never have changed it.
His commercial is full of lies. No one has seen him in a courtroom, let alone a death penalty case. Last I knew, Norman Rouse was the prosecutor who handled every death penalty trial. Dean Dankelson does nothing but collect favors from defense attorneys. Maybe if his lazy self becomes a judge, our law enforcement will finally have some help in puting criminals behind bars. Dankelson is worthless.
I have tried to share this post for about 45 min and it won't let me. It says content is not available. I try over and over again. Some one posted this on FB about an hour ago and when I tried to comment on it, it wouldn't let me, it said this content had been removed. WOW this is getting blocked!
It is hard to understand how this man had remained prosecutor for this many years. Now wants to be judge? Does anyone pay attentiof cases such at the death of the woman on 20th trying to get into her home--the same woman who begged for help and Dankelson chose to send him a notice im the mail rather than request a warrant. She was murdered!!!
What is this county thinking? Do not promte him. Get rid of him!
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article340744/Police-say-mom-offered-men-car-to-kidnap-1-year-old-daughter.html
Carlson is no better. Totally bias in courtroom. Better not say anything negative against a mother in his court. Prefers a deadbeat mom who refuses to get a job and support her kids, living in subsidized housing, food stamps, etc. Drains a father of his resources until he cant afford his own placed to live, where he can have his children. Compliments a mother living off the state for how she gets by (while pregnant by a guy she has known for only couple months - baby #4!) Father gets no credit for providing for kids and having them 80% of time, must pay child support to mother! I now see why some guys appear to be deadbeat dads - the court has stripped them of the ability to live and support themselves, care for their children and they keep falling futher into the hole the court forced on them. NO, Carlson is no better either.
Carlton gives father's equal custody rights all the time and gives Father's residential custody a lot too. He is very fair.
Do you want him as a corrupt Prosecutor for 2 more years or a corrupt Judge for the next 4? That is your option today. Either way, Jasper County loses.
I wonder how the corrupt prosecutor keeps getting reelected?
If ya want to see Dankelson just go to club 609,there every day from 5 till 7 thats why the william"s donated $300.00
You don't pay much attention to your ballot. If you did, you would see that he has never had opposition. This is the first time the man has had to run for anything. He was appointed and then had been unopposed for all this time. What attorney is going to run against a man that has all the defense attorney money backing him? Pointless.
For the same reason that all these "do nothing" sots keep getting reelected. They have an R behind their name on the ballot and most of the working poor in this area mistakenly believe that they too are Republicans. These people are under the illusion that they actually have something in common with the likes of Blunt or Long.
I had a legitimate case for theft, all the documentation needed and huge support from the JPD that final there was enough evidence to hold the woman accountable. Yet Dankelson refused to return calls and the thief is still at large. And now he wants to to be a judge. There is no balance of justice with him.
While many men sit in jail for failure to provide child support...my ex owed the kids over 75,000 in back child support....he dropped the case on her for her inability to pay.
Our system is broken and Dankelson is part of the reason.
I tried as well to get the word out before the election. I too was a victim of a horrible crime that the guy admitted he wanted me dead under oath yet I was also refused any direct contact with dankelson. I am horrified at the idea of him being a judge. Every person who has been in front of Steve that I know has been treated very fairly!
Post a Comment