Government memo: Joplin man should serve 24 years in prison on meth, weapons charges

When the sentencing hearing for Robert Marion Nevels, 36, Joplin, on methamphetamine possession and weapons charges is held Wednesday in U. S. District Court in Springfield, the government is aiming for a 24-year-sentence. 

The case for a lengthy sentence for Nevels was detailed by the U. S. Attorney's office in a sentencing memorandum filed today.

The defendant, a career offender, sold large amounts of methamphetamine to numerous persons in the Jasper and Newton County areas of this district. 

These sales destroyed lives and damaged the communities where the sales occurred. The defendant, while both a convicted felon, and while distributing methamphetamine, possessed a firearm, also a dangerous action. 

The defendant’s actions, in distribution of methamphetamine, and his possession of the firearm, is conduct that requires a serious punishment. A total sentence of 292 months reflects the serious nature of this offense and the need for adequate punishment. 

According to the charging information, a Carthage Police Department officer stopped Robert Marion Nevels, 35, May 16 and seized 210.5 grams of crystal methamphetamine and a handgun. 

Jason Smith: Bring back Trump's effective border agenda

(From Eighth District Congressman Jason Smith)

On September 22, St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Officer David Lee tragically passed away after he was struck by the car of an illegal immigrant who was intoxicated, driving without a license, and going way over the speed limit. Officer Lee was a father, husband, and a hero who dedicated his life to protecting the community. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.

What makes this tragedy more painful is that it never should have happened. The illegal immigrant who struck Officer Lee had a criminal record; he was on probation for a 2020 DWI case and felony domestic assault conviction for breaking down the door of the home he shared with a woman, then strangling, punching, and kicking her. He should have been deported for committing these crimes; instead, he was given a slap on the wrist and released on bond.







Far too many innocent people have been murdered or violently attacked by dangerous people who are living in this country illegally. Back in March, an illegal immigrant stabbed two people at a laundromat in the St. Louis area. In February, 22-year-old Laken Riley was brutally murdered by a Venezuelan national who had been paroled into the country in the fall of 2022. And in June, 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray was murdered by two Venezuelans who were caught illegally entering the country then released. These are just a few examples of the dangerous consequences of the Biden-Harris administration’s open border agenda that they began putting in place the day they took office.

On day one of the Biden-Harris administration, they ended construction on former President Donald Trump’s border wall. They continued taking a sledgehammer to Trump’s effective border agenda by reinstating catch-and-release and getting rid of Remain in Mexico and Title 42. Thanks to their radical immigration agenda, there have been more than two million known gotaways since they took office – that’s almost double the total number from the previous 10 years combined. For 40 consecutive months, illegal immigrant crossings were higher under this administration than the highest month under Trump. And under their watch, nearly 400 suspected terrorists have been caught illegally crossing our borders; making matters worse, at least 99 of them were released into our country.

On September 27, Border czar Kamala Harris made her second trip to the border. It was nothing more than a photo-op – just like her first visit where, according to the New York Post, “federal agents on the front lines were instructed to completely sanitize the area to hide the true severity of the crisis from cameras.” 

Photo-ops and empty rhetoric won’t solve the border crisis. What we need is for the Biden-Harris administration to bring back Trump’s effective border agenda – policies they got rid of because they were Trump’s.

The chaos on the border has created major public safety and national security issues. Far too many innocent people have been murdered or violently attacked at the hands of illegal immigrants. Instead of pandering to radical Leftists who want America to be the only nation in the world without borders, the Biden-Harris administration must use the tools it has to make our border secure and our communities safe again. I will continue pushing this administration to do what’s right and bring back Trump’s tough immigration agenda.

Joplin man sentenced for mail theft, bank and wire fraud

(From the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri)

A Joplin, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for stealing mail from Joplin residents as part of a conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud.

Aaron M. Blake, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge M. Douglas Harpool to three years and seven months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Blake to pay $12,482 in restitution to his victims.

On Feb. 13, 2024, Blake pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Co-defendant Emily Anna-Lee Sturgis, 31, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and to one count of bank fraud and awaits sentencing.

Sturgis and Blake admitted they conspired from December 2022 to Jan. 26, 2023, to steal mail out of residential mailboxes and off porches in Joplin. The stolen mail included credit cards, debit cards, checks, cash, jewelry, and documents that contained personal identifying information (such as names, dates of birth, Social Security numbers, and bank account information). They stole Pandora jewelry from one victim’s mailbox, and a Christmas card that contained a $500 check from another victim’s mailbox. They used the stolen credit cards to unlawfully make purchases.

Blake, with the knowledge and assistance of Sturgis, used the stolen personal information to open credit card accounts and bank accounts under those stolen names. He then used these fraudulently created credit and bank accounts to make unlawful purchases.

Sturgis and Blake attempted to obtain at least $13,845 from their victims and did obtain at least $12,482 from their victims.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Casey Clark. It was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Carthage, Mo., Police Department and the Jasper County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Former Mac County janitor explains hidden camera- He wanted to look at pretty girls' bodies and faces

A bond review hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday in McDonald County Circuit Court for a former McDonald County High School janitor who allegedly installed a hidden camera in the girls locker room.

Rodger Copeland, 53, Neosho, is being held without bond after being arrested by the Neosho Police Department and McDonald County Sheriff's Office.

The McDonald County Prosecuting Attorney's office charged Copeland with sexual exploitation of a minor, possession of child pornography and invasion of privacy-victim less than 18, all felonies.

According to the probable cause statement, deputies were sent to the high school following the discovery of the camera. obtained a search warrant and found evidence on the camera indicating it belonged to Copeland.

From the probable cause statement:

Copeland was later arrested and brought to the McDonald County Sheriff's Office, where I interviewed him. After his rights were read to him, and he understood and wanted to speak with me, Copeland stated he put the camera in the girl's locker room. 

Copeland then stated he wanted to experiment, and wanted to look at the girl's bodies, and faces, because they were pretty. Copeland stated he did it because it had to do a lot with him being lonely.

Breastfeeding mother charged with careless driving, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child

The Jasper County Prosecuting Attorney's office charged a Joplin woman with careless and imprudent driving and two misdemeanor counts of endangering the welfare of a child following a September 19 Joplin Police Department traffic stop.

The allegations against Quanita R. Prince (DOB 1991) were spelled out in the probable cause statement:

On 09/19/2024, I stopped a White Mitsubishi Outlander for driving with no headlights, making an illegal U-turn, into oncoming traffic, and a wide right turn, at an intersection in Joplin, Missouri, Jasper County. 

After I stopped the vehicle, I approached and contacted the driver Quanita Prince, who was actively breastfeeding V1 and was unrestrained, while V2 was asleep, face down, in the passenger seat unrestrained. 

I asked Prince why the children were unrestrained, which she did not have an answer for. She stated that she was lost and did not realize that she was driving the way she was. 

Eric Burlison: Biden/Harris border crisis hits southwest Missouri

(From Seventh District Congressman Eric Burlison)

I am heartbroken by the deaths of Jesse Gilmore and Officer David Lee, two individuals in Missouri who were recently killed by illegal aliens. One of the murders happened in Joplin and the other happened in St. Louis.

These tragic deaths, along with the injury of an innocent woman, underscore the profound dangers associated with open border policies. These senseless acts of violence highlight the severe consequences of failing to secure our nation’s borders. 

The Benitez brothers, along with Ramon Chavez-Rodriguez, should have never been allowed to enter our country in the first place. They must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

In 2023, half of all ICE arrests were criminal aliens. Those charges included more than 33,000 assaults and 1,700 homicides.

Jesse Gilmore and Officer Lee should still be alive today. Every crime committed by someone present illegally is a preventable crime.

 

Just last week, during an Oversight Committee hearing on the Biden-Harris administration's policy failures, I discussed numerous devastating cases just like this.

I am fully committed to securing our border and protecting American families from this invited invasion and ongoing crisis at our southern border.

Attorney asks that Newtonia man charged with child abuse be released on his own recognizance

A bond reduction hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday in Newton County Circuit Court for a Newtonia man charged with child abuse for actions he allegedly took September 14 that left a 9-month-old boy clinging to life at Children's Mercy Hospital.

In a bond reduction motion filed September 19, Andrew Hendrick, the public defender representing Jordan Boggess, 28, says his client should be released on his own recognizance or have bond set.

Hendrick notes that his client has no previous criminal history.

Currently, Boggess is being held without bond in the Newton County Jail.

In a report earlier today, KY3 in Springfield quoted the child's grandmother, Christi Newman, who offered a grim update on the child's condition:

He'll not be the same baby if he makes it. He'll be wheelchair bound; he will not be able to talk.

The allegations against Boggess are detailed in the probable cause statement:

I responded to the résidence where deputies were located. We were able to contact Jordan Boggess who was asleep inside the residence. Jordan was identified as the child's mother's fiancé. Jordan agreed to voluntarily come to the sheriff's office for an interview.

During a mirandized, recorded interview, Jordan disclosed the following information. Jordan said he. was lying in bed watching tv when the child's mother got up and went to the restroom. He said the mother placed the child in a "jumper."

Jordan said the child had vomited and ·was screaming. Jordan had said that was all that happened. Jordan then said he picked the child up from out of the jumper and began to "toss him in the air" trying to "comfort" him.

Jordan said that was all that happened.

Jordan then admitted that the child fell to the ground the second time he "tossed" him in the air. Jordan said his hands were sweaty because it was warm inside the residence and that is why the child fell to the ground.

Jordan said the child fell on his head. Jordan said that was all that happened.

Jordan then admitted after the child fell on the floor he panicked and "bear hugged" the child "a little hard" until he stopped sçreaming. Jordan asked if it was tight and he said yes. Jordan admitted he might have. hurt him when he squeezed him, Jordan said he squeezed him during the "bear hug" on the baby's torso.

Jordan was asked "so what happened to him up at the hospital is a result ·of what happened with you''--·and Jordan shook his head· yes.

Jordán also first denied picking the child up with his hands around his torso, but then later on his said he might have.

(Pictures of the child are screenshots from the KY3 report)

Neosho man arrested after hidden camera found in McDonald County High School girls locker room

Neosho Police and McDonald County Sheriff's Office deputies arrested a McDonald County R-1 custodian today after a hidden camera was found in the high school girls locker room.

The McDonald County Sheriff's Office issued the following news release:

Earlier today, McDonald County Sheriff's Office was contacted by officials from the McDonald County High School. 

A hidden camera was found by students in the girls locker room at the high school and turned in to school officials. MCSO detectives were assigned to assist School Resource Officers in the investigation.

Detectives obtained a warrant for the device and were able to identify the person who had placed the camera in the locker room who was a non-teacher employee of the school district.

 
The suspect, 53-year-old Rodger Copeland, Neosho, was arrested by Neosho Police and MCSO detectives. He was brought to the McDonald County Jail where he remains in custody held without bond.

 
This investigation will continue, and the electronic device will be sent to a computer lab for analysis.
Investigative reports will be delivered to the McDonald County Prosecuting Attorney for the filing of appropriate charges.

The McDonald County R-1 School District posted the following message this evening on its Facebook page:

This morning (Friday, September 27), a video camera was discovered in a girls’ locker room at McDonald County High School.

The camera was immediately removed and handed over to law enforcement, who are now actively investigating the matter.

Due to the ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide additional details or comment further at this time.

However, please know that we are taking this situation very seriously and are committed to the safety and privacy of all our students.

Mark Alford: We need this farm bill now

(From Fourth District Congressman Mark Alford)

This week, we were honored to lead 139 of our House colleagues in a letter showing House leadership that Republicans are committed to passing a Farm Bill that supports our nation’s constituents, farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.

We passed the Farm Bill out of committee, and now, it's time to give it to America. The stakes are high; production costs are up, and farm income is declining.

We don’t need an extension, and we don’t need this next year – we need this Farm Bill now. Our producers are worthy of certainty and support for their tireless work in feeding, fueling, and clothing the world.

Golden City man charged with felonies after bomb discovered during traffic stop

The Barton County Prosecuting Attorney's office filed a felony weapons charge against a Golden City man after a bomb was discovered in his vehicle during a traffic stop Tuesday on Mill Street in Golden City.

According to the probable cause statement, Terry Don Mitchell, (DOB 1972) was stopped because it had expired plates. A check on Mitchell showed Mitchell was driving while revoked and had not had a driver's license in Missouri since 2010.

Since Mitchell's vehicle was going to be impounded, the Barton County deputy asked him if there was anything in the vehicle he should know about.

Mitchell pointed out an item wrapped in black electrical tape on the console. It turned out to be a bomb and the Springfield Fire Department bomb squad was called to deactivate it.

In addition to the felony possession of a weapon charge, Mitchell was charged with a second felony, driving while revoked and misdemeanor charges of failure to maintain financial responsibility and failure to register a motor vehicle.

Mitchell was arraigned Thursday in Barton County Circuit Court and entered a not guilty plea. His next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

Unity of Joplin sues former spiritual leader over unreturned laptop, claims she made 'deceitful recordings"

A 1:30 p.m. October 21 hearing is scheduled in Jasper County Circuit Court on a small claims case involving Unity of Joplin and its former spiritual leader.

According to the petition, which was filed Thursday, the Unity of Joplin Board of Trustees claims Rachel Willis-Barnes failed to return a 13-inch Mac Air laptop worth $1,000 and instead substituted an HP laptop she bought on sale at Walmart for $159 and offered no explanation for the substitution.

When the board's attorney sent Willis-Barnes a letter with "an offer for remittance," Willis-Barnes contacted the attorney and said, "Tell them they can sue me," the petition said.

The letter to Willis-Barnes, which was sent by Andrew Mead, a Buffalo attorney, offered Willis-Barnes a proposal to put the $159 cost of the HP laptop toward what she owed, as long as she paid the remaining $841. An August 15 deadline was set and passed with no payment.

At the conclusion of his letter, Mead promised additional action against Willis-Barnes:

The church feels that as good stewards of their congregants' funds, they are obligated to follow up on any improprieties and take appropriate action. Other church concerns include the deceitful recordings of office conversations without consent and your failure to abide by the terms of the separation agreement which have caused great concern for the church congregation that may lead to an ethics review of your service.

Joplin District CFO to retire, former Bronaugh superintendent to transition into CFO post

(From Joplin Schools)

Please help us congratulate two district administrators on their upcoming transitions!

 
Shelly Toft, left, our district CFO, has announced her retirement effective at the end of this academic year.

Under her guidance and direction, the district’s finance department has worked to improve practices, processes, procedures, and controls for the accounting of revenues and expenditures. During her tenure, she worked to consistently raise staff wages, including research and collaboration to increase stipends for coaches and sponsors. 

She has also provided oversight on strong investment practices to maximize district revenues. We are incredibly grateful for Mrs. Toft's dedication and skill in ensuring good stewardship of district funds for the benefit of our students and staff.

Dr. Jordan Dickey will transition into the position of Assistant Superintendent of Finance and assume the role of district chief financial officer on July 1, 2025. 

Having served as Executive Director of Student Services for Joplin Schools since 2022 and through her previous time as superintendent at Bronaugh R-VII School District, Dr. Dickey is skilled in the oversight of budgets and finances. 

During the remaining months of her tenure in the Student Services Department, Dr. Dickey will partner with Shelly Toft to develop a more nuanced understanding of our district's particular budgetary and financial considerations prior to Shelly's retirement. We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Dickey into this new position to keep Joplin Schools on track for a fiscally responsible future.

We're looking forward to a bright future thanks to Mrs. Toft's leadership as she passes the torch to Dr. Dickey! Thank you both for your commitment to Joplin's families.

Rocco Joseph initial hearing in fatal hit-and-run case delayed three weeks- he will attend via Zoom

The first appearance for Rocco Joseph, 18, Joplin, on a felony charge of leaving the scene of a fatality accident will be held October 30 in Cherokee County District Court- even though Joseph will not be in the courtroom.

Cherokee County District Court online records indicate the hearing will be held "via Zoom."

The hearing was originally scheduled for 1 p.m. October 7, but the judge okayed a motion filed by Joseph's attorney, Thomas J. Bath, Leawood, Kansas, to postpone the hearing because his client had midterms at the Mississippi college he is attending.

Bath asked for the hearing to be held the following week, instead it is set for three weeks later.

Joseph is accused of being the driver in a hit-and-run accident that killed Gary LaTurner, 60, Galena, August 19, 2023.

The October 7 date is still set for the initial appearance for Joseph's father, Dr. John Joseph II, a Joplin dentist, who is also charged with leaving the scene of a fatality accident, as well as "contributing to a child's misconduct or deprivation."

Reportedly, Cherokee County District Attorney Kurt Benecke is alleging Dr. Joseph was the driver of another vehicle that arrived on the scene following the accident, then left without doing anything for LaTurner.

Joplin man pleads guilty to child pornography charges

Russell Myers, 44, Joplin, pleaded guilty this morning in U. S. District Court in Springfield to child pornography charges.

According to the indictment, Myers used two children, identified in court records as "Jane Doe" and "John Doe" to produce child pornography from January 1 to February 20, 2024.

For more information, check the link below.

The Turner Report: Joplin man to plead guilty to child pornography charges (rturner229.blogspot.com)

Failed GOP attempt to keep abortion off Missouri ballot could foreshadow fight to come

By Anna Spoerre

Missouri Independent

Four lawsuits. Several failed attempts to raise the threshold to pass constitutional amendments. One unprecedented attempt to decertify a ballot measure.

Despite this succession of failed GOP efforts to torpedo Amendment 3 over the past 18 months, abortion will remain on Missouri’s Nov. 5 ballot.

(Photo- Attendees cheer during a Missourians for Constitutional Freedom rally after the campaign turned in more than 380,000 signatures for its initiative petition to enshrine abortion rights in Missouri’s constitution Friday morning- Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

“What a long strange trip it’s been,” said Michael Wolff, a former Missouri Supreme Court chief justice and dean emeritus at St. Louis University School of Law, quoting Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia.

 

In the 18 months since the amendment, which would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability, was proposed as an initiative petition, it has faced a “minefield of ballot litigation” that ended earlier this month when the state’s highest court ruled the measure must stay on the ballot, Wolff said.

On June 24, 2022, Missouri became the first state in the country to ban abortions in response to the U.S. Supreme Court striking down Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right to an abortion. The ruling triggered a state law banning all abortions with limited exceptions in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for victims or rape or incest.

Since then, citizens in six states have voted to protect or increase abortion access, including in Kansas, Ohio and Michigan. Missouri is among 10 states where abortion will be on the ballot this year.

Amendment 3 would legalize abortion until the point of fetal viability and protect other reproductive rights, including birth control.

For anti-abortion lawmakers, “this is like the mega Super Bowl,” said James Harris, a longtime Republican political consultant.

He said litigation to drive up costs for proponents is advantageous, so lawsuits are par for the course. But the secretary of state’s effort to decertify the measure before the court cases concluded was unique.

While all the attempts were ultimately rebuffed by Missouri’s higher courts, they could foreshadow fights to come if Amendment 3 passes.

Sean Nicholson, a long-time progressive activist who has worked on multiple initiative petition campaigns, but is not involved with Amendment 3, called a circuit court ruling earlier this month that threatened to throw the measure off the ballot “some creative lawyering.”

“Nothing shocks me anymore in terms of what politicians are willing to do,” Nicholson said. “I think fundamentally they are terrified of a straight up or down vote on Amendment 3 and they’re going to pull out everything they can to avoid the consequences of voters having their say.”

State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, a Republican from Arnold, is among the anti-abortion activists who sued to keep Amendment 3 off the ballot. She said regardless of what happens in November, there’s a long road ahead.

“This is not the end all be all,” Coleman said. “And I think you will see efforts, win or lose, for Missourians to get another say in this.”

In the courts

In March 2023, 11 iterations of what’s now Amendment 3 were filed by Dr. Anna Fitz-James on behalf of the coalition behind the campaign. The political maneuvering by the state’s Republican elected officials aimed at keeping the abortion-rights amendment off the ballot began almost immediately.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey refused to accept State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s fiscal note summary estimating the potential public cost of the amendment. Bailey, who thought the estimate should be about $6.9 trillion, attempted to force Fitzpatrick to alter his estimate of $51,000.

By the time Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem ordered Bailey to certify the measure with Fitzpatrick’s estimate, the initial certification process, which is supposed to take no more than 54 days, had already taken nearly double that. The Supreme Court ultimately ruled in favor of Fitzpatrick.

Shortly after, Amendment 3 backers sued Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft over the ballot summary language he drafted, which would have asked Missourians, in part, if they wanted to “allow for dangerous, unregulated, and unrestricted abortions, from conception to live birth.”

Beetem ruled in September 2023 that Ashcroft’s language was “problematic” and inaccurate.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign behind the amendment, officially kicked-off signature gathering efforts in January, blaming the previous months of litigation for the delay.

Despite a May deadline to gather more than 171,000 signatures from Missourians across six of the eight congressional districts, the campaign ultimately filed more than 380,000 signatures with the secretary of state’s office.

This was despite a “decline to sign” campaign, the distribution of fliers urging Missourians to withdraw their signatures and unsubstantiated warnings that signing the initiative could result in identity theft.

At the same time, GOP lawmakers failed to pass one of their top priorities — legislation raising the threshold to pass initiative petitions — due in part to a record-breaking filibuster by Senate Democrats.

Chris Melody Fields Figueredo, executive director at the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, said Missouri has been a battleground for attacks on the initiative process.

“We’ve seen an escalation of attacks to the ballot measure process and politicians trying to change the rules of the game to prevent citizens from putting these issues on the ballot,” she said. “Like reproductive freedom.”

Shortly after Ashcroft certified the measure for the ballot in mid-August, he posted “fair ballot language” to his official website that mirrored the ballot language rejected by the courts in 2023. Cole County Circuit Judge Cotton Walker ruled the description was “unfair, inaccurate, insufficient and misleading.”

Ashcroft was ordered to replace his language with the court’s language.

The final effort to keep Amendment 3 off the ballot began in late August, when a lawsuit filed by anti-abortion lawmakers and activists claimed the initiative petition failed to follow a number of laws.

Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh sided with the plaintiffs, ruling the proposal failed “to include any statute or provision that will be repealed, especially when many of these statutes are apparent.”

“I do think the circuit court decision is an important inflection point for the legislature to have a policy discussion in [2025] about when all of these measures are putting umpteen things into the constitution which then directly or indirectly invalidate a statute,” James said. “Should the voter clearly know that, and has it been kind of loosy-goosy?”

The Supreme Court took an expedited appeal of Limbaugh’s ruling. But Ashcroft announced he was decertifying the measure, an unprecedented attempt to rescind his previous decision that the measure had met the requirements to be on the ballot.

The next day, the Supreme Court judges said Ashcroft missed his statutory deadline to change his mind and they allowed the measure to stay on the ballot in a narrow 4-3 vote.

“The litigation, although highly charged, tends to wring out the politics of it and get down to what is legally required and how to apply that,” Wolff said, later adding: “It’s still not going to be easy to pass a constitutional amendment in the future, but I think we have some greater clarity about the process going forward.”

Alice Clapman, senior counsel for voting rights at the Brennan Center for Justice — a nonpartisan nonprofit that focuses on democracy issues — said Ashcroft “acted outside the law” when he decertified the ballot initiative.

It was an example of a series of “particularly brazen” attempts to stop abortion ballot initiatives that reflect a much broader pattern seen across the United States, she said.

“In a way these tactics to block abortion rights ballot initiatives are really doubling down on the repressive nature of abortion restrictions,” Clapman said.

Ashcroft called Clapman’s characterization of him “patently false,” saying his decision was within reason until the Supreme Court decided otherwise.

“The court did not follow state statute to stop it from going to the ballot,” he said. “I stepped in and did what the court illegally failed to do.”

Ashcroft added that he was “disheartened” by the rulings, but he expects if Amendment 3 passes, “some people will celebrate, and some people will act in the very same way they did in 1973 when Roe v Wade passed. They will work and act to make sure that women and children are protected.”

Missouri isn’t the only state to have a fight over an abortion amendment play out in new ways.

In Florida, state police have knocked on voters’ doors to question them about signing a petition to restore abortion rights in their state. A state health care agency also created a website denouncing the amendment, and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been particularly vocal in his opposition to it.

In Arkansas, the state Supreme Court upheld the secretary of state’s decision to keep an abortion amendment off the ballot, ruling that the campaign behind the initiative did not submit the correct paperwork on time.

If voters approve Amendment 3, Missouri could be the first state to overturn a statewide ban by the vote of the people.

GOP lawmakers over the last decade passed laws targeting abortion providers in order to make obtaining an abortion more difficult. Those laws included mandatory pelvic exams for medication abortions and 72-hour waiting period between the initial appointment and an abortion.

A decade ago, more than 5,000 abortions were performed in the state, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. But by 2020, that number dropped to 167 as providers closed. Between the Supreme Court decision in June 2022 through March 2024, there were 64 abortions under the state’s emergency exemption, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Meanwhile, a recent study by the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive rights research group, found that in 2023, 8,710 Missourians traveled to Illinois and 2,860 Missourians went to Kansas for the procedure, which remains legal in both states.

What's next?

Polling has remained favorable for Amendment 3.

An Emerson College poll found 58% of those surveyed support Amendment 3, with 30% opposed. The most recent SLU/YouGov Poll found that 52% supported the amendment and 34% opposed.

State Sen. Tracy McCreery, a Democrat from Olivette and a long-time advocate for abortion rights, said it’s important to keep in mind Missouri’s recent past.

“The legislature has a history of overturning the vote of the people,” she said.

As far back as 1940, when Missourians approved an initiative for a nonpartisan court plan to select appellate judges, the legislature put a proposition on the ballot two years later hoping to repeal it. Voters rejected the attempt.

In 2010, voters approved a new statute banning puppy mills by regulating dog breeders. The next year, legislation changed key provisions, such as removing the cap on the number of dogs allowed per breeder, undoing the citizen-led statutory change.

In 2018, Missourians passed a citizen-led amendment that would have required legislative districts be drawn to ensure partisan fairness. This amendment, known as “Clean Missouri,” was repealed two years later through a legislature-proposed amendment.

In 2020, Missouri voters approved Medicaid expansion. Lawmakers refused to fund it until the Missouri Supreme Court ruled they had no choice.

If Amendment 3 passes, McCreery predicted, Republican lawmakers will try something similar to what happened with Medicaid expansion, “but on steroids.”

“I expect shenanigans moving forward,” she said.

Wolff said lawmakers may also attempt to legislate around the issue. Even though parental consent is not directly mentioned in the amendment, lawmakers could try to rewrite laws requiring it.

Wolff added that he’s never seen such a unified effort by elected officials to stop a ballot measure. Even the heavily-opposed embryonic stem cell research amendment of 2006 didn’t face such pushback.

But lawmakers limited the kinds of research that could be conducted under the stem cell amendment. Ultimately, those restrictions made it impossible for researchers to move forward.

“(Amendment 3) is going to be harder to chip around about,” Wolff said. “But they’ll be creative. They’ve already been quite creative, so they will continue. That’s what a democratic republic will give you.”

Coleman said if the amendment passes, it will not be the last time Missourians vote on abortion, adding that an effort similar to the one that undid Clean Missouri is likely.

“The reason why you’ve seen such passion in the pro-life movement or from elected officials who are pro-life is because that reflects the passion of Missouri citizens who are pro-life,” Coleman said. “Which is to do anything and everything to protect the most vulnerable.”

Wolff agreed that this won’t be the end.

“There’s nothing permanent,” Wolff said, “in the people’s constitution.”

Marcellus Williams executed after U.S. Supreme Court rejects final appeal

By Rudi Keller

Missouri Independent

Just a few hours after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final appeal, Missouri officials executed Marcellus Williams Tuesday at the Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center in Bonne Terre.

Williams, who was backed in his appeals for clemency by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, left only a single sentence — “All praise to Allah in every situation” — in his last statement, KMOV TV reported.

Williams was sentenced to death for the 1998 slaying of Felicia Gayle, a reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, who was stabbed more than 40 times.

None of the physical evidence at the crime scene, including fingerprints, bloodied shoe prints and hairs, could be tied to Wiliams. He was arrested based on the testimony of a jailhouse informant, who said Williams confessed the murder.

During testimony at his murder trial, Williams’ then-girlfriend also said he confessed to the killing. Williams picked her up the day of Gayle’s slaying wearing a jacket over a bloody shirt and with scratches on his neck. She saw a laptop in his car – later shown to have been stolen from Gayle’s apartment – and a purse in the trunk, with Gayle’s identification card.

In the final effort to free Williams or reduce his sentence, Bell filed a case under a 2021 state law allowing prosecutors to bring new evidence to the courts. It was the first time the law has been used in a death penalty case.

Bell filed the case in January, arguing there was “clear and convincing evidence” that potential jurors had been excluded based on race and questioning whether DNA evidence on the knife that killed Gayle had been contaminated by careless handling.

The Missouri Supreme Court heard a final appeal of the ruling in that case on Monday, and found the evidence was not convincing.

Bell “failed to demonstrate by clear and convincing evidence Williams’ actual innocence or constitutional error at the original criminal trial that undermines the confidence in the judgment of the original criminal trial,” Judge Zel Fischer wrote in the opinion.

The Department of Corrections declared Williams dead at 6:10 p.m. after a lethal injection, the Kansas City Star reported.

Bell issued a statement that he remained convinced Williams should have been spared.

“Marcellus Williams should be alive today,” Bell said. “There were multiple points in the timeline when decisions could have been made that would have spared him the death penalty. If there is even the shadow of a doubt of innocence, the death penalty should never be an option. This outcome did not serve the interests of justice.”

State Rep. Crystal Quade, the Democratic candidate for governor, issued a statement over social media saying that she disagreed with allowing the execution to proceed.

“I’ve always stood firm in my stance that the state should not execute potentially innocent people. Marcellus Williams is no different,” Quade said.

There was no statement from Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe, the Republican candidate.

Gov. MIke Parson, in a statement on Monday stating he would not stop the execution, said he was not convinced by any appeals.

“No jury nor court, including at the trial, appellate, and Supreme Court levels, have ever found merit in Mr. Williams’ innocence claims,” Parson said. “At the end of the day, his guilty verdict and sentence of capital punishment were upheld. Nothing from the real facts of this case have led me to believe in Mr. Williams’ innocence, as such, Mr. Williams’ punishment will be carried out as ordered by the Supreme Court.”

Williams is the 100th person executed by Missouri since 1989, when executions resumed after a two-decade lapse.

Change of plea set for Pineville man for role in kidnapping, murder of Arkansas woman

A 1:30 p.m. October 15 change of plea hearing is scheduled in U. S. District Court in Springfield for Jamie Waterman, 44, Pineville, who is charged with two counts of being an accessory after the fact to the kidnapping and murder of an Arkansas woman.

Waterman's wife, Amber Waterman, 44, Pineville, pleaded guilty July 30 to kidnapping and murder.

Amber Waterman's crime was detailed in the news release from the U. S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri:

Amber Waterman, 44, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of thereby causing the death of a child in utero.

By pleading guilty, Waterman admitted that she kidnapped Ashley Bush in order to claim her unborn child, Valkyrie Willis, as her own. Waterman transported Ashley Bush from Maysville, Ark., to Pineville. The kidnapping resulted in the deaths of both Ashley Bush and Valkyrie Willis.

Waterman admitted that, using a false name, she began having contact via Facebook with Bush, who was approximately 31 weeks pregnant. Waterman pretended to help Bush obtain employment, suggesting she had a job opportunity for her. That prompted an in-person meeting between the two women on Oct. 28, 2022, at the Gravette, Ark., public library. They agreed to meet again on Oct. 31, 2022.

On Oct. 31, 2022, at roughly 11:45 a.m., Bush met Waterman at the Handi-Stop convenience store in Maysville, Ark. Under the pretext that Waterman was taking her to meet a supervisor to further discuss employment, Bush got into a truck driven by Waterman. Waterman then kidnapped and abducted Bush, driving her from Maysville to the Waterman residence in Pineville.

At about 5 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2022, first responders reported to the Longview store in Pineville for an emergency call of a baby who was not breathing. Waterman admitted that she claimed to first responders that she had given birth to the child in the truck while on the way to the hospital. But in reality, she admitted, the child was Bush’s child, who died in utero, as a result of Waterman’s kidnapping that resulted in the death of Bush.

An autopsy indicated that Bush died as a result of penetrating trauma of the torso and her death was classified as a homicide.

The indictment against Jamie Waterman alleges he assisted Amber Waterman, in order to hinder and prevent her apprehension, trial, and punishment, knowing she had committed the offense of kidnapping resulting in death, according to the news release.

Carthage City Council member resigns effective immediately

KSN reports that Carthage City Council member Dustin Edge resigned effective immediately.

Edge, the KSN report notes, was one of the council members who was elected with the support of Carthage Citizens United and was one of seven members who were backing the impeachment of Mayor Dan Rife and caused the resignation of City Attorney Nate Dally and the firing of City Administrator Greg Dagnan.

Rife's impeachment hearing is scheduled for 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Carthage Water and Electric community room, according to the city website, but KSN says the hearing has been postponed.

Carthage R-9 Board hears proposal for long term strategic planning, accepts choir teacher's resignation

(From the Carthage R-9 School District)

The Carthage R-9 Board of Education met in regular session on Monday, September 16, 2024, 6:00 pm, at Carthage High School. Present were Board members Mr. Jeff Jones, Mrs. Lora Phelps, Mr. Ryan Collier, Ms. Maria Sanchez, and Dr. Mark Westhoff. Ms. Niki Cloud and Mr. Patrick Scott were absent. Mr. Jeff Jones led the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Carthage High School Students, Ms. River McCahon and Mr. Jonah Barrett provided a speech and debate presentation. 

The Board approved the Consent Agenda for the purpose of approving the meeting agenda, minutes of previous meeting, payment of bills, approve district financial report. 

Mrs. Kim Ensminger, Early Childhood Director and Mrs. Kamie Bourgault, Parents as Teachers Director, presented the MSIP 6 Standard: Teaching and Learning (TL2) – Early Childhood Education evaluative report to the board. Mrs. Ensminger provided class size information and funding sources for the Early Childhood Center. An overview of kindergarten readiness ESGI data as well as literacy and math assessment data for Pre-K students was discussed. Mrs. Bourgault stated there are ten parent educators in the district, all trained in the curriculum of home visitations and educational screening. Improvement target progress regarding home visits, educational annual screenings, and group connections events was shared with the board. 

Dr. Matt Huntley, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction, Dr. Gage Tiller, Carthage Technical Center Director, Dr. Scott Ragsdale, Principal Carthage Intermediate Center, and Dr. Brittany Bridges, Principal Carthage Junior High School shared a proposal for long term district strategic planning to the board. 

As part of the plan, a Portrait of a Graduate will be established. The Portrait will engage the community in a values-based discussion which will help shape the vision of what it means to be a successful Carthage student. The community will begin to see surveys and other information in the coming weeks, providing anyone interested the opportunity to participate in the process. 

Ms. Maria Sanchez reported she had no update for the Carthage R-9 School Foundation. 

Dr. Luke Boyer updated the Board regarding the following: 

• Dr. Angela Holman reported on academic and extra-curricular activities happening at Carthage High School. 

• Dr. Holley Goodnight gave an update on the McCune Brooks Regional Hospital Trust Baseball Complex. Phase 1 is almost complete and Phase 2 is on track to finish in November 2024. 

• Thank you to the Welcome Center staff and building registrars for the endless amount of time you put into enrolling students prior to school starting. The district had a smooth start to the 24-25 school year. 

• School threats through posts on social media are taken very seriously and investigated with law enforcement. • September is attendance awareness month – let’s make every day count! 

• It’s National Art in Education Week and our students across the district are creating unique and fun art projects. • Carthage School District is proud to join districts across the region in celebrating teachers with GOCSD Teacher Proud Tuesday. 

• The 6th Grade GATES students learned what it takes to launch their own coffee business at Hatcher’s Coffee House. Starting September 23rd, staff at the 6GC can look forward to coffee from the GATES students. 

• Mark Twain is partnering with local businesses in the Community Helpers series, to help students learn the important work they do for our community. 

The Board met in closed session immediately following the regular meeting to discuss legal, personnel, and student matters in compliance with Section 610.021 (1), (3), and (6) of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. In closed session the Board approved the following personnel actions: 

Approved the employment of certified, support, and substitute staff as presented contingent upon receiving a clear criminal record check from the Missouri Highway Patrol and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and a clear check of the Adult Abuse/Neglect Registry maintained by the Missouri Department of Social Services for all employees new to the district.

Certified Hire

Randy Beyer, Choir Teacher (1st Semester) Carthage Junior High School New Hire 

Jaben Parnell, Choir Teacher (2nd Semester) Carthage Junior High School New Hire 

Support Hire 

Bobby Kendrick, Bus Driver Transportation New Hire 

April Greer, Bus Driver Transportation New Hire 

Thomas Doyle, Bus Driver Transportation New Hire 

Roben Muller, Bus Driver Transportation New Hire 

Kaitlyn Altic, Sped Paraprofessional Columbian Elementary New Hire 

Grant Williams, IT Student Intern IT Department New Hire 

Landon Newcomb, IT Student Intern IT Department New Hire 

Hayden Sander, Food Service Student Intern Welcome Center New Hire 

Bethany Bloss, Sped Paraprofessional Carthage Junior High School New Hire 

Katie Booth, Sped Paraprofessional Steadley Elementary New Hire 

Leighton Pauley, IT Student Intern IT Department New Hire 

Tucker Clark, IT Student Intern IT Department New Hire 

Adriana Ramos Torres, Administrative Assistant District New Hire 

Shannon Dalton, Cook Carthage Intermediate Center New Hire 

Substitute Hire 

Melissa Earl, Substitute District New Hire 

Steven Norman, Substitute District New Hire 

Darcie Silvers, Substitute District New Hire 

Kylee Roach, Substitute District New Hire 

Gladness (Grace) Wood, Substitute District New Hire 

Paige Burk, Substitute District Re-Hire 

Patricia Caulk, Substitute District New Hire 

James McCollom, Substitute District New Hire 

Heather Gibson, Substitute District Re-Hire 

Brenda Kaiser, Substitute District New Hire 

Regina Fields, Substitute District Re-Hire 

Kayla Ayres, Substitute District New Hire 

Kelly Jacobs, Substitute Principal/Assistant Principal District Re-Hire 

Breanna Fletcher, Sub Cook District New Hire 

Certified Resignation

Michelle Harris, Vocal Music Teacher Carthage Junior High School Resignation 

Support Resignation 

Jason Shumny, Head Custodian Tech Center-North Resignation 

Jason Shumny, Bus Driver Transportation Resignation 

Substitute Resignation 

Frank Martinez, Substitute District Resignation 

Kelli Youngblood, Substitute District Resignation 

Jamarian Eldridge, Substitute District Resignation 

Linda Havely, Substitute District Resignation 

Rachel Lemasters, Substitute District Resignation 

Margaret Mouton, Substitute District Resignation

Jill Carter calls for immediate action following violent crimes by illegal immigrants in 32nd District

(From Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby)

State Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, is raising the alarm after two illegal immigrants from Honduras were arrested for a string of violent crimes, including murder, in her district.

These individuals, who were in the U.S. illegally, are now facing charges for a deadly carjacking spree that ended with a homicide in Jasper County and other violent acts across Missouri.

“This tragedy underscores the urgent need for Missouri to lead in protecting our communities,” said Sen. Carter. “The federal government has failed to secure our borders, and now our citizens are paying the price. We cannot sit back and wait for federal action. We must act now to keep Missourians safe.”

Senator Carter recently visited the U.S.-Mexico border to witness the situation firsthand. Her experience reaffirmed her commitment to crafting Missouri-specific legislation to close the gaps in federal immigration policy and ensure local law enforcement has the tools needed to combat this growing threat.

“Missouri must take the lead in protecting its citizens,” said Sen. Carter. “We cannot afford to wait any longer.”

DNR awards Granby $536,000 loan for drinking water improvement project

(From the Missouri Department of Natural Resources)

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has awarded a $536,000 loan to the city of Granby in Newton County for planning and design work related to the city’s ongoing drinking water improvement project.

The loan will provide vital interim financing to cover early engineering and administrative costs while the city works with the department to secure a larger funding package for the drinking water project. The improvement project is expected to total $8.9 million and construction should start in 2025.

The early planning phases of infrastructure projects often represent a significant financial burden for cash-limited communities with water and wastewater needs. The planning and design loan program is designed to provide a cost-effective alternative to expensive private financing that allows Missouri communities to develop and deliver crucial infrastructure projects for their citizens. These loans bear no interest and come with a five-year term. This loan is estimated to save the city’s ratepayers approximately $74,400 in interest.

“One of our priorities is helping Missouri communities improve their water and wastewater treatment systems,” said Dru Buntin, director of the Department of Natural Resources. “One way we do that is by offering a variety of financial assistance programs through which qualified communities can upgrade key infrastructure, which improves the quality of life for Missourians.”

The department’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund finances improvements to water treatment plants, distribution systems and water storage and supply facilities, as well as interconnection or consolidation projects. Communities that borrow from the fund benefit from the below-market interest rate and from assistance provided throughout their project from a project manager.

The department is committed to assisting Missouri communities with water and wastewater infrastructure improvement projects. Through its Financial Assistance Center, the department provides funding opportunities for qualified communities with water quality, wastewater and drinking water infrastructure needs. This project will be funded wholly or in part with monies received from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

For more information on wastewater and drinking water funding opportunities, visit dnr.mo.gov/water/what-were-doing/state-revolving-fund-srf.