Kansas City Star: Prosceutor disputes misconduct allegations on abortion provider investigations

[Heidi]

Posted on Fri, Oct. 23, 2009 08:11 PM

TOPEKA | A Kansas prosecutor said Friday that an allegation that he misled a judge during an investigation of an abortion provider already has been reviewed — and rejected — in another inquiry.

The allegation and others against Stephen D. Maxwell stem from former Attorney General Phill Kline's investigations into abortion clinics in Wichita and suburban Kansas City. Maxwell an assistant to Kline, an anti-abortion Republican, in the attorney general's office in 2003-07 and later in the Johnson County district attorney's office.

Maxwell, now senior assistant district attorney in Reno County, filed a formal response Friday to the ethics complaint with the state's Board for Discipline of Attorneys. The board's top investigator filed the complaint in September, and the board has scheduled a hearing for Feb. 17-18.

The complaint alleges Maxwell misled a state judge in Topeka to further Kline's investigation as attorney general of Dr. George Tiller, of Wichita. It also alleges Maxwell improperly withheld important information in 2007-08 from a grand jury investigating a Planned Parenthood clinic in suburban Kansas City.

<snip>

Tiller's attorneys had asked a Sedgwick County judge to dismiss the charges, arguing that "outrageous" conduct by Kline and his deputies had tainted the prosecution beyond repair. As examples, the cited incidents now listed in the ethics complaint against Maxwell.

The judge denied the request, and a jury acquitted Tiller in March. The doctor was shot to death in May.

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[hfojvt]

1. I cannot figure out what is what here

but this thread, with Kansas in the title, was almost the first thing I noticed upon checking DU while my computer was just finishing playing "take this waltz". It is playing at random from my library.

[Heidi]

2. That strikes me as really weird.

I love that song, I like Kansas a whole lot, and I like you a whole lot. *insert Twilight Zone theme song here*

[hfojvt]

3. Story of my life

Songs get all the love :argh: :silly: Kansas is sorta cold and dreary. Last Friday my SiL said we were on our 7th day of no sunshine and then we had some really nice days on Tuesday and Wednesday before the rain and clouds came back. Feels like I could be in Wisconsin or Minnsota, but I think they have snow up there.

I used to scoff at the idea of my computer being used as a CD player, but I really love random play. It's like a totally awesome radio station with no commercials. And songs come with memories and seem to have hidden meanings. Like why is my computer playing "crying in the rain" now? Lots of rain now, but not mamy tears. My library though, is loaded with love songs, many of them about heartache.

Story of my life. Wait, did I say that already?

[niyad]

4. kick