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The Leavenworth Times
A judge has denied a motion that sought to prosecute a man in Leavenworth for an attempted murder charge a second time, according to court records.
The judge made the ruling Friday during a hearing in the case of James D. Thompson.
Thompson, 34, previously was charged with attempted first-degree murder in connection to an August 2015 shooting in Leavenworth. During a 2017 trial, the charge of aggravated battery was presented to jurors for consideration as a lesser included offense to the attempted murder charge. And jurors convicted Thompson of the aggravated battery charge instead of attempted murder.
Thompson also was convicted of other charges related to the 2015 incident.
DNA test results pending for man convicted of rape
The Leavenworth Times
A DNA sample from a man who was convicted of rape in 2007 in Leavenworth has been sent to laboratory for testing.
Kevin D. Skaggs, who maintains his innocence, requested to have the sample compared to a DNA sample collected from evidence in his criminal case.
Skaggs, 42, was convicted in 2007 in Leavenworth County District Court of three counts of rape, one count of aggravated criminal sodomy, two counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of promoting obscenity to minors.
The crimes reportedly occurred in 2004 and 2005 and stemmed from the sexual abuse of a child.
The Leavenworth Times
The man who is accused of shooting at people on the Centennial Bridge is getting a new attorney, according to court records.
Jason R. Westrem, 38, Houston Lake, Missouri, is charged with nine felony counts including attempted first-degree murder in connection to a May 27 incident on the Centennial Bridge.
The bridge stretches across the Missouri River from north Leavenworth to Platte County, Missouri.
Westrem is accused of firing at occupied vehicles on the bridge.
One person was wounded by gunfire. Westrem also was injured when he reportedly was struck by a vehicle.
David Royer, who was serving in the Army at the time, has been credited with stopping the May 27 shooting incident by striking the suspect with his pickup truck.