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| Quote
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"Attitude
is a little thing that makes a big
difference."
-Winston
Churchill
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Ever wondered what the Commonwealth's
only maximum security prison looks like on
this inside?
To take a virtual tour of the Kentucky
State Penitentiary in Eddyville, including
the electric chair, click:
HERE
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Greetings
Kenton County!
The men and women of
the Commonwealth's Attorney Office are
always working hard to keep Kenton County
safe. This newsletter is intended to
keep all interested parties up to date on
the latest in prosecution and law
enforcement news. If you have any
questions or would like additional
information about the cases you see in this
email, please call (859) 292-6580 or email
the Commonwealth's Attorney Office at robsanders@kentonprosecutor.com
.
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| BREAKING
NEWS! |
|
Lethal
Injection Upheld by Supreme Court!
Executions in Kentucky - and the 35 other
states that use lethal injection - can
resume because the U.S. Supreme Court
Wednesday upheld the commonwealth's method
for administering the drugs for capital
punishment.
In a 7-2 decision, the high court ruled
against two Kentucky death-row inmates who
argued that the state's procedures amounted
to cruel and unusual punishment, violating
the U.S. Constitution's Eighth Amendment.
|
| Prosecution
News & Views |
|
MY
TURN
I
Am Not the Enemy
By
Felicia J. Nu'Man ׀ NEWSWEEK
April
14, 2008 Issue
Felicia
J. Nu'Man
,
a black prosecutor in
Louisville, says this about herself and her
job, "I battle crime every day, and I
defend myself every day, too."
She has been called a
"race-traitor" and a puppet of
a "racist criminal justice
system" for "putting our black
men in jail."
"In my county,
two-thirds of all the criminal
defendants are black, which means that
roughly two-thirds of all victims are
black. Should law enforcement not
prosecute black criminals and doom all
black victims to the absence of justice?
Why aren't the police and prosecutors
seen as the champion of the black
victim? There is a disconnect in
the mind of many black people."
|
| GUILTY |
|
Commonwealth
v. John Wilder
Judge: Summe
Prosecutor: Rob
Sanders
Police Agency: Kenton
County Sheriff
In
December of 2007, John Wilder and a
co-defendant were indicted by the Kenton
County Grand Jury for Trafficking in a
Controlled Substance (cocaine). The
charge stemmed from an undercover
investigation by the NKY Drug Strike Force.
In that instance, the NKDSF captured
video footage of Wilder selling crack
cocaine out of a car driven by the
co-defendant. The case against Wilder
and the co-defendant was presented directly
to the Grand Jury along with cases
against about 30 other defendants that were
the culmination of almost an entire year's
worth of undercover investigations.
Since none of those defendants had been
previously arrested on the charges,
Commonwealth's Attorney Rob Sanders
requested warrants on each Indictment.
On December 19, 2007, Kenton County
Sheriff Deputies David Hehman and Brett
Lovell went to Wilder's residence on
Banklick Street in Covington to serve the
warrant. When Deputies arrived they
noticed an odor of marijuana coming from
the residence. In Wilder's bedroom,
the Deputies found almost 5 grams of
cocaine in multiple baggies, several
ounces of marijuana, various items of drug
paraphernalia consistent with drug
trafficking, cash, and a loaded
small-caliber handgun. Wilder told
Deputies that he did not use cocaine but
sold it to pay for his marijuana habit.
The recovery of those additional narcotics
and other items resulted in additional
charges being filed against Wilder.
On 2/14/08, Wilder was again Indicted by
the Kenton County Grand Jury for
Trafficking in a Controlled Substance
(cocaine) and Trafficking in Marijuana
While is Possession of a Firearm. On
4/14/08 Wilder entered a guilty plea to
the charges resulting from the search of
his residence. Commonwealth's
Attorney Rob Sanders is recommending a 5
1/2 year sentence. The NKDSF case is
still pending. Final sentencing is
set for 5/27/08.
Sanders said Wilder's case illustrates how
drug trafficking, although classified by
the legislature as
"non-violent," can still be
incredibly dangerous to law enforcement.
"Everyone involved was very fortunate
that the Defendant did not have the gun on
his person or this could have turned out
very different," said Sanders.
"There's just no telling what kinds
of dangers drug dealers bring with
them," he said. Sanders also
said he hopes legislators and corrections
officials keep cases like Wilder in mind
before "opening the prison doors to
so-called non-violent offenders."
"In Mr. Wilder's case, his home was
his place of business," said Sanders,
"and his business was drugs and guns
so how good of an idea is it to send him
back to his place of business to serve a
felony sentence on "home
incarceration?!" Sanders was
referring to recent talk in Frankfort of
releasing hundreds of non-violent felons
onto home incarceration in order to save
money in the corrections budget.
|
| Other
Guilty Pleas & Sentencings |
|
Commonwealth
v. Mario Tebelman
Judge:
Sheehan
Prosecutor: Rob
Sanders
Police
Agency: Covington
On 3/18/08 Tebelman pled guilty to
Tafficking in a Controlled Substance
(cocaine). Commonwealth's Attorney Rob
Sanders recommended a 6 year
prison sentence. On 4/15/08 Tebelman
was sentenced to 6 years in prison.
Commonwealth
v. Marc Manning Jr.
Judge: Summe
Prosecutor: Rob
Sanders
Police Agency: Elsmere
On 4/14/08 Manning pled guilty to 1st
Degree Fleeing Police and 1st Degree
Criminal Mischief. Commonwealth's
Attorney Rob Sanders is recommending a
sentence of 18 months in prison on each
charge. Final sentencing is set
for 5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Michael Harmon
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: James
T. Redwine
Police Agency:
On 4/14/08 Harmon pled guilty to
Assault Under Extreme Emotional
Disturbance. Harmon faces 1-5
years in prison at final sentencing on
5/27/08..
Commonwealth
v. Brian Mercer
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: Isler
Police Agency: Independence
On 4/14/08 Mercer pled guilty to
Receiving Stolen Property (firearm).
Asst. Commonwealth's Attorney Leanne
Isler is recommending that Mercer serve
18 months in prison. Final
sentencing is set for 5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Melissa Goodwin
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: James
T. Redwine
Police Agency: Kenton Co.
Police
On 4/14/08 Goodwin pled guilty to
2nd Degree Burglary and 3rd Degree
Burglary. 1st Asst.
Commonwealth's Attorney Jim
Redwine is recommending a 5 year
prison sentence on each charge.
Final sentencing is set for
5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. William Fraley
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: James
T. Redwine
Police Agency:
Kenton Co. Police
On 4/14/08 Fraley
pled guilty to 3rd Degree
Burglary and Receiving
Stolen Property (>$300).
1st Asst. Commonwealth's
Attorney Jim Redwine is
recommending a 2 1/2 year
sentence on each count.
Final sentencing is set for
5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Rick Luallen
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: Alysha
McKinney
Police
Agency: KY
State Police
On 4/14/08
Luallen pled guilty
to 2nd Degree
Escape. Asst.
Commonwealth's
Attorney Alysha
McKinney is
recommending that
Luallen serve 1 year
in addition to his
underlying sentence.
Final sentencing is
set for 5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Christina
Dennler
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: Amy
Burke
Police
Agency:
Kenton Co.
Child
Support
On
4/14/08
Dennler pled
guilty to
Flagrant
Non-Support.
Asst.
Commonwealth's
Attorney Amy
Burke is
recommending
a sentence
of 3 year
probated for
5 years.
Final
sentencing
is set for
5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Christopher
Manning
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: Amy
Burke
Police
Agency: Kenton
Co. Child
Support
On 4/14/08
Manning
pled
guilty to
Flagrant
Non-Support.
Asst.
Commonwealth's
Attorney
Amy Burke
is
recommending
a 3 year
prison
sentence.
Final
sentencing
is set for
5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Roderick
Avery
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: Rob
Sanders
Police
Agency: NKDSF
On
4/14/08
Avery pled
guilty to
Trafficking
in a
Controlled
Substance
(cocaine).
Commonwealth's
Attorney
Rob
Sanders is
recommending
a 5 year
prison
sentence.
Final
sentencing
is set for
5/13/08.
Commonwealth
v. Deborah
Hill
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: Joseph
Meadows
Police
Agency: Covington
On
4/14/08
Hill
pled
guilty
to
Possession
of a
Controlled
Substance
(cocaine).
Asst.
Commonwealth's Attorney
Joe
Meadows
is
recommending
that
Hill,
who
has no
prior
felony
record,
be
ordered
into
the
felony
diversion
program for
2
years.
Final
sentencing
is set
for
5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Johnny
Puthoff
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: Justin
Sanders
Police
Agency: Ft.
Wright
On
4/14/08 Putthoff
pled
guilty
to
Theft
(>$300).
Asst.
Commonwealth's
Attorney
Justin
Sanders
is
recommending
a
1
year
prison
sentence.
Final
sentencing
is
set
for
5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Derek
Gregg
Judge:
Summe
Prosecutor: Rob
Sanders
Police
Agency: Elsmere
On
4/14/08 Gregg
pled
guilty
to
3rd
Degree
Assault
(on
a
police
officer).
Commonwealth's
Attorney
Rob
Sanders
is
recommending
a
1
year
prison
sentence.
Final
sentencing
is
set
for
5/27/08.
Commonwealth
v. Aaron
Pinkleton
Judge:
Bartlett
Prosecutor: James
T.
Redwine
Police
Agency: Erlanger
On
4/14/08
Pinkleton
pled
guilty
to
1st
Degree
Wanton
Endangerment
and
Possession
of
a
Handgun
by
a
Convicted
Felon.
1st
Asst.
Commonwealth's
Attorney
Jim
Redwine
is
recommending
a
5
year
sentence
on
each
count.
Final
sentencing
is
set
for
5/12/08.
Commonwealth
v. Timothy
Frye
Judge:
Bartlett
Prosecutor: Justin
Sanders
Police
Agency: Covington
On
4/14/08 Frye pled
guilty
to
Possession
of
a
Controlled
Substance
(cocaine).
Asst.
Commonwealth's
Attorney Justin
Sanders is
recommending
a
sentence
of
5
years
probated
for
5
years.
Final
sentencing
is
set
for
5/12/08.
Commonwealth
v. Christopher
Kemplin
Judge:
Sheehan
Prosecutor: James
T.
Redwine
Police
Agency: Covington
On
4/14/08
Kemplin
pled
guilty
to
Intimidating
a
Witness.
1st
Asst.
Commonwealth's
Attorney
Jim
Redwine
is
recommending
a
sentence
of
18
months
probated
for
3
years
and
120
hours
of
community
service.
Final
sentencing
is
set
for
5/13/08.
Commonwealth
v. Jason
Barnett
Judge:
Sheehan
Prosecutor: Laura
Ward
Police
Agency: Elsmere
On
4/15/08
Barnett
pled
guilty
to
2nd
Degree
Unlawful
Transaction
with
a
Minor.
Asst.
Commonwealth's
Attorney
Laura
Ward
is
recommending
that
Barnett,
who
has
no
prior
felony
record,
be
ordered
into
the
felony
diversion
program
for
2
years.
Final
sentencing
is
set
for
5/13/08.
Commonwealth
v. Peter
Benton
Judge:
Sheehan
Prosecutor: Rob
Sanders
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