Testimony in aggravated assault trial wraps up
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Testimony in the trial for a 33-year-old man accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of violation of a protection from abuse order and misdemeanor battery has wrapped up after both sides rested and the state called two rebuttal witnesses.
Raymon Hunter is accused of threatening Anthony Smith with a knife back on March 14, 2014, during an altercation where he is also alleged to have made physical contact with Smith. He’s also accused in the case of violating the protection from abuse order on two occasions, one occurring on March 14, and the other on March 21, 2014.
Hunter took the stand in his own defense where he basically admitted that he violated the abuse order on two occasions. But he claimed he never got a copy of the abuse order from the court. He also denied that he threatened Smith with a knife and argued that Smith was the aggressor and that he was getting beat up. He told the jury that he lost consciousness at one point and only remembers certain details. He was hammered by the state over some of his claims which are different than some of the other testimony from witnesses who were there that night.
After the defense rested, the state called in Judge Joe McCarville as a rebuttal witness who issued the abuse order to show that when the defendant came to his ex-girlfriend’s home, he was not supposed to be there.
They also called Sheriff Detective Corey Graber, who testified that he was the one who served Hunter the protection from abuse order from the court, which the state will argue shows his claim that he didn’t receive the papers was untrue. Graber was the final witness late Wednesday afternoon.
Jury instruction and closing arguments will be at 9 a.m. Thursday.
State files charges in drug distribution case
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The state has now filed charges against a 36-year-old Wichita man for a drug distribution case here in Hutchinson. They had declined prosecution earlier against Jeremiah Collins and a woman with him, Jennifer Whitmer.
Collins is now charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute drugs and interference with law enforcement.
The case goes back to Jan. 17 when a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper stopped a vehicle for speeding, going 91 mph in a 70 mph zone. The trooper immediately saw a green glass bong with marijuana residue. During a search of that vehicle, they located a silver and black combination lock box, which was unlocked. Inside were used baggies with white residue, which he believed to be methamphetamine. Also located were new baggies, a working scale, two straws, a loaded syringe, $20 and two bags that they say contained approximately 7.5 grams of meth.
Collins allegedly gave the name of Jacob Ray Towne, but after running his fingerprints, they were able to identify him as Collins, who was wanted by the Kansas Department of Corrections for a parole violation. He’s currently serving a sanction for the violation. He told the court he wanted to be able to bond out of jail when his sanction is over and wanted his bond lowered. But, the state asked that the bond stay the same and Magistrate Judge Randy McEwen agreed.
Collins had served time for drug convictions in Sedgwick County and a burglary conviction out of Sumner County.
His case now moves to a waiver-status docket in front of Judge Joe McCarville on April 1.
Two arrested for drug distribution formally charged
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two people arrested in a drug distribution case earlier this month were in court Wednesday morning for the formal reading of charges.
Forty-three-year-old Richard Manion is charged with possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, no drug tax stamp and personal use drug paraphernalia. Thirty-five-year-old Aubrey Ramsey is charged with possession of methamphetamine, possession of hydrocodone, possession of marijuana with a prior conviction and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Law Enforcement served a search warrant on a home in the 200 block of West 11th on Feb. 18. Officers say they located a lock box in the ceiling of a bathroom. It allegedly contained a one gallon size zip-close bag with 13 prepackaged baggies with a crystal substance suspected as being methamphetamine, one sandwich bag with a crystal substance, numerous new baggies, several new syringes and scale weights. Total weight of the drugs was around 136 grams.
In the kitchen, they say they located a digital scale with white residue. In a bedroom was a glass pipe with burnt residue and a glass bong. Under a living room couch cushion was a black case that contained ammunition.
Both Manion and Ramsey have prior convictions. Manion has numerous convictions, including unlawful manufacturing, several convictions for identity theft, theft, forgery, drug sales and burglary. Most of the convictions are out of Sedgwick County, but some going back to the late 80s and early 90s were out of Johnson County. Ramsey has convictions for possession of opiates and theft.
Both are free on bond in this latest case and Manion will be back in court on March 4. The case against Ramsey now moves to a waiver-status docket on March 12.