Courts

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph man is charged with unlawful use of a weapon in a September incident that left the victim with multiple gunshot wounds.  Dakota Ballentine, 20, is being held without bond in the case. He is charged in a shooting that happened at about 10:40 p.m. on Sept. 18 at 1211

By Jenna Wilson The Buchanan County Commissioners recently approved a name change for the county’s juvenile detention center which houses area youth. The Commissioners unanimously approved the renaming of Buchanan County Academy in honor of the honorable Judge Patrick K. Robb, a judge who has served Buchanan and Andrew counties on the 5th Judicial Circuit

By Jenna Wilson A retirement celebration was held for Judge Patrick K. Robb after a 38-year career behind the bench. Judge Robb will ring in the new year by handing in his gavel for the 5th Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri. Community members and area officials gathered in the Division Three Courtroom at the Buchanan

By Jenna Wilson Charges have been filed on Tuesday evening after a suspect who was attempting to evade capture crashed into two police vehicles and caused multiple officers to sustain injuries.  According to the St. Joseph Police Department, officers responded to the 1000 block of Corby in reference to a disturbance. A vehicle left the

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph man faces charges of kidnapping and robbery in an incident involving a 13-year-old boy. Glen Barnett Jr., 35, was arraigned Tuesday morning in front of Associate Circuit Court Judge Chad Gaddie. The charges stem from an Oct. 6 incident in the 1500 block of Savannah Avenue. According to a

By Jenna Wilson A remembrance ceremony will honor victims of crimes Tuesday evening at the Buchanan County Courthouse. The Buchanan County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is inviting the community to its annual Crime Victim Tree Lighting Memorial. The event gives families the opportunity to honor their loved ones and bond with others who have shared a

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph pastor has brought a new civil lawsuit against a local Republican Party leader and the head of another church in town following the dismissal of a previous case. Brian Kirk has filed the suit in Jackson County against Steven Greiert, who is the chairman of the Buchanan County Republican

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph man has been found guilty on four charges related to the molestation of a child. A Buchanan County jury returned the verdicts Wednesday afternoon in the case involving Timothy Edward Brown, 52. He was convicted of statutory sodomy, enticement of a child, child molestation and sexual misconduct involving a

By Jenna Wilson A local judge is being honored for his work advocating for children ahead of his retirement at the end of this year. Judge Patrick K. Robb and other local child advocates were celebrated Thursday evening at the 5th Circuit CASA Volunteer Appreciation Banquet, highlighting their efforts to serve abused and neglected kids.

By NewsPress Now A Gallatin, Missouri, man whose family farming operation is the setting of a reality TV show pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme involving federal crop insurance benefits he was not entitled to receive. Steve A. McBee, 52, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty

By Chris Fortune The case involving a former Savannah Police Department lieutenant charged in the death of K-9 officer Horus will see a venue change. The Missouri Assistant Attorney General and two members of Daniel Zeigler’s defense team discussed the change of venue Tuesday morning with Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg. Clay County is likely the

By Jenna Wilson A former Robidoux Middle School teacher was sentenced to 10 years in prison Monday afternoon following his guilty plea to a charge of first-degree sodomy involving a student. Everett “Tim” Harding, 47, was charged after a May 7 incident involving a 14-year-old girl he admittedly had sexual contact with. Harding was sentenced

By Chris Fortune The former Savannah Police Department lieutenant charged in the death of K-9 officer Horus has pleaded not guilty to the crime. Daniel Zeigler appeared in front of Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg for an arraignment Tuesday morning at the Buchanan County Courthouse, where proceedings have been moved. He was charged with misdemeanor animal

By NewsPress Now Micha L. Dixon will be appointed as Associate Circuit Judge for Daviess County in the 43rd Judicial Circuit. The appointment was made late last week by Gov. Mike Parson. Dixon, of Jamesport, is the attorney for the 43rd Judicial Circuit Juvenile Office and an assistant prosecuting attorney. She holds a Bachelor of

By Cameron Montemayor A St. Joseph woman accused of hitting and killing a motorcyclist in a wrong-way collision on an Interstate 229 exit ramp in May could be headed to trial after a Buchanan County judge granted a continuance for the discovery of evidence in the case on Thursday. An emotional hearing concluded with Circuit

By Chris Fortune The last of three teens charged in the 2023 death of a 15-year-old boy will spend 30 years in jail. Teontre Kirby was sentenced Thursday morning after previously pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the shooting of Carter P. Smith on June 15, 2023. His body was found near 28th and Commercial

By NewsPress Now A pastor’s federal discrimination lawsuit against the city of St. Joseph and local officials has ended. District Judge Gary Fenner signed an order of dismissal of the suit brought by Brian Kirk of First Christian Church. The dismissal, signed on Oct. 11, is with prejudice, meaning the case can’t be refiled. In

By NewsPress Now An appeals court has upheld the release of a woman who served more than 40 years in prison for a Buchanan County murder she says she did not commit. The Missouri Court of Appeals Western District released its opinion Tuesday in the case involving Sandra Hemme, who a Livingston County Judge ordered

By NewsPress Now A teen will spend 30 years in jail for his role in the murder of a 15-year-old boy last year. Jackson Lee Griffith, 19, learned his fate Monday afternoon after previously pleading guilty to second-degree murder in the June 15, 2023, shooting of Carter P. Smith, whose body was found near 28th

By NewsPress Now A former Robidoux Middle School teacher will be sentenced next month after following his guilty plea to a charge of first-degree sodomy. Everett “Tim” Harding, 47, admitted that he engaged in a relationship with a then 14-year-old girl that included sexual contact. Sentencing has been set for 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov.

By NewsPress Now A Platte City man will spend 19 years in prison for creating and possessing child pornography and molesting a child. Timothy D. Lowery pleaded guilty to sexual exploitation of a minor, two counts of possession of child pornography and third-degree child molestation and was sentenced on Oct. 4. The child victim told

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph man is being held without bond on a charge of second-degree assault for his involvement in a Downtown shooting that left a man in critical condition. Derius L. Davis, 30, is set for an initial appearance in court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 8. The victim, Jonathan Ross, 37,

By NewsPress Now Two St. Joseph residents face charges after a 10-month-old was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Antonio Campos, 25, is charged with abuse or neglect of a child, and Hayley Sharp, 30, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. Probable cause statements state the two were in a relationship

By Chris Fortune Northwest Health Services is facing multiple cases of employment discrimination related to the conduct of its chief executive officer. Four cases alleging employment discrimination have been filed this year against Northwest Health Services that described a deterioration in work conditions for women after CEO Matt Younger was hired for the position around

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph woman is facing a felony charge of kidnapping after trying to take two children from the parking lot of a local business. Deann Cluck, 51, went up to a stroller, unbuckled the two children and began walking off with them on Sept. 27 outside the business, which is not

By Kendra Simpson The Missouri Court of Appeals will convene Oct. 16 in the Leah Spratt Hall on Missouri Western State University’s campus. Judges Mark Pfeiffer, Gary Witt and Thomas Chapman will listen to oral arguments from three cases. After the oral arguments, the judges will discuss the court system and take general questions from

By Cameron Montemayor A St. Joseph woman accused of driving the wrong-way on an Interstate 229 exit ramp in May, killing a 33-year old motorcyclist, appeared in court Thursday for a preliminary hearing in the case. Katherine Deweese stood before Associate Circuit Judge Rebecca Spencer, where she waived her right to a preliminary hearing, a

By NewsPress Now A St. Joseph man was in court Tuesday morning for a hearing on a weapons charge related to an incident that brought several police officers to a home near 20th and Walnut streets late last week. Kevin Goodwin is charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. Associate Circuit Judge Rebecca Spencer set

By Jenna Wilson A Missouri bill that recently passed raises the age a minor can be charged as an adult from 12 to 14. There are two types of certification proceedings in the state of Missouri: discretionary, when a court has the option to hold a hearing to determine whether a juvenile should be certified