Kansas

Kansas agrees to increase hospital beds for mentally ill defendants

Published

1 year ago

November 19, 2024

Kansas agrees to increase hospital beds for mentally ill defendants

TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas has promised to provide more hospital beds for mentally ill criminal defendants to settle a federal lawsuit filed over defendants waiting months for evaluations of whether they were fit for a trial.

The agreement between state officials and representatives of five defendants requires the state to “use its best efforts” to open a new psychiatric hospital by January 2027 in Wichita, the state’s largest city. Officials also must seek funding from the Kansas Legislature to reopen a previously closed 30-bed unit at its psychiatric hospital in Larned in western Kansas, about 130 miles (209 kilometers) northwest of Wichita.

The agreement was announced this week by the two groups pursuing the lawsuit, the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas and the National Police Accountability Project, based in the Seattle area. The groups sued in 2022 on behalf of attorneys for four defendants and the mother of a fifth. The accused were identified only by their initials.

The state operates two psychiatric hospitals, but only the one in Larned has a unit for evaluating whether mentally ill criminal defendants can understand their cases and participate in their own defense. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Larned State Hospital has had fewer than 80 beds for defendants awaiting evaluation.

The state Department for Aging and Disability Services, which runs the Larned facility, acknowledged before the lawsuit was filed that defendants were waiting an average of about 11 months to be evaluated. The lawsuit said defendants remained in county jails that weren’t providing adequate treatment, making the inmates’ conditions worse and violating their rights. The lawsuit also said the state was violating the federal Americans with Disabilities Act by discriminating against people with mental health problems.

“This settlement is more than a legal agreement; it’s a lifeline for those who have been lost in the system, a promise that their dignity and humanity will no longer be ignored,” said Lauren Bonds, the police accountability group’s executive director.

One of the five defendants covered by the lawsuit had been held in a county jail for 13 months facing criminal threat charges when the lawsuit was filed. That’s longer than the maximum prison sentence for a conviction on that charge.

“Remaining in the jail environment is devastating and deeply harmful even for those whose mental health is not in question, and condemning Kansans to languish across the state in their county jails was contradictory to our values of justice,” said Monica Bennett, the ACLU of Kansas’ legal director.

State officials argued that they already had been addressing the long waits. The state began having Larned State Hospital officials operate a mobile evaluation unit in 2019; and in 2022, the Legislature passed a law to allow other qualified hospitals and organizations to examine criminal defendants.

The state and Wichita’s home county hope to start construction early next year on a secure, $101.5 million psychiatric hospital with 104 beds, half of them set aside for the state. Federal COVID-19 relief dollars provided part of the funding.

KDADS spokesperson Cara Sloan-Ramos said the department and Gov. Laura Kelly are committed to reducing wait times.

Republican state Rep. Stephen Owens, chair of the House committee handling criminal justice issues, was pleased that the state could settle the lawsuit.

“We’ve certainly been aware of this issue and have been working on solutions,” Owens said Tuesday.

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Kansas

Kansas federal attorneys went 5 months without pay, sparking constitutional crisis

Published

7 hours ago

November 20, 2025

Press Room

Kansas federal attorneys went 5 months without pay, sparking constitutional crisis

TOPEKA — For nearly 20 weeks, certain lawyers, paralegals, psychologists, interpreters, court reporters and investigators were not paid. Federal funding for a group of criminal justice professionals expired in early July, and the government promised to reimburse them in October, but the longest shutdown in U.S. history delayed that promise. As of Nov. 14, the […]

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Kansas

Boyfriend suspected of shooting at KCK home, killing woman: affidavit

Published

1 day ago

November 19, 2025

Press Room

Boyfriend suspected of shooting at KCK home, killing woman: affidavit

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Multiple shots were fired at a house where a Halloween party was taking place in a suspected domestic violence incident that killed a 20-year-old woman in Kansas City, Kansas, earlier this month, according to court records released Wednesday.

An affidavit released by Wyandotte County District Court details what happened in the early-morning hours of Nov. 1 at the Kansas City, Kansas, home, where Ana Juarez was fatally shot. The affidavit was filed in the case of 22-year-old Kevin Calamaco-Morales, who is accused of killing Juarez. Charging documents say the two were in a relationship.

Officers with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department were called to the home on North 11th Street near Barnett Avenue just before 4:30 a.m. Nov. 1. Officers found Juarez with a gunshot wound to her lower back. She was taken to a hospital, where she died from her injuries.

Investigators interviewed witnesses inside the house and collected video, phone records and Facebook messages sent to the victim that led them to arrest Calamaco-Morales, according to the affidavit.

FOX4 has reached out to an attorney listed for Calamaco-Morales for comment.

Witnesses told police that Juarez went out with friends to Westport and some house parties for Halloween. Back at the house in KCK, they said they noticed Juarez was ignoring her phone, which was “blowing up” with calls or texts. Moments later, they heard gunshots, the witnesses said, and they took cover. Some of the witnesses stated that they saw Juarez getting up and opening the front door.

By the time the witnesses came out from hiding, police officers arrived, and Juarez was lying on the ground.

The house had been hit by gunfire, with some of the bullets entering the home. The victim’s car was also hit by a bullet with the driver’s side window shattered.

Charging documents say that at least one witness told police they believed Calamaco-Morales was involved in the shooting due to his attitude toward Juarez leading up to their Halloween plans. The witness claimed Juarez told them that Calamaco-Morales was controlling and that he initially didn’t want her to go out for Halloween.

Investigators obtained phone records that showed that a number registered to Calamaco-Morales called her 18 times between 4:21 and 4:23 a.m., according to the affidavit. The affidavit also says investigators recovered Facebook messages that were sent to the victim at 4:21 a.m.

Kansas City, Kansas, police took Calamaco-Morales into custody later that day for questioning.

Police also noted that at the address where Calamaco-Morales was taken into custody, they noticed a Honda Accord that was similar to the suspect vehicle they saw on a video that was captured near the shooting scene that morning. The video showed a vehicle parking in front of the home at 4:19 a.m. and a person exiting the passenger side and firing shots.

Charging documents say the Honda had a Kansas tag that was flagged by a license plate reader as being at Seventh Street and Quindaro Boulevard at 4:31 a.m., about nine minutes after the shooting and two miles from the scene.

Calamaco-Morales was arrested and Wyandotte County prosecutors charged him with first-degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm on Nov. 3.

He remains in the Wyandotte County jail with bond set at $500,000.

The next court hearing is set for Dec. 16.

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Kansas

How to Watch Kansas vs Duke: Live Stream NCAA Men’s College Basketball, TV Channel

Published

2 days ago

November 18, 2025

Press Room

The No. 25 Kansas Jayhawks (3-1) travel to Madison Square Garden to face the No. 4 Duke Blue Devils (4-0) in a neutral-site Men’s College Basketball matchup.

How to Watch Kansas vs Duke

When: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: 9:00 PM ET
TV Channel: ESPN
Live Stream: Fubo (try for free)

Perennial powerhouse Kansas has gotten off to a 3-1 start, although its wins haven’t been as impressive as voters would have liked, as they’ve almost dropped from the AP polls. Their last win was a 76-57 home victory over Princeton, in which the defense held Princeton to just 31% from the field. The Jayhawks are strong inside, with Flory Bidunga making 10-of-11 shots for 25 points, but the perimeter game was abhorrent, with Kansas making just 5-of-21 from the 3-point line.

Duke has started where they left off last season, looking like one of the favorites to win the NCAA Championship. After a slow start in a 75-60 win over Texas earlier in the season, the Blue Devils have fired on all cylinders, defeating Western Carolina, Army, and Indiana State in impressive fashion. The 100-62 win over Indiana State was notable for the all-world performance put on by Cameron Boozer, who scored 35 points to go with 12 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and three blocks, missing only three of his 16 shot attempts.

This is a great Men’s College Basketball matchup that you will not want to miss; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.

Live stream Kansas vs Duke on Fubo: Watch the event now!

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