Kansas City, Kan.: Suspect in violent death to undergo evaluation

A man charged with three killings police have said were motivated by “deviant cannibalistic tendencies” will be evaluated to determine if he is competent to stand trial.

Jury selection was scheduled to begin Monday for Marc V. Sappington, 23, of Kansas City, Kan. Instead, District Judge J. Dexter Burdette ordered Sappington be sent to the state hospital in Larned.

Sappington is charged with three counts of premeditated first-degree murder in the deaths of Alton “Fred” Brown Jr., 16, Michael Weaver Jr., 22, and Terry T. Green, 25, all of Kansas City, Kan. The three men were killed over three days in April 2001. Only Brown’s body was mutilated.

Topeka: Senator faces hearing for DUI charge

A pretrial hearing for Sen. Ed Pugh on a drunken-driving charge is scheduled for March 18 in Topeka Municipal Court.

Pugh, R-Wamego, was arrested Friday night after being involved in a noninjury accident in downtown Topeka.

He also received a ticket for not having automobile owner’s liability insurance, but his attorney, Leonard Robinson, of Topeka, said Pugh has a document to show he has coverage.

Pugh, an attorney and owner of a cattle ranch, is vice chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.