Preliminary hearing set in homicide case

The suspect charged with shooting and killing a man earlier this month at a south Lawrence apartment complex made a brief court appearance Monday to schedule a preliminary hearing.

The defense attorney for Lafayette Damon Ester Cosby, 24, told Douglas County District Judge Jack Murphy he was requesting that prosecutors make available all criminal investigations of the victim, 28-year-old Robert T. Martin. Such requests are typical in criminal cases as part of the pretrial discovery process.

Murphy scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 11. The hearing is a chance for the defense to cross-examine witnesses prior to a trial.

Cosby faces one count of first-degree murder in connection with Martin’s death April 4 at Jefferson Commons, 2511 W. 31st St. Police say witnesses have told them the shooting was unprovoked, but Cosby challenged that claim last week when he made his first appearance before a judge.

Police

Victim reports fight outside homeless shelter

A 33-year-old woman was treated last week at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after a fight in which she claims an acquaintance bit her.

The fight happened around 2:30 a.m. Wednesday outside the Lawrence Open Shelter, 944 Ky., and was not reported to police until that afternoon, according to a report.

Police have one suspect, a 45-year-old homeless man, but have not made any arrests.

Award

Sen. Roberts to visit Kansas City, Manhattan

Kansas City, Mo. — U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., will be presented the 2003 Leader in Agriculture award today by the Kansas City Agriculture Council. The award ceremony, from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m., is at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center, 2345 McGee St., Kansas City, Mo.

Roberts will then travel to Manhattan, Kan., for an afternoon event. At 1:30 p.m., he will introduce Robert Mueller, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as part of the Landon Lecture Series at Bramlage Coliseum at Kansas State University.

Development

KU to break ground on scholarship hall

An event this week will mark the beginning of construction for Kansas University’s newest scholarship hall.

Officials will gather at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at the site, 1323 Ohio, to break ground for Dennis E. Rieger Hall. The hall, set to open in fall 2005, will be home to 50 women.

The hall was funded by a $3 million gift from Roger and Annette Rieger, both KU alumni, in honor of Roger’s brother Dennis Rieger, who died of diabetes at the age of 47.