Ottawa

Theater owner arrested in videotape investigation

The owner of a theater was arrested for allegedly videotaping women in the theater’s rest room.

The 40-year-old man, who had not been formally charged as of Monday, was arrested Saturday on charges of eavesdropping and sexual exploitation of a child. He was later released on bond.

Police investigated after a report of an audiovisual device in the rest room, according to Police Chief Dennis Butler.

A sign on the theater Monday indicated it would be closed for the week.

Topeka

Amendment supporters outspent opponents

Supporters of a measure banning gay marriage outspent opponents by more than 2-to-1 in a successful effort to add the proposal to the Kansas Constitution, campaign finance records show.

Those records showed eight groups favoring the amendment spent a total of nearly $182,000, while two groups and an individual opposing the measure spent almost $81,000.

Groups and individuals were required to file reports last week with the secretary of state’s office, listing contributors and their expenditures.

Seventy percent of voters supported the amendment.

Topeka

Attorney: No conflict in representing Lake

An attorney who recently joined a former Westar Energy Inc. executive’s criminal defense team says he has no conflict of interest even though he once represented the utility in other matters.

Nick Badgerow, of Overland Park, hopes to persuade U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson to allow him to continue representing Douglas Lake, of New Canaan, Conn., formerly Westar’s executive vice president.

Badgerow joined Lake’s defense team last month. Assistant U.S. Atty. Richard Hathaway asked Robinson to remove him, noting Badgerow’s past representation of Westar. In a response filed last week, Badgerow said he last represented Westar in 2003 and learned nothing relevant to Lake’s defense.

Lake and former Westar Chief Executive David Wittig, of Topeka, each face 40 criminal charges, including fraud, money laundering and circumventing internal controls. Prosecutors contend the two men tried to loot the state’s largest utility before leaving late in 2002.

After a mistrial in December, prosecutors decided to try the two men again.