No rulings issued by Supreme Court on Lawrence cases / LJWorld.com

Archive for Saturday, June 9, 2007

J-W Staff Reports

June 9, 2007

Topeka — The Kansas Supreme Court issued no rulings Friday on the city's smoking ban or the murder conviction of Martin Miller.

Oral arguments in the cases were held before the court in April, and Friday was the earliest date when the court could have issued rulings.

But the cases remain under consideration and no date has been set for decisions from the court.

The city's three-year-old ban of smoking at indoor public places has been challenged by Lawrence bar owner Dennis Steffes as unconstitutional because he says the ordinance superseded a state law that allows the city to limit - but not entirely ban - smoking in public places.

City officials contend the ordinance doesn't prohibit all smoking in public places because it allows smoking on outdoor decks, patios or other open-air spaces.

In the second case, Miller is appealing his conviction in the 2004 strangulation death of his wife, Mary Miller.

Miller contends pornographic photos found on his computer should not have been admitted as evidence in the trial, and that in closing arguments prosecutors prejudiced the jury by referring to him as the killer.

Miller was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years.

Prosecutors say the evidence of pornography was critical to establish motive, and that references to Miller in closing arguments were appropriate.

Discussion

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9 June 2007
at 2:56 a.m.

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Ragingbear (Anonymous) says…

In other news, a building downtown did not get picked up by a tornado, coated with blue tomatoes and placed back in the exact spot but upside-down. I repeat, it did not happen, nor was there any congressmen having lunch at LINK.

Hmm… What else didn't happen today? Oh yeah. An Earthquake didn't happen, causing water to turn into vinegar. Angels did not take over Boston and enforce their new regime of mandatory salt worship. Nor did we have anyone run naked through the oval office in the last 24 hours while being chased by cybernetic gophers.

So LJW, what else didn't happen today?
9 June 2007
at 2:51 p.m.

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introversion (Anonymous) says…

I like that we have an article about the fact that we had an article about something that didn't happen two days ago.

Keep up the good reporting.