WRITER: Mackenzie Clark

Candidates for Douglas County district attorney trade barbs in Democratic party forum

Two challengers for the seat of Douglas County district attorney spoke of their ideas for change and prodded the incumbent about cases his office has handled as he touted his experience and filled in other sides of the stories Tuesday evening. The Douglas County Democrats hosted an online forum with newcomers Cooper Overstreet and Suzanne Valdez and four-term incumbent DA Charles Branson that drew nearly 200 ...

Lawrence police identify man found dead at Naismith Valley Park; no foul play suspected

Lawrence police on Tuesday released the identity of a man found dead 13 days ago at Naismith Valley Park. The man was 40-year-old Kelly Crawford, of Independence, Mo., Sgt. Amy Rhoads, public affairs officer for the Lawrence Police Department, said via email Tuesday. She said that at this time police did not suspect foul play in his death. Officers had been dispatched the afternoon of June 10 to a report ...

Five family members, friend were close to destination after cross-country drive before fatal crash in Lawrence

Five family members and a longtime family friend had driven close to 20 hours and were within an hour of their destination before they were killed in a head-on crash on Kansas Highway 10. Anico Kirk, 29; her three daughters, Yamel Kirk, 11, Umariel Lee, 9, and Nah’Liyah Cay, 4; Anico’s brother Maurice Ross, 27; and longtime family friend Felecia Harvey, 49, were killed in the crash Thursday evening. Tony ...

Douglas County district attorney candidates share views on law enforcement misconduct, needed changes

Three Democratic candidates for Douglas County district attorney spoke with the Journal-World recently to share their views on law enforcement misconduct and how they would handle such issues if elected. Two newcomers, Cooper Overstreet, a Lawrence defense attorney, and Suzanne Valdez, a law professor at the University of Kansas, filed on April 15. Incumbent DA Charles Branson, who has not faced an opponent ...

Lawrence police: No new information available in Naismith Valley Park death investigation

About nine days after a dead person was found at Naismith Valley Park, Lawrence police say they have no updates on the investigation. Officers were dispatched June 10 to a report of a body found in the park, at 1400 W. 27th St., the Journal-World previously reported. Police department spokesperson Patrick Compton told the Journal-World via email Tuesday that the department was expecting to receive autopsy ...

'They're making a joke out of you'; Lawrence police delete, defend tweet featuring photo of arrestee's personal property

Updated at 7:56 p.m. Thursday: The Lawrence Police Department has deleted but is defending a tweet showing a police captain laughing with the property of an arrested man, saying that “By no means was it intended to make fun of anyone other than ourselves.” The post featured an image of Capt. Troy Squire, a nearly 25-year veteran of the department and a current contender for undersheriff, laughing as he ...