Death is still an option for Edwin Hall, judge says

From Diane Carroll:

Johnson County prosecutors can still seek the death penalty against Edwin R. Hall even though there was a problem with the paperwork, a judge ruled today.

Attorneys for Hall, who is charged in the 2007 murder of 18-year-old Kelsey Smith of Overland Park, had asked the judge to take the death penalty off the table.

They argued that District Attorney Phill Kline violated a Supreme Court rule by failing to include his address, telephone number and Supreme Court registration number on the legal notice he submitted last year seeking a separate court proceeding to determine whether Hall should be put to death.

In denying the defense request, District Judge Peter Ruddick wrote that the Supreme Court rule gives him discretion on whether to accept the notice.

Comments

[The_Golfer]

You know, Kline keeps monkey farting around on this one. Wonder if his plan is to leave this, from what I can think it is, mess of a case to his successor.

He can't possibly win the election can he?

Please tell me no.

[Keith G. in P.V.]

Golfer: brace yourself.

Yes, he can, and if so, I will probably relocate to the Missouri side.

[Sasquach]

Good. Now lets just hope they can get a conviction.

[Searching]

Come on over Keith.. the water is FINE!

[Cowgirl]

What an IDIOT. He can't even fill paper work out correctly. Kinda scarey to think what other things he makes a complete mess out of that the public is unaware of. Hopefully next month he'll get his walking papers!

[hellokittyjayhawk]

PK is guilty of sloppy lawyering. He was in such a rush to get the notice to seek death out (no doubt for the publicity) that he did not do it correctly.

Being a good DA requires thoughtful, reasoned behavior and decisions. Too bad PK's main concern seems to be to advance his own political and social agenda.

I hope that Edwin Hall's life isn't sacrificed to that end.

[The Famous Tattoo]

For the record, the "sloppy paperwork error" has been made by every attorney, on every case - a clerk simply didn't type a phone number/ID number under a signature block.

And even Hall's attorneys have made this error IN THIS CASE.

It's a nothing issue that some are trying to use to bolster their faulty opinions of Kline.

What you are witnessing is a defense team in a death penalty case that is starting to nitpick even the smallest details because Phill Kline has nailed their client to the wall in a slow, methodical way.

Keep up the good work, Phill.

[a bmw driver]

FT how can you say this?

Kline has been warned by the judge to get his act together, more than once. Still think Kline is a scumbag, his actions are simply to advance his political career.

This trial needs to be model.