WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases are among several this term in which the justices could set standards for free speech in the digital age.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/22-555">Click here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argument

In nearly four hours of arguments, several justices questioned aspects of laws adopted by Republican-dominated legislatures and signed by Republican governors in Florida and Texas in 2021. But they seemed wary of a broad ruling, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett warning of “land mines” she and her colleagues need to avoid in resolving the two cases.

While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.

Differences on the court Wednesday emerged over how to think about the platforms — as akin to newspapers that have broad free-speech protections, or telephone companies, known as common carriers that are susceptible to broader regulation.

Chief Justice John Roberts suggested he was in the former camp, saying early in the session, “And I wonder, since we’re talking about the First Amendment, whether our first concern should be with the state regulating what we have called the modern public square?”

Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas appeared most ready to embrace arguments made by lawyers for the states. Thomas raised the idea that the companies are iseeking constitutional protection for “censoring other speech.”

Alito complained about the term “content moderation” that the sites employ to keep material off their platforms.

“Is it anything more than a euphemism for censorship?” he asked, later musing that term struck him as Orwellian.

But Justice Brett Kavanaugh, seemingly more favorable to the companies, took issue with calling the actions of private companies censorship, a term he said should be reserved for restrictions imposed by the government.

“When I think of Orwellian, I think of the state, not the private sector, not private individuals,” Kavanaugh said.

The precise contours of rulings in the two cases were not clear after arguments, although it seemed likely the court would not let the laws take effect. The justices posed questions about how the laws might affect businesses that are not the primary targets of the laws, including e-commerce sites like Uber and Etsy and email and messaging services.

The cases are among several the justices have grappled with over the past year involving social media platforms. Next month, the court will hear an appeal from Louisiana, Missouri and other parties accusing administration officials of pressuring social media companies to silence conservative points of view. Two more cases awaiting decision concern whether public officials can block critics from commenting on their social media accounts, an issue that previously came up in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-dimisses-case-trump-twitter-critics-bcdfcc37052e9c737ac5a1318b02a71c">a case involving then-President Donald Trump</a>. The court dismissed the Trump case when his presidential term ended in January 2021.

The Florida and Texas laws were passed in the months following decisions by Facebook and Twitter, now X, to cut Trump off over his posts related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.

Trade associations representing the companies sued in federal court, claiming that the laws violated the platforms’ speech rights. One federal appeal struck down Florida’s statute, while another upheld the Texas law. But both are on hold pending the outcome at the Supreme Court.

In a statement when he signed the bill into law, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the measure would be “protection against the Silicon Valley elites.”

When Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas law, he said that it was needed to protect free speech in what he termed the new public square. Social media platforms "are a place for healthy public debate where information should be able to flow freely — but there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas. That is wrong, and we will not allow it in Texas,“ Abbott said.

But much has changed since then. Elon Musk purchased Twitter and, in addition to changing its name, eliminated teams focused on content moderation, welcomed back many users previously banned for hate speech and used the site to spread conspiracy theories.

The Biden administration is siding with the challengers. Lawyers for Trump have filed a brief in the Florida case urging the court to uphold the state law.

Still, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, cautioned the court to seek a narrow ruling that blocked the laws. Prelogar said governments maintain the ability to impose regulations to ensure competition, preserve data privacy and protect consumer interests.

Several academics and privacy advocacy groups told the court that they view the laws at issue in these cases as unconstitutional, but want the justices to preserve the government's ability to regulate social media companies to some extent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660141848593.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;cast doubt Monday on state laws that could affect how Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube and other social media platforms regulate content posted by their users. The cases are among several this term in which the justices could set standards for free speech in the digital age.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/22-555">Click here to listen </a>to a replay of the oral argumentIn nearly four hours of arguments, several justices questioned aspects of laws adopted by Republican-dominated legislatures and signed by Republican governors in Florida and Texas in 2021. But they seemed wary of a broad ruling, with Justice Amy Coney Barrett warning of “land mines” she and her colleagues need to avoid in resolving the two cases.While the details vary, both laws aimed to address conservative complaints that the social media companies were liberal-leaning and censored users based on their viewpoints, especially on the political right.Differences on the court Wednesday emerged over how to think about the platforms — as akin to newspapers that have broad free-speech protections, or telephone companies, known as common carriers that are susceptible to broader regulation.Chief Justice John Roberts suggested he was in the former camp, saying early in the session, “And I wonder, since we’re talking about the First Amendment, whether our first concern should be with the state regulating what we have called the modern public square?”Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas appeared most ready to embrace arguments made by lawyers for the states. Thomas raised the idea that the companies are iseeking constitutional protection for “censoring other speech.”Alito complained about the term “content moderation” that the sites employ to keep material off their platforms.“Is it anything more than a euphemism for censorship?” he asked, later musing that term struck him as Orwellian.But Justice Brett Kavanaugh, seemingly more favorable to the companies, took issue with calling the actions of private companies censorship, a term he said should be reserved for restrictions imposed by the government.“When I think of Orwellian, I think of the state, not the private sector, not private individuals,” Kavanaugh said.The precise contours of rulings in the two cases were not clear after arguments, although it seemed likely the court would not let the laws take effect. The justices posed questions about how the laws might affect businesses that are not the primary targets of the laws, including e-commerce sites like Uber and Etsy and email and messaging services.The cases are among several the justices have grappled with over the past year involving social media platforms. Next month, the court will hear an appeal from Louisiana, Missouri and other parties accusing administration officials of pressuring social media companies to silence conservative points of view. Two more cases awaiting decision concern whether public officials can block critics from commenting on their social media accounts, an issue that previously came up in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-dimisses-case-trump-twitter-critics-bcdfcc37052e9c737ac5a1318b02a71c">a case involving then-President Donald Trump</a>. The court dismissed the Trump case when his presidential term ended in January 2021.The Florida and Texas laws were passed in the months following decisions by Facebook and Twitter, now X, to cut Trump off over his posts related to the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters.Trade associations representing the companies sued in federal court, claiming that the laws violated the platforms’ speech rights. One federal appeal struck down Florida’s statute, while another upheld the Texas law. But both are on hold pending the outcome at the Supreme Court.In a statement when he signed the bill into law, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said the measure would be “protection against the Silicon Valley elites.”When Gov. Greg Abbott signed the Texas law, he said that it was needed to protect free speech in what he termed the new public square. Social media platforms "are a place for healthy public debate where information should be able to flow freely — but there is a dangerous movement by social media companies to silence conservative viewpoints and ideas. That is wrong, and we will not allow it in Texas,“ Abbott said.But much has changed since then. Elon Musk purchased Twitter and, in addition to changing its name, eliminated teams focused on content moderation, welcomed back many users previously banned for hate speech and used the site to spread conspiracy theories.The Biden administration is siding with the challengers. Lawyers for Trump have filed a brief in the Florida case urging the court to uphold the state law.Still, Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the administration's top Supreme Court lawyer, cautioned the court to seek a narrow ruling that blocked the laws. Prelogar said governments maintain the ability to impose regulations to ensure competition, preserve data privacy and protect consumer interests.Several academics and privacy advocacy groups told the court that they view the laws at issue in these cases as unconstitutional, but want the justices to preserve the government's ability to regulate social media companies to some extent.

🎧 Supreme Court casts doubt on states' efforts to regulate social media platforms

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Three suspects accused in a shooting that killed a toddler at a Wichita apartment complex made their first appearances in court Monday.

The 17-year-old boy,&nbsp;25-year-old K’Veion Richard and 21-year-old Jonathan Tillery-Matthias all of Wichita, were charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just after 7p.m. February 19, police responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of South Oliver, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Through the investigation, officers learned that two adult females were struck by gunfire and 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson was also struck by gunfire and died of his injuries.

Investigators with the WPD homicide section have been diligently working this case since the shooting occurred. That work has included follow-up on leads, utilizing technology and executing search warrants. Through the investigation, three suspects were identified.

On Thursday, the Wichita Police Department arrested three suspects including a 17-year-old boy,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072">Richard</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias</a>&nbsp;was currently on pre-trial supervision for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle stemming from a Wichita Police investigation.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072"> Richard </a>was on Parole for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault x2, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon.

Police believe that this was a targeted event which led to the death of the child.

Tillery-Mattias and Richard are scheduled for another court apperance on March 6.&nbsp; Each is being held on bonds of one-point-five million dollars.&nbsp; &nbsp;The district attorney's office did not have an update on future court appearances for the teen suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708650238448.png" alt="Tillery-Matthias-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Tillery-Matthias-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — Three suspects accused in a shooting that killed a toddler at a Wichita apartment complex made their first appearances in court Monday.The 17-year-old boy,&nbsp;25-year-old K’Veion Richard and 21-year-old Jonathan Tillery-Matthias all of Wichita, were charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Just after 7p.m. February 19, police responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of South Oliver, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Through the investigation, officers learned that two adult females were struck by gunfire and 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson was also struck by gunfire and died of his injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708454643255.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators with the WPD homicide section have been diligently working this case since the shooting occurred. That work has included follow-up on leads, utilizing technology and executing search warrants. Through the investigation, three suspects were identified.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708650349815.png" alt="Richard-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Richard-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday, the Wichita Police Department arrested three suspects including a 17-year-old boy,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072">Richard</a> and&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias&nbsp;</a><a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746317">Tillery-Matthias</a>&nbsp;was currently on pre-trial supervision for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm into an Occupied Vehicle stemming from a Wichita Police investigation.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=232072"> Richard </a>was on Parole for Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, Aggravated Burglary, Aggravated Assault x2, and Criminal Possession of a Weapon.Police believe that this was a targeted event which led to the death of the child.Tillery-Mattias and Richard are scheduled for another court apperance on March 6.&nbsp; Each is being held on bonds of one-point-five million dollars.&nbsp; &nbsp;The district attorney's office did not have an update on future court appearances for the teen suspect.

17-year-old, 2 adults charged in death of Kansas toddler

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged vandalism against the Jewish community in Topeka.

Late last week, officials with Temple Beth Sholom reported they&nbsp;discovered graffiti at the entrance of property,&nbsp;4200 SW Munson in Topeka.

The graffiti featured a pro-Palestinian message. "Obviously, targeting American Jews for the actions of the Israeli government is antisemitism," the social media message the synagogue shared on their social media page.

"They have targeted other areas in Topeka, and all these incidents are under investigation by the Topeka Police Department and FBI."

"The graffiti was immediately reported to the authorities, and we have received reassurance from our law enforcement partners that there are no relevant threats to our congregation at this time."&nbsp; 

"The Topeka Police Department and the FBI are in contact with Len Richter, Chair of the Security Committee. The Topeka Public Works department has already removed the graffiti on the request of Topeka Police Department."

 Rabbi Samuel Stern wrote, "It is still my intention to hold our services, and for the life of the congregation to proceed as usual.We want to thank our office staff member for her diligence and many thanks are due to our supportive law enforcement partners."

In November police investigated a vandalism report at the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, 1116 Indiana Street, in Lawrence, Kansas, according to a media release from Lawrence Police.&nbsp;The Israeli Flag display at the house had been cut down and ripped up and later found about a block away.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708973534302.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged vandalism against the Jewish community in Topeka.Late last week, officials with Temple Beth Sholom reported they&nbsp;discovered graffiti at the entrance of property,&nbsp;4200 SW Munson in Topeka.The graffiti featured a pro-Palestinian message. "Obviously, targeting American Jews for the actions of the Israeli government is antisemitism," the social media message the synagogue shared on their social media page."They have targeted other areas in Topeka, and all these incidents are under investigation by the Topeka Police Department and FBI.""The graffiti was immediately reported to the authorities, and we have received reassurance from our law enforcement partners that there are no relevant threats to our congregation at this time."&nbsp; "The Topeka Police Department and the FBI are in contact with Len Richter, Chair of the Security Committee. The Topeka Public Works department has already removed the graffiti on the request of Topeka Police Department." Rabbi Samuel Stern wrote, "It is still my intention to hold our services, and for the life of the congregation to proceed as usual.We want to thank our office staff member for her diligence and many thanks are due to our supportive law enforcement partners."In November police investigated a vandalism report at the Alpha Epsilon Pi Fraternity, 1116 Indiana Street, in Lawrence, Kansas, according to a media release from Lawrence Police.&nbsp;The Israeli Flag display at the house had been cut down and ripped up and later found about a block away.

Kan. synagogue spray-painted with pro-Palestinian message

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and have issued an arrest warrant for 33-year-old Anthony W. Taylor of Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Blue Springs Police Department.

Just after 11:45p.m. February 25, Taylor was involved in the shooting of a man identified as Cornell Elam in the 300 Block of NW Summit in Blue Springs. First responders transported Elam to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased,

Taylor is described as 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Taylor should contact police. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709031916387.png" alt="Taylor-from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Taylor-from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and have issued an arrest warrant for 33-year-old Anthony W. Taylor of Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Blue Springs Police Department.Just after 11:45p.m. February 25, Taylor was involved in the shooting of a man identified as Cornell Elam in the 300 Block of NW Summit in Blue Springs. First responders transported Elam to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased,<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709031749292.png" alt="Taylor- from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Taylor- from an earlier arrest in Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Taylor is described as 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Taylor should contact police. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

Police ask for help to locate Kansas man wanted for murder 

JERUSALEM —U.S. Warships continue to face threats in the Red Sea.

On Monday between the hours of 4:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USV), two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in self-defense, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

The USV and ASCM weapons were prepared to launch towards, and the UAV was over, the Red Sea.

CENTCOM forces identified the USVs and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, as well as the UAV over the Red Sea, and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy ships in the region. 

Meanwhile,&nbsp;President Joe Biden says Israel would be willing to halt its war on Hamas in Gaza during the upcoming Muslim fasting month of Ramadan if a deal is reached to release some of the hostages held by the militants.

Negotiators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar are working on a framework deal under which Hamas would free some of the dozens of hostages it holds, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a six-week halt in fighting. During the temporary pause, negotiations would continue over the release of the remaining hostages.

Biden’s comments in an interview taped Monday for NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers” were the most detailed yet about a possible halt in fighting during the holy month, a time of heightened religious observance and dawn-to-dusk fasting.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said earlier that the army had presented to the War Cabinet its operational plan for a ground offensive into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-rafah-israel-hamas-war-photo-gallery-2a93ded7d44b9720d941f7e53c5bf45e">Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost town</a>&nbsp;along the border with Egypt, where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought safety.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">situation in Rafah</a>, where dense tent camps have sprouted to house the displaced, has sparked global concern and Israel’s allies have warned that it must protect civilians in its battle against Hamas.

The war began after Hamas-led militants&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">stormed across southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 others hostage.

The war has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">the Health Ministry</a>, which does not distinguish in its count between fighters and noncombatants. Israel says it has killed 10,000 militants, without providing evidence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708804229711.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —U.S. Warships continue to face threats in the Red Sea.On Monday between the hours of 4:45 p.m. and 11:45 p.m. (Sanaa time), U.S. forces destroyed three unmanned surface vessels (USV), two mobile anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), and a one-way attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in self-defense, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.The USV and ASCM weapons were prepared to launch towards, and the UAV was over, the Red Sea.CENTCOM forces identified the USVs and missiles in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen, as well as the UAV over the Red Sea, and determined that they presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy ships in the region. Meanwhile,&nbsp;President Joe Biden says Israel would be willing to halt its war on Hamas in Gaza during the upcoming Muslim fasting month of Ramadan if a deal is reached to release some of the hostages held by the militants.Negotiators from the U.S., Egypt and Qatar are working on a framework deal under which Hamas would free some of the dozens of hostages it holds, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners and a six-week halt in fighting. During the temporary pause, negotiations would continue over the release of the remaining hostages.Biden’s comments in an interview taped Monday for NBC’s “Late Night With Seth Meyers” were the most detailed yet about a possible halt in fighting during the holy month, a time of heightened religious observance and dawn-to-dusk fasting.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said earlier that the army had presented to the War Cabinet its operational plan for a ground offensive into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-rafah-israel-hamas-war-photo-gallery-2a93ded7d44b9720d941f7e53c5bf45e">Rafah, Gaza’s southernmost town</a>&nbsp;along the border with Egypt, where 1.4 million Palestinians have sought safety.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rafah-gaza-evacuation-palestinians-attack-israel-hamas-90bf78cfca6550dc229e7192f6724dfc">situation in Rafah</a>, where dense tent camps have sprouted to house the displaced, has sparked global concern and Israel’s allies have warned that it must protect civilians in its battle against Hamas.The war began after Hamas-led militants&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">stormed across southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking about 250 others hostage.The war has unleashed a humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza and has killed nearly 30,000 Palestinians, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">the Health Ministry</a>, which does not distinguish in its count between fighters and noncombatants. Israel says it has killed 10,000 militants, without providing evidence.

U.S. Warships face additional threats in the Red Sea

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Monday in Wyandotte County.

Kansas City, Kansas Police reported officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of Gilmore Avenue where they discovered a single vehicle that had crashed and was on fire. 

After the fire was extinguished it was discovered that there was an adult inside who was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Traffic Division. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). There is nothing further to report at this time.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Monday in Wyandotte County.Kansas City, Kansas Police reported officers were dispatched to the 1000 block of Gilmore Avenue where they discovered a single vehicle that had crashed and was on fire. After the fire was extinguished it was discovered that there was an adult inside who was pronounced deceased at the scene. This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Traffic Division. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). There is nothing further to report at this time.

One dead in Kansas crash and fire

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting have identified the victim as 54-year-old Cesar Tadeo a resident of Kansas City, Kansas.

Just after 4:30p.m. Feb. 19,&nbsp;officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 200 block of S. 11th Street in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders located Tadeo who had been struck by gunfire. EMS&nbsp; transported him an area hospital for treatment and died three days later, according to a statement from KCK Police.

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp;

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly shooting have identified the victim as 54-year-old Cesar Tadeo a resident of Kansas City, Kansas.Just after 4:30p.m. Feb. 19,&nbsp;officers were dispatched to a shooting in the 200 block of S. 11th Street in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders located Tadeo who had been struck by gunfire. EMS&nbsp; transported him an area hospital for treatment and died three days later, according to a statement from KCK Police.This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit.&nbsp;

Kansas man died three days after shooting

JACKSON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on drug allegations;

Just before 3p.m. Feb. 23, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt for a traffic infraction on U.S. Highway 75 near 134th&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the course of the traffic stop deputies seized illegal drug contraband.&nbsp; All three occupants of the vehicle were arrested.

The driver, Misty Lynn Lang, 40, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and no insurance.

Patricia Darlene Nichols, 46, of Wamego, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Marques Alan Cates, 28, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708881117965.png" alt="Lang-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Lang-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects on drug allegations;Just before 3p.m. Feb. 23, a&nbsp;Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt for a traffic infraction on U.S. Highway 75 near 134th&nbsp;Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the course of the traffic stop deputies seized illegal drug contraband.&nbsp; All three occupants of the vehicle were arrested.The driver, Misty Lynn Lang, 40, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a controlled substance and no insurance.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708881094881.png" alt="Nichols-photo Jackson Co" />
 <figcaption>Nichols-photo Jackson Co</figcaption>
 </figure>Patricia Darlene Nichols, 46, of Wamego, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708881169578.png" alt="Cates" />
 <figcaption>Cates</figcaption>
 </figure>Marques Alan Cates, 28, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for distribution of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Sheriff: 3 suspects accused of selling fentanyl in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating another deadly shooting in Wichita and have identified the suspect as 20-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746460">John Aurthur Griffin,</a> according to Sedgwick County arrest records.&nbsp;

Griffin&nbsp; had been in prison for portion of 2022 and 2023 after a conviction for Battery Juvenile Corrections Facility officer, Employer person confined, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. During his time his approximately 18 months in prison, Griffin had been disciplined nearly three dozen times for battery, theft, fighting and other crimes, according to the KDOC.

Just before 9:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting call&nbsp; in the 7300 block of E. Kellogg, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

First responders located two shooting victims in a motel room identified as&nbsp;35-year-old Christopher Harrell and 35-year-old Natisha Phillips both of Wichita.

EMS transported Harrell to a local area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Phillips was pronounced deceased on the scene. 

Officers also located a young child at the scene, who was unharmed, and police are using resources to address any psychological or medical needs for the child.&nbsp;

Subsequent investigation led the arrest of Griffin who will face a requested charges of Capital Murder, Child Endangerment, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, according to Gupilan.

The circumstances surrounding this incident remain under active investigation. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708953115181.png" alt="Griffin-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Griffin-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities continue investigating another deadly shooting in Wichita and have identified the suspect as 20-year-old <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=746460">John Aurthur Griffin,</a> according to Sedgwick County arrest records.&nbsp; Griffin&nbsp; had been in prison for portion of 2022 and 2023 after a conviction for Battery Juvenile Corrections Facility officer, Employer person confined, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. During his time his approximately 18 months in prison, Griffin had been disciplined nearly three dozen times for battery, theft, fighting and other crimes, according to the KDOC.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708804201051.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 9:30a.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting call&nbsp; in the 7300 block of E. Kellogg, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.First responders located two shooting victims in a motel room identified as&nbsp;35-year-old Christopher Harrell and 35-year-old Natisha Phillips both of Wichita.EMS transported Harrell to a local area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. Phillips was pronounced deceased on the scene. Officers also located a young child at the scene, who was unharmed, and police are using resources to address any psychological or medical needs for the child.&nbsp;Subsequent investigation led the arrest of Griffin who will face a requested charges of Capital Murder, Child Endangerment, and Felon in Possession of a Firearm, according to Gupilan.The circumstances surrounding this incident remain under active investigation.

Suspect in Kan. double-homicide spent violent time in prison

NEW YORK (AP) — Don Henley said Monday that he never gave away handwritten pages of draft lyrics to “Hotel California” and other Eagles hits, calling them “very personal" in testimony that also delved into an ugly but unrelated episode:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-henley-eagles-hotel-california-sex-worker-dae5d3c41ae5ad1071a06dbc74a957d7">his 1980 arrest</a>.

Henley, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/don-henley">Grammy-winning co-founder</a>&nbsp;of one of the most successful bands in rock history, is prosecutors' star witness in an unusual criminal trial surrounding the lyrics sheets.

Henley says they were stolen decades ago from his barn in Malibu, California. He testified Monday that he was appalled when the material began turning up at auctions in 2012.

“It just wasn’t something that was for public viewing. It was our process. It was something very personal, very private,” he said in a raspy drawl. “I still wouldn’t show that to anybody.”

The defendants are three collectibles experts who bought the pages years later through a writer who had worked with the Eagles on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">a never-published band biography</a>. The defense maintains that Henley willingly gave them to the scribe.

Under cross-examination, Henley acknowledged that he didn't remember “the entirety” of his conversations with the writer, Ed Sanders, who isn't charged in the case. Nor, Henley said, could he recall whether he gave Sanders permission to take the documents off the property.

But Henley insisted he gave Sanders only access to the documents, not permanent possession of them, in the hopes that a firsthand view of “the time and effort that went into” the lyrics would improve the book.

He said he told Sanders he could look at the pages, ideally at a breakfast table in an apartment upstairs from the barn.

“I never gave him permission to keep those items,” Henley said.

At issue are about 100 sheets of legal-pad paper inscribed with lyrics-in-the-making for multiple songs on the “Hotel California” album, including “Life in the Fast Lane,” “New Kid in Town” and the title track that turned into one of the most durable hits in rock. Famed for its lengthy guitar solo and puzzlingly poetic lyrics, the song still gets streamed hundreds of millions of times a year.

The defendants — rare-book dealer Glenn Horowitz and rock memorabilia specialists Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski — have pleaded not guilty to charges including criminally possessing stolen property. Their lawyers say there was nothing illegal in what happened to the lyrics sheets.

The defense has signaled that it plans to question Henley, 76, about how clearly he remembers his conversations with Sanders during an era in which the rocker was living in his own fast lane. In an apparent attempt to defuse some of those questions, a prosecutor brought up Henley's 1980 arrest.

Henley pleaded no contest in 1981 to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, after authorities found cocaine, quaaludes, marijuana and a naked 16-year-old girl suffering from an overdose at his Los Angeles home the prior November. He was sentenced to probation and a $2,500 fine, and he requested a drug education program to get some possession charges dismissed.

Henley testified Monday that he'd been depressed about the Eagles 1980 breakup and had sought “an escape” by calling for a sex worker that night.

“I made a poor decision which I regret to this day," he said.

As for his memory, he said, “I can’t tell you what I had for breakfast last Friday morning, but I can tell you where we stayed when we played Wembley in 1975 and we opened for Elton John and the Beach Boys,” referring to London's Wembley Stadium.

Sanders began working with the Eagles in 1979 on a band biography that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">never made it into print</a>. He sold the documents to Horowitz, who sold them to Kosinski and Inciardi. Kosinski has a rock ‘n’ roll collectibles auction site; Inciardi was then a curator at the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame.

In a 2005 email to Horowitz, Sanders said Henley’s assistant had sent him the documents for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-8ec3a28657365ecce6bfd4003ead494a">the biography project,</a>&nbsp;according to the indictment.

Henley reported them stolen after Inciardi and Kosinski began in 2012 to offer them at various auctions.

Henley also bought four pages back for $8,500 in 2012. He testified that he resented having to buy back what he contends was his own property. But he said he saw it as “the most practical and expedient” way to get the auction listing, which contained photos of the lyrics sheets, off the internet.

Kosinski’s lawyers, however, have argued that the transaction implicitly recognized his ownership.

Meanwhile, Horowitz and Inciardi started ginning up alternate stories of how Sanders got hold of the manuscripts, Manhattan prosecutors say.

Among the alternate stories were that they were left behind backstage at an Eagles concert, that Sanders received them from someone he couldn’t recall, and that he got them from Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey, according to emails recounted in the indictment. Frey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-8169f05ac21d43dda4b1c1dd8b065e28">had died</a>&nbsp;by the time Horowitz broached that last option in 2017.

Sanders contributed to or signed onto some explanations, according to the emails. He hasn’t responded to messages seeking comment about the case.

Kosinski forwarded one of the various explanations to Henley’s lawyer, then told an auction house that the rocker had “no claim” to the documents, the indictment says.

Henley has been a fierce advocate for artists’ rights to their work. Since the late 1990s, he and a musician' rights group that he co-founded have spoken out in venues from the Supreme Court to Congress about copyright law, online file-sharing and more. As recently as 2002, Henley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/23e26c38a9a6fbf3d7451c42b058c216">testified to Congress</a>&nbsp;to urge copyright law updates to fight online piracy.

Henley also sued a Senate candidate over unauthorized use of some of the musician's solo songs in a campaign spot. Another Henley suit hit a clothing company that made t-shirts emblazoned with a pun on his name. Both cases ended in settlements and apologies from the defendants.

NEW YORK (AP) — Don Henley testified Monday that a “poor decision” led to his arrest in 1980, when authorities said they found drugs and a 16-year-old sex worker suffering from an overdose at his Los Angeles home.

Henley was asked about the arrest as he testified at a criminal trial surrounding what he says were stolen, handwritten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-973e74e795416821e6f022895b47b78e">draft lyrics to “Hotel California”</a>&nbsp;and other Eagles hits.

Henley said he called for a sex worker on a night in November 1980 because he “wanted to escape the depression I was in” over the breakup of the superstar band.

“I wanted to forget about everything that was happening with the band, and I made a poor decision which I regret to this day. I’ve had to live with it for 44 years. I’m still living with it today, in this courtroom. Poor decision,” the 76-year-old testified in a raspy drawl.

As he has in the past, Henley said he didn't know the girl's age until after his arrest and that he did cocaine with and went to bed with the girl, but never had sex with her.

“I don’t remember the anatomical details, but I know there was no sex,” he said.

He said he called firefighters, who checked the girl's health, found her to be OK and left, with him promising to take care of her. The paramedics, who found her in the nude, called police, authorities said at the time.

Henley said Monday that she recovered and was preparing to leave with a friend she'd had him call, when police arrived hours later.

Authorities said at the time that they found cocaine, quaaludes and marijuana at his Los Angeles home.

Henley pleaded no contest in 1981 to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was sentenced to probation and a $2,500 fine, and he requested a drug education program to get some possession charges dismissed.

Henley was in the New York courtroom Monday to talk about something else — his version of how handwritten pages from the development of the band's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c0b39a1bb5b4e44aafe2c4e05a4b67f">blockbuster 1976 album</a>&nbsp;made their way from his Southern California barn to New York auctions decades later.

But a prosecutor asked about the arrest early on, apparently to do so before defense lawyers could.

The Grammy-winning singer and drummer and vociferous artists'-rights activist is prosecutors' star witness at the trial, where three collectibles professionals face charges including criminally possessing stolen property.

They're accused of colluding to veil the documents' questioned ownership in order to try to sell them and deflect Henley's demands for their return.

The defendants — rare-book dealer Glenn Horowitz and rock memorabilia specialists Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski — have pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers say there was nothing illegal in what happened to the lyric sheets.

The defendants acquired the pages through writer Ed Sanders, who began working with the Eagles in 1979 on a band biography that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">never made it into print</a>.

He sold the documents to Horowitz, who sold them to Kosinski and Inciardi. Kosinski has a rock ‘n’ roll collectibles auction site; Inciardi was then a curator at the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame.

In a 2005 email to Horowitz, Sanders said Henley's assistant had sent him the documents for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-8ec3a28657365ecce6bfd4003ead494a">the biography project,</a>&nbsp;according to the indictment.

Henley, however, testified Monday that he only gave the biographer access to the documents, not possession of them, and that he never wanted them to become public.

They contain, he said, "some of the stupid stuff we wrote down before we got to the final lyrics of the songs.

“It just wasn't something that was for public viewing. It was our process. It was something very personal, very private,” he said. “I still wouldn't show that to anybody.”

He reported them stolen after Inciardi and Kosinski began in 2012 to offer them at various auctions.

Kosinski's lawyers, however, have argued that the transaction implicitly recognized his ownership.

Among the alternate stories were that they were left behind backstage at an Eagles concert, that Sanders received them from someone he couldn't recall, and that he got them from Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey, according to emails recounted in the indictment. Frey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-8169f05ac21d43dda4b1c1dd8b065e28">had died</a>&nbsp;by the time Horowitz broached that last option in 2017.

Sanders contributed to or signed onto some explanations, according to the emails. He hasn't been charged with any crime and hasn't responded to messages seeking comment about the case.

Henley has been a fierce advocate for artists’ rights to their work.

He tangled with Congress over a 1999 copyright law change that affected musicians’ ability to reclaim ownership of their old recordings from record labels. After complaints from Henley and other musicians, Congress unwound the change the next year.

Meanwhile, Henley helped establish a musicians' rights group that spoke out in venues from Congress to the Supreme Court against online file-sharing platforms. Some popular services at the time let users trade digital recordings for free. The music industry contended that the exchanges flouted copyright laws.

Henley and some other major artists applauded a 2005 high court ruling that cleared a path for record labels to sue file-swapping services.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708429319229.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Don Henley said Monday that he never gave away handwritten pages of draft lyrics to “Hotel California” and other Eagles hits, calling them “very personal" in testimony that also delved into an ugly but unrelated episode:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-henley-eagles-hotel-california-sex-worker-dae5d3c41ae5ad1071a06dbc74a957d7">his 1980 arrest</a>.Henley, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/don-henley">Grammy-winning co-founder</a>&nbsp;of one of the most successful bands in rock history, is prosecutors' star witness in an unusual criminal trial surrounding the lyrics sheets.Henley says they were stolen decades ago from his barn in Malibu, California. He testified Monday that he was appalled when the material began turning up at auctions in 2012.“It just wasn’t something that was for public viewing. It was our process. It was something very personal, very private,” he said in a raspy drawl. “I still wouldn’t show that to anybody.”The defendants are three collectibles experts who bought the pages years later through a writer who had worked with the Eagles on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">a never-published band biography</a>. The defense maintains that Henley willingly gave them to the scribe.Under cross-examination, Henley acknowledged that he didn't remember “the entirety” of his conversations with the writer, Ed Sanders, who isn't charged in the case. Nor, Henley said, could he recall whether he gave Sanders permission to take the documents off the property.But Henley insisted he gave Sanders only access to the documents, not permanent possession of them, in the hopes that a firsthand view of “the time and effort that went into” the lyrics would improve the book.He said he told Sanders he could look at the pages, ideally at a breakfast table in an apartment upstairs from the barn.“I never gave him permission to keep those items,” Henley said.At issue are about 100 sheets of legal-pad paper inscribed with lyrics-in-the-making for multiple songs on the “Hotel California” album, including “Life in the Fast Lane,” “New Kid in Town” and the title track that turned into one of the most durable hits in rock. Famed for its lengthy guitar solo and puzzlingly poetic lyrics, the song still gets streamed hundreds of millions of times a year.The defendants — rare-book dealer Glenn Horowitz and rock memorabilia specialists Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski — have pleaded not guilty to charges including criminally possessing stolen property. Their lawyers say there was nothing illegal in what happened to the lyrics sheets.The defense has signaled that it plans to question Henley, 76, about how clearly he remembers his conversations with Sanders during an era in which the rocker was living in his own fast lane. In an apparent attempt to defuse some of those questions, a prosecutor brought up Henley's 1980 arrest.Henley pleaded no contest in 1981 to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, after authorities found cocaine, quaaludes, marijuana and a naked 16-year-old girl suffering from an overdose at his Los Angeles home the prior November. He was sentenced to probation and a $2,500 fine, and he requested a drug education program to get some possession charges dismissed.Henley testified Monday that he'd been depressed about the Eagles 1980 breakup and had sought “an escape” by calling for a sex worker that night.“I made a poor decision which I regret to this day," he said.As for his memory, he said, “I can’t tell you what I had for breakfast last Friday morning, but I can tell you where we stayed when we played Wembley in 1975 and we opened for Elton John and the Beach Boys,” referring to London's Wembley Stadium.Sanders began working with the Eagles in 1979 on a band biography that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">never made it into print</a>. He sold the documents to Horowitz, who sold them to Kosinski and Inciardi. Kosinski has a rock ‘n’ roll collectibles auction site; Inciardi was then a curator at the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame.In a 2005 email to Horowitz, Sanders said Henley’s assistant had sent him the documents for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-8ec3a28657365ecce6bfd4003ead494a">the biography project,</a>&nbsp;according to the indictment.Henley reported them stolen after Inciardi and Kosinski began in 2012 to offer them at various auctions.Henley also bought four pages back for $8,500 in 2012. He testified that he resented having to buy back what he contends was his own property. But he said he saw it as “the most practical and expedient” way to get the auction listing, which contained photos of the lyrics sheets, off the internet.Kosinski’s lawyers, however, have argued that the transaction implicitly recognized his ownership.Meanwhile, Horowitz and Inciardi started ginning up alternate stories of how Sanders got hold of the manuscripts, Manhattan prosecutors say.Among the alternate stories were that they were left behind backstage at an Eagles concert, that Sanders received them from someone he couldn’t recall, and that he got them from Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey, according to emails recounted in the indictment. Frey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-8169f05ac21d43dda4b1c1dd8b065e28">had died</a>&nbsp;by the time Horowitz broached that last option in 2017.Sanders contributed to or signed onto some explanations, according to the emails. He hasn’t responded to messages seeking comment about the case.Kosinski forwarded one of the various explanations to Henley’s lawyer, then told an auction house that the rocker had “no claim” to the documents, the indictment says.Henley has been a fierce advocate for artists’ rights to their work. Since the late 1990s, he and a musician' rights group that he co-founded have spoken out in venues from the Supreme Court to Congress about copyright law, online file-sharing and more. As recently as 2002, Henley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/23e26c38a9a6fbf3d7451c42b058c216">testified to Congress</a>&nbsp;to urge copyright law updates to fight online piracy.Henley also sued a Senate candidate over unauthorized use of some of the musician's solo songs in a campaign spot. Another Henley suit hit a clothing company that made t-shirts emblazoned with a pun on his name. Both cases ended in settlements and apologies from the defendants.--------------NEW YORK (AP) — Don Henley testified Monday that a “poor decision” led to his arrest in 1980, when authorities said they found drugs and a 16-year-old sex worker suffering from an overdose at his Los Angeles home.Henley was asked about the arrest as he testified at a criminal trial surrounding what he says were stolen, handwritten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-973e74e795416821e6f022895b47b78e">draft lyrics to “Hotel California”</a>&nbsp;and other Eagles hits.Henley said he called for a sex worker on a night in November 1980 because he “wanted to escape the depression I was in” over the breakup of the superstar band.“I wanted to forget about everything that was happening with the band, and I made a poor decision which I regret to this day. I’ve had to live with it for 44 years. I’m still living with it today, in this courtroom. Poor decision,” the 76-year-old testified in a raspy drawl.As he has in the past, Henley said he didn't know the girl's age until after his arrest and that he did cocaine with and went to bed with the girl, but never had sex with her.“I don’t remember the anatomical details, but I know there was no sex,” he said.He said he called firefighters, who checked the girl's health, found her to be OK and left, with him promising to take care of her. The paramedics, who found her in the nude, called police, authorities said at the time.Henley said Monday that she recovered and was preparing to leave with a friend she'd had him call, when police arrived hours later.Authorities said at the time that they found cocaine, quaaludes and marijuana at his Los Angeles home.Henley pleaded no contest in 1981 to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He was sentenced to probation and a $2,500 fine, and he requested a drug education program to get some possession charges dismissed.Henley was in the New York courtroom Monday to talk about something else — his version of how handwritten pages from the development of the band's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c0b39a1bb5b4e44aafe2c4e05a4b67f">blockbuster 1976 album</a>&nbsp;made their way from his Southern California barn to New York auctions decades later.But a prosecutor asked about the arrest early on, apparently to do so before defense lawyers could.The Grammy-winning singer and drummer and vociferous artists'-rights activist is prosecutors' star witness at the trial, where three collectibles professionals face charges including criminally possessing stolen property.They're accused of colluding to veil the documents' questioned ownership in order to try to sell them and deflect Henley's demands for their return.The defendants — rare-book dealer Glenn Horowitz and rock memorabilia specialists Craig Inciardi and Edward Kosinski — have pleaded not guilty. Their lawyers say there was nothing illegal in what happened to the lyric sheets.At issue are about 100 sheets of legal-pad paper inscribed with lyrics-in-the-making for multiple songs on the “Hotel California” album, including “Life in the Fast Lane,” “New Kid in Town” and the title track that turned into one of the most durable hits in rock. Famed for its lengthy guitar solo and puzzlingly poetic lyrics, the song still gets streamed hundreds of millions of times a year.The defendants acquired the pages through writer Ed Sanders, who began working with the Eagles in 1979 on a band biography that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-1b873edc7596bb736428fbf8fb431c1d">never made it into print</a>.He sold the documents to Horowitz, who sold them to Kosinski and Inciardi. Kosinski has a rock ‘n’ roll collectibles auction site; Inciardi was then a curator at the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame.In a 2005 email to Horowitz, Sanders said Henley's assistant had sent him the documents for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-california-lyrics-manuscript-trial-eagles-henley-8ec3a28657365ecce6bfd4003ead494a">the biography project,</a>&nbsp;according to the indictment.Henley, however, testified Monday that he only gave the biographer access to the documents, not possession of them, and that he never wanted them to become public.They contain, he said, "some of the stupid stuff we wrote down before we got to the final lyrics of the songs.“It just wasn't something that was for public viewing. It was our process. It was something very personal, very private,” he said. “I still wouldn't show that to anybody.”He reported them stolen after Inciardi and Kosinski began in 2012 to offer them at various auctions.Henley also bought four pages back for $8,500 in 2012. He testified that he resented having to buy back what he contends was his own property. But he said he saw it as “the most practical and expedient” way to get the auction listing, which contained photos of the lyrics sheets, off the internet.Kosinski's lawyers, however, have argued that the transaction implicitly recognized his ownership.Meanwhile, Horowitz and Inciardi started ginning up alternate stories of how Sanders got hold of the manuscripts, Manhattan prosecutors say.Among the alternate stories were that they were left behind backstage at an Eagles concert, that Sanders received them from someone he couldn't recall, and that he got them from Eagles co-founder Glenn Frey, according to emails recounted in the indictment. Frey&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-8169f05ac21d43dda4b1c1dd8b065e28">had died</a>&nbsp;by the time Horowitz broached that last option in 2017.Sanders contributed to or signed onto some explanations, according to the emails. He hasn't been charged with any crime and hasn't responded to messages seeking comment about the case.Kosinski forwarded one of the various explanations to Henley’s lawyer, then told an auction house that the rocker had “no claim” to the documents, the indictment says.Henley has been a fierce advocate for artists’ rights to their work.He tangled with Congress over a 1999 copyright law change that affected musicians’ ability to reclaim ownership of their old recordings from record labels. After complaints from Henley and other musicians, Congress unwound the change the next year.Meanwhile, Henley helped establish a musicians' rights group that spoke out in venues from Congress to the Supreme Court against online file-sharing platforms. Some popular services at the time let users trade digital recordings for free. The music industry contended that the exchanges flouted copyright laws.Henley and some other major artists applauded a 2005 high court ruling that cleared a path for record labels to sue file-swapping services.Henley also sued a Senate candidate over unauthorized use of some of the musician's solo songs in a campaign spot. Another Henley suit hit a clothing company that made t-shirts emblazoned with a pun on his name. Both cases ended in settlements and apologies from the defendants.

Eagles' Don Henley testifies at 'Hotel California' lyrics trial

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple drug allegations in Salina.

Just after 3:30p.m. Sunday, police made a traffic stop after witnessing a 2011 gold Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck failing to yield at a stop sign near the 1200 block of West Crawford Street in Salina, according to Police Captain Mike Miller.

A police K-9 officer alerted on the truck, indicating the presence of narcotics.

"Officers did a search on the vehicle and located two pill bottles," Miller said. "One of them had 208 oxycodone pills, and the other bottle had an additional 33 oxycodone pills."

Miller said during past arrests, some officers recovered pills that looked near-identical with oxycodone but turned out to be fentanyl or oxycodone dupes laced with fentanyl.

Since the pills lacked a drug tax stamp or any other documentation, officers arrested 34-year-old Jacob Wayne Thompson. Miller said due to the pills' unknown maker or distributor, police sent the tablets to a lab to test for fentanyl.

Thompson also had a 9-year-old child traveling in the truck with him when officers conducted the traffic stop. Police requested charges for aggravated endangerment of a child, distribution of a stimulant, lack of drug tax stamp and drug paraphernalia.

&nbsp;Thompson is also required use an interlock device to drive legally.&nbsp; Thompson had in the truck, but it was not correctly connected, according to Captain Miller.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708955722935.jpeg" alt="Thompson photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Thompson photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple drug allegations in Salina.Just after 3:30p.m. Sunday, police made a traffic stop after witnessing a 2011 gold Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck failing to yield at a stop sign near the 1200 block of West Crawford Street in Salina, according to Police Captain Mike Miller.A police K-9 officer alerted on the truck, indicating the presence of narcotics."Officers did a search on the vehicle and located two pill bottles," Miller said. "One of them had 208 oxycodone pills, and the other bottle had an additional 33 oxycodone pills."Miller said during past arrests, some officers recovered pills that looked near-identical with oxycodone but turned out to be fentanyl or oxycodone dupes laced with fentanyl.Since the pills lacked a drug tax stamp or any other documentation, officers arrested 34-year-old Jacob Wayne Thompson. Miller said due to the pills' unknown maker or distributor, police sent the tablets to a lab to test for fentanyl.Thompson also had a 9-year-old child traveling in the truck with him when officers conducted the traffic stop. Police requested charges for aggravated endangerment of a child, distribution of a stimulant, lack of drug tax stamp and drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;Thompson is also required use an interlock device to drive legally.&nbsp; Thompson had in the truck, but it was not correctly connected, according to Captain Miller.

Oxycodone pills seized in Kan. traffic stop tested for fentanyl

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen for an alleged threat at a Kansas high school, according to Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill.

Just before 9:30a.m. Feb. 23, a deputy/school resource officer with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office received information regarding a potential threat to a high school.

During the investigation, it was discovered that a student used his school computer to search for firearms and made threatening comments regarding bringing a firearm to the school.

Just before 10a.m., a 16-year-old was arrested in the 5900 Block of SW 61 Street, the address of Washburn Rural High School, and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of criminal threat and interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573757762937.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen for an alleged threat at a Kansas high school, according to Shawnee County Sheriff Brian Hill.Just before 9:30a.m. Feb. 23, a deputy/school resource officer with the Shawnee County Sheriff's Office received information regarding a potential threat to a high school.During the investigation, it was discovered that a student used his school computer to search for firearms and made threatening comments regarding bringing a firearm to the school.Just before 10a.m., a 16-year-old was arrested in the 5900 Block of SW 61 Street, the address of Washburn Rural High School, and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of criminal threat and interference with law enforcement.&nbsp;

Teen arrested for alleged gun threat at Kansas High School

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp;are investigating a homicide that left one person deceased. 

Just after 10:30p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a disturbance in the 2000 block of N. 57th Terrace, according to a media release.

First responders located an man who had apparent stab wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene. 

Due to the collaboration and vigilance of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and the Kansas City, Kansas Sheriff’s Department a male suspect was taken into custody shortly after the stabbing without incident.

This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.There is nothing further to report at this time.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp;are investigating a homicide that left one person deceased. Just after 10:30p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a disturbance in the 2000 block of N. 57th Terrace, according to a media release.First responders located an man who had apparent stab wounds. The victim was pronounced deceased on scene. Due to the collaboration and vigilance of the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and the Kansas City, Kansas Sheriff’s Department a male suspect was taken into custody shortly after the stabbing without incident.This incident is under investigation by the KCKPD Major Case Unit. Anyone with information on this case is urged to call the Crime Stoppers TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477). All tips remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward.There is nothing further to report at this time.

Suspect arrested after deadly Kansas stabbing

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash have identified the victim as 60-year-old James A. Johnson of Kansas City, Missouri.

The two-vehicle crash occurred just after 7a.m. Feb. 21 in the 7200 block of eastbound Interstate 435 Highway in Overland Park, according to officer John Lacy.&nbsp;  One of the vehicles left the roadway and rolled. Johnson was ejected from the vehicle. 

EMS transported him to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries. 

The Overland Park Police Traffic Safety Unit is in charge of the investigation. Johnson was not wearing a seat belt, according to police.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal crash have identified the victim as 60-year-old James A. Johnson of Kansas City, Missouri.The two-vehicle crash occurred just after 7a.m. Feb. 21 in the 7200 block of eastbound Interstate 435 Highway in Overland Park, according to officer John Lacy.&nbsp; One of the vehicles left the roadway and rolled. Johnson was ejected from the vehicle. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he later died from his injuries. The Overland Park Police Traffic Safety Unit is in charge of the investigation. Johnson was not wearing a seat belt, according to police.

Police ID man who died after ejected in Kansas crash

A man sustained multiple injuries Friday following a fall at a house under construction in Hays, according to the Hays Fire Department.

Just before 9a.m, the Hays Fire Department received a dispatch&nbsp; regarding a man who fell into a basement on Larned Circle.

At the scene and worked with EMS who administered medical care to the man, according to Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans. "EMS treated the patient in the basement while our guys were getting what's called a low-angle rescue ready," Hagans said.

A low-angle rescue is essential for situations where slopes range from 0 to 30 degrees and require the use of ropes. EMS stabilized the man in the basement, and he was brought up by 9:12 a.m. before being transported to Hays Medical Center in serious condition.

Hagans said that construction workers should conduct regular walkthroughs of their work sites to identify both hazardous and safe areas. "It goes back to common sense in construction areas and being aware of your surroundings," he said.

The Hays Fire Department has not received any updates regarding the man's condition.

Hagans said the rescue team of the Hays Fire Department was fully equipped and ready to respond to the call on Friday. "We have been trained extensively on all types of technical rescue," he said. "We had the equipment, knowledge and the training to to take care of the situation."

By TONY GUERRERO,&nbsp;Hays PostA man sustained multiple injuries Friday following a fall at a house under construction in Hays, according to the Hays Fire Department.Just before 9a.m, the Hays Fire Department received a dispatch&nbsp; regarding a man who fell into a basement on Larned Circle.At the scene and worked with EMS who administered medical care to the man, according to Hays Fire Chief Ryan Hagans. "EMS treated the patient in the basement while our guys were getting what's called a low-angle rescue ready," Hagans said.A low-angle rescue is essential for situations where slopes range from 0 to 30 degrees and require the use of ropes. EMS stabilized the man in the basement, and he was brought up by 9:12 a.m. before being transported to Hays Medical Center in serious condition.Hagans said that construction workers should conduct regular walkthroughs of their work sites to identify both hazardous and safe areas. "It goes back to common sense in construction areas and being aware of your surroundings," he said.The Hays Fire Department has not received any updates regarding the man's condition.Hagans said the rescue team of the Hays Fire Department was fully equipped and ready to respond to the call on Friday. "We have been trained extensively on all types of technical rescue," he said. "We had the equipment, knowledge and the training to to take care of the situation."

Man rescued at Kan. construction site following basement fall

NEW YORK (AP) —The Federal Trade Commission sued to block a proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, saying the $24.6 billion deal would eliminate competition and lead to higher prices for millions of Americans.

The FTC filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Oregon on Monday. It was joined in the suit by the attorneys general of eight states and the District of Columbia.

Kroger and Albertsons, two of the nation’s largest grocers,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-albertsons-companies-inc-0cfbd68f81ba8aab7c1d3012c69804d9">agreed to merge</a>&nbsp;in October 2022. The companies said a merger would help them better compete with Walmart, Amazon, Costco and other big rivals. Together, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13% of the U.S. grocery market; Walmart controls 22%, according to J.P. Morgan analyst Ken Goldman.

Kroger, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,750 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia, including brands like Ralphs, Smith’s and Harris Teeter. Albertsons, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together the companies employ around 700,000 people.

But the merger, announced at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumers-price-gouging-spending-economy-999e81e2f869a0151e2ee6bbb63370af">high food-price inflation</a>, was bound to get tough regulatory scrutiny. U.S. prices for food eaten at home typically rise 2.5% per year, but in 2022 they rose 11.4% and in 2023 they rose another 5%, according to government data. Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-biden-federal-reserve-539b662f32a3cea4a514407ae4389174">is cooling</a>, but gradually.

“Kroger's acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today,” Henry Liu, the director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition, said in a statement.

The FTC, which said the proposed deal would be the largest grocery merger in U.S. history, said it would also erase competition for workers, threatening their ability to win higher wages, better benefits and improved working conditions.

The Biden administration has also shown a willingness to challenge big mergers in court. Last month, the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetblue-spirit-antitrust-acquisition-45568e98f87b549ba2c66ac89821812d">sued to block a proposed merger</a>&nbsp;between JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines.

The action by the FTC and the states follows lawsuits filed earlier this year in Colorado and Washington to block the merger. The states that joined the FTC lawsuit Monday are Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming.

Kroger has promised to invest $500 million to lower prices as soon as the deal closes. It said it also invested in price reductions when it merged with Harris Teeter in 2014 and Roundy’s in 2016. Kroger also promised to invest $1.3 billion in store improvements at Albertsons as part of the deal.

Last year, C&amp;S Wholesale Grocers agreed to purchase 413 stores and eight distribution centers that Kroger and Albertsons agreed to divest in markets where the two companies’ stores overlapped. C&amp;S said it would honor all collective bargaining agreements with workers.

Still, the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents 835,000 grocery workers in the U.S. and Canada, voted last year to oppose the merger, saying Kroger and Albertsons had failed to be transparent about the potential impact of the merger on workers.

The union was also critical of a $4 billion payout to Albertsons shareholders that was announced as part of the merger deal. Several states, including Washington and California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-state-government-illinois-california-seattle-business-ab329b299c257b16575f1a74e93624b3">tried unsuccessfully to block the payment</a>&nbsp;in court, saying it would weaken Albertsons financially.

Kroger and Albertsons had hoped to close the deal early this year. But the two companies announced in January that it was more likely to close in the first half of Kroger’s fiscal year. Kroger’s fiscal second quarter ends Aug. 17.

NEW YORK (AP) —The Federal Trade Commission sued to block a proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, saying the $24.6 billion deal would eliminate competition and lead to higher prices for millions of Americans.The FTC filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Oregon on Monday. It was joined in the suit by the attorneys general of eight states and the District of Columbia.Kroger and Albertsons, two of the nation’s largest grocers,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-albertsons-companies-inc-0cfbd68f81ba8aab7c1d3012c69804d9">agreed to merge</a>&nbsp;in October 2022. The companies said a merger would help them better compete with Walmart, Amazon, Costco and other big rivals. Together, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13% of the U.S. grocery market; Walmart controls 22%, according to J.P. Morgan analyst Ken Goldman.Kroger, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,750 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia, including brands like Ralphs, Smith’s and Harris Teeter. Albertsons, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together the companies employ around 700,000 people.But the merger, announced at a time of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumers-price-gouging-spending-economy-999e81e2f869a0151e2ee6bbb63370af">high food-price inflation</a>, was bound to get tough regulatory scrutiny. U.S. prices for food eaten at home typically rise 2.5% per year, but in 2022 they rose 11.4% and in 2023 they rose another 5%, according to government data. Inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-rates-economy-biden-federal-reserve-539b662f32a3cea4a514407ae4389174">is cooling</a>, but gradually.“Kroger's acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today,” Henry Liu, the director of the FTC's Bureau of Competition, said in a statement.The FTC, which said the proposed deal would be the largest grocery merger in U.S. history, said it would also erase competition for workers, threatening their ability to win higher wages, better benefits and improved working conditions.The Biden administration has also shown a willingness to challenge big mergers in court. Last month, the Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jetblue-spirit-antitrust-acquisition-45568e98f87b549ba2c66ac89821812d">sued to block a proposed merger</a>&nbsp;between JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines.The action by the FTC and the states follows lawsuits filed earlier this year in Colorado and Washington to block the merger. The states that joined the FTC lawsuit Monday are Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming.Kroger has promised to invest $500 million to lower prices as soon as the deal closes. It said it also invested in price reductions when it merged with Harris Teeter in 2014 and Roundy’s in 2016. Kroger also promised to invest $1.3 billion in store improvements at Albertsons as part of the deal.Last year, C&amp;S Wholesale Grocers agreed to purchase 413 stores and eight distribution centers that Kroger and Albertsons agreed to divest in markets where the two companies’ stores overlapped. C&amp;S said it would honor all collective bargaining agreements with workers.Still, the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents 835,000 grocery workers in the U.S. and Canada, voted last year to oppose the merger, saying Kroger and Albertsons had failed to be transparent about the potential impact of the merger on workers.The union was also critical of a $4 billion payout to Albertsons shareholders that was announced as part of the merger deal. Several states, including Washington and California,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-state-government-illinois-california-seattle-business-ab329b299c257b16575f1a74e93624b3">tried unsuccessfully to block the payment</a>&nbsp;in court, saying it would weaken Albertsons financially.Kroger and Albertsons had hoped to close the deal early this year. But the two companies announced in January that it was more likely to close in the first half of Kroger’s fiscal year. Kroger’s fiscal second quarter ends Aug. 17.

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