Sisco found not guilty on all counts

Late yesterday, Anthony Sisco was found not guilty of murder first degree, armed criminal action, assault first degree and armed criminal action. The jury started deliberations on Monday at about 2:30 p.m. and, according to the jury, were 11-1 for acquittal when they broke at 5 p.m.

The jury thought the case was clearly self-defense, both because the purported victims had pointed an AR-15 at Anthony and because once Sylvester Sisco started shooting, a "reasonable person" would think he was in imminent danger of death or serious physical injury.

As previously noted, the KCPD, the crime lab and the prosecutors had managed to keep from four judges, one petit jury, and four grand juries the fact that their "enhanced" video showed the AR-15 being pointed at Anthony Sisco.

Trial--Day Four; No witness, so plead guilty?

O.K. A good result, but does this strike anyone else as odd?
Show up on Thursday. The State still doesn't have their witness. So, it would seem in the normal world, the State would have to dismiss.
Ah . . . but it's Jackson County, Missouri. The State would dismiss and refile the same case and, presumably, wait another 2 years and two weeks to find their witness and, if they didn't, just dismiss and refile again. In this insane system, you can be kept in jail forever by the State dismissing and refiling the same case.
In any event, plead to 10 years on voluntary, and client got two pending robbery first degree cases reduced to robbery second and 10 years, concurrent.
Good result, but it seems odd pleading guilty when the State doesn't have their necessary, sole witness.

Brother, Can I get a Trial?

Third day for trial, jury still not sworn, and the prosecutors have lost the witness they found on Monday. Judge recesses the case and jury sent home.
We had entered our appearance on this case about 5 weeks ago and, instead of having our client sit in jail for another year or two, kept the trial setting.
It seems easier to just go to trial than waiting several years for what may or may not be a reasonable plea offer. The offer in this case is 20 years on murder second degree. It's become a sad fact of life in Jackson County that you don't get good offers until trial.
Now, in trial, we still don't have a good offer.
And the State does not have their witness.

Poor Jackson County Jurors.

Murder trial with a Tuesday start. That's usually a good thing since we get to start jury selection right at 9:00 a.m. instead of waiting until the afternoon like on Monday starts. (Strange how jury selection starts Monday morning everywhere but in Jackson County.)
Alas, no early start. Jury panel arrives at 11:15. Jury isn't  picked until 7:00 p.m. That's a long day for $5.00 jury pay.
Prosecutor asks to not swear the jury until Wednesday and has "found" another witness. The witness they couldn't find for two years, two weeks and a day has been continuously working at ReStart since the shooting.

Don't Try to Rob the Weed Man

Client working hard over the holidays, trying to keep up with customers wanting a little weed.

One such customer decided to rob the weed man, telling just about everyone in the world he planned to do a robbery and borrowing a gun.

Client dutifully hands over weed at gun point, isn't as keen on giving up his watch, and in the end shoots and kills the guy.

Charged with murder second degree, ACA, and drug distribution, the prosecutor agrees that the situation is unusual. Client gets 5 years on involuntary manslaughter, 3 on ACA, and 5 on distribution.

Six years in the Jackson County Jail can kill a person

Over six years ago, Larry got arrested for a shooting that he didn't do. Yeah, he was there for what was to be a drug deal, but the two guys he was with turned it into a robbery and shot and killed a guy. Female luckily escapes. Larry gets charged, the other two don't.

In an all too common twist, Larry--the one who didn't have a gun, didn't plan a robbery, and didn't shoot anyone--gets charged with murder first degree.

Larry's original attorney got a 20 year offer, but Larry thought it was, or should be, a 15 year offer. Hires us to try to get a 15 year offer.

Another APA Bryan Krantz case where Bryan says Jim Kanatzar won't authorize any plea. Yada, yada, yada. After sitting in the Jackson County Jail for YEARS, Larry again meets with detectives to again tell what had gone on.

Apparently, someone didn't like what Larry was saying. In Jackson County Jail, Larry gets thrown over the railing and stomped on. He's clinically dead, rushed to the hospital, in intensive care with some serious brain damage.

Enter APA Michael Hunt, who takes the case from Krantz and Larry is sent to Fulton for some evaluation and therapy.

After being in jail for over six years, Larry got his deal today, pleading to a lid of 15 years on the murder case in front of Judge Atwell. Sentencing is March 4.