TOPEKA (KSNT) – Shawnee County District Attorney, Mike Kagay, joined the 27 News morning newscast on June 5 to talk about some recent crime topics.
Kagay discussed the latest on the Dana Chandler sentencing, clarifying the appeal process, his thoughts on how the city is tackling crime and more. He said his staff have been busy lately.
“We’ve been very busy,” Kagay said. “We’ve been trying a lot of cases and trying a lot of serious cases. I know there’s been a lot of attention lately on one in particular, but I just want to share that going back for the last almost 20 jury trials in major felony cases, which would include murder cases and high-level sex offenses, we’ve been obtaining guilty verdicts, consecutive guilty verdicts. And so the work of our major felony team is going very well. And I’m very proud of the contributions and the professionalism they bring every day.”
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27 News asked Kagay about Dana Chandler’s recent sentencing in Westmoreland. He clarified her sentencing to give a better understanding of the verdict moving forward.
“So as I’m sure you know, we had the sentencing in Pottawattamie County this week and the judge imposed two consecutive life sentences, which means that each life sentence is 25 years before she’s eligible for parole,” Kagay said. “And so that time has to run back-to-back. That’s what consecutive means. And so overall, the sentence is 50 years before she’s eligible for parole.”
This was Chandler’s third trial for the deaths of her ex-husband Mike Sisco and his fiancé Karen Harkness, who were killed by gunfire in their bed in 2002.
“Now, she has served some time based on a prior conviction,” Kagay said. “And so she’ll get credit for that time. But all in, she’s… the overall sentence is 50 years before she’s eligible for parole.”
Kagay also told 27 News, “the sentence was an emotional hearing,” as the victims’ families spoke out. He said he was honored to be there and to support them.
As for what is next with Chandler’s case, Kagay said his part is done for now.
“Well, our part is now done for now,” Kagay said. “If there is an appeal filed, which I expect because that standard, you know, any, I cannot think of a single time we’ve gone to a jury trial and convicted somebody for murder where they did not file an appeal. So this is very standard for us.”
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27 News also spoke to Kagay about the city’s new police chief and anti-crime initiatives. You can watch the full interview above.
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