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Jackson Co seeks to recoup ethics-challenged prosecutor fees

By Brian Hagen

05/25/2021

The Jackson County Courthouse

(KAIR)--The Jackson County Commission has called on the County Attorney to pursue recouping fees spent on a special prosecutor accused of ethics violations.

The letter, sent from Jackson County Counselor Lee Hendricks, on behalf of the Commission, requests that County Attorney Shawna Miller "pursue any and all reimbursement the County might obtain for the fees paid to Special Prosecutor Spradling during the Ewing matter," referring to the past trial of Jacob Ewing, whose convictions on sex crimes charges were thrown out on appeal. That followed the alleged misconduct of Jacqie Spradling, with a recommendation from a panel of Kansas attorneys in January of last year that ethics violations be pursued. She's accused of misleading the jury that found Ewing guilty in 2017.

The complaint was filed by Ewing's mother.

The Kansas Court of Appeals, that reversed Ewing’s conviction, said Spradling's misstatement of evidence during the closing argument of the trial inflamed "passions and prejudices of the jury."

The letter sent to Miller, dated May 21, states the Commission has "specifically requested that [Miller] revisit [Spradling's] employment by the County and provide the Commission with any methods" that "taxpayer funds might be recouped for her conduct."

Ewing, earlier this month, struck a plea deal with prosecutors, with the 26-year-old Holton man entering an Alford plea in Jackson County District Court to two counts of aggravated sexual battery.