Lawyer for former Cherokee County prosecutor files motion to delay trial

March 26, 2008 10:30 pm

— By Roger McKinney
rmckinney@joplinglobe.com
COLUMBUS, Kan. — The attorney for former Cherokee County Attorney Michael Goodrich on Wednesday filed a motion to delay his trial for 90 days.
Michael Hepperly filed the unopposed motion to continue the trial in U.S. District Court, Wichita. Hepperly did not return calls from the Globe on Tuesday or Wednesday. A secretary in his Wichita office on Wednesday said he does not talk with reporters.
A change-of-plea hearing had been scheduled for Monday. James Cross, spokesman for U.S. Attorney Eric Melgren, said Tuesday that he couldn’t reveal if there was a plea agreement in the case, or the details if one did exist.
A jury trial had been scheduled to start April 8.
Goodrich, 46, of Baxter Springs, is charged in federal court with two counts of felony extortion, one count of wire fraud and one count of witness intimidation. The extortion and wire-fraud charges allege that Goodrich, when he was county attorney, received money and unspecified favors from the owner and employees of Sensations Gentleman’s Club, in rural Galena. The club features nude women dancing.
The witness-intimidation charge alleges that Goodrich tried to influence the answers then-Assistant County Attorney Garth Adams was preparing to give to an FBI agent questioning him about Goodrich.
Goodrich pleaded innocent in his initial court appearance in September. He resigned Dec. 1.
Hepperly’s motion notes that there already have been two previous delays in the trial, but that Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst did not object to another delay. U.S. District Judge Monti Belot had not yet ruled on Hepperly’s motion Wednesday night.
Co-defendant Timothy Schooley, of Baxter Springs, has a change-of-plea hearing scheduled for April 7. Schooley is charged with a single count of extortion.