Johnson County District Court Judge Gerald Elliott will sit with the state Supreme Court April 29 to hear oral arguments in five cases.
After hearing oral arguments, he will join the Supreme Court justices in their deliberations and opinion drafting.
All Supreme Court oral arguments are webcast live through the Watch Supreme Court Live link in the right-hand column of the Kansas Judicial Branch website at www.kscourts.org.
One of the five cases originated in Wyandotte County. Keaira Brown, also known as Keaire Brown, appeals her conviction of felony murder and attempted aggravated robbery. She was sentenced to a hard-20 term.
Issues are whether the district court erred instructing the jury that it could convict Brown of felony murder if it found, beyond a reasonable doubt, that she had killed the victim in “flight from attempting to commit aggravated robbery.” Also, whether both convictions must be vacated on alternative means grounds, whether the district court erred authorizing adult prosecution, and whether the prosecutor committed misconduct during her closing argument. Also, whether the Kansas sentencing scheme that requires a district court to sentence a juvenile to life in prison without possibility of parole for 20 years, and gives a judge no discretion to depart, is unconstitutional.