The Kansas Supreme Court is scheduled to hear some high-profile Wyandotte County case appeals today in Topeka.
Charles Bowser was convicted of attempted capital murder, aggravated robbery, attempted aggravated robbery, aggravated battery, conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery and criminal possession of a firearm. These were at the scene of more than one business.
One of the convictions involved shooting a sheriff’s deputy who was in a business at the time of the burglary.
In his appeal, Bowser is arguing the district court improperly participated in plea negotiations and imposing consecutive sentences after he rejected the plea offer the court urged him to accept; he also argues the state committed prosecutorial error in closing argument by arguing facts not in evidence; he argues the district court committed reversible error in answering questions from the jury; and he argues cumulative error denied him a fair trial.
Cecil Meggerson, who also was convicted in the case involving a sheriff’s deputy, also is appealing in a case scheduled to be heard today. Meggerson was convicted of attempted capital murder, three counts of aggravated robbery, two counts of aggravated battery, one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery andtwo counts of criminal possession of a firearm.
Meggerson’s issues on appeal are whether the convictions were supported by substantial competence evidence; whether the district court erred in admitting the contents of Meggerson’s cell phone; whether the district court erred in admitting the contents of Meggerson’s jail phone calls, whether the district court erred in admitting prior crimes evidence; whether the district court erred in admitting the timelines of the police officers; and whether there was cumulative error that denied Meggerson a fair trial.