Judge: Prosecutor can proceed with death penalty for Edwin Hall
12:58 p.m. Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Edwin Hall, 26, of Overland Park, was arrested in connection with the murder of Overland Park resident Kelsey Smith.
A judge says prosecutors can still seek the death penalty against the man accused of kidnapping a teenager from a suburban Kansas City mall, then raping and killing her.
The Kansas City Star reports on its Web site that attorneys for 26-year-old Edwin R. Hall had asked Judge Peter Ruddick to take the death penalty off the table.
Hall is charged in the 2007 murder of 18-year-old Kelsey Smith of Overland Park, Kan.
Defense attorneys said prosecutor Phill Kline had violated a Supreme Court rule by not providing his address, telephone number and registration number on the legal notice seeking a court proceeding to determine if Hall should be put to death.
In his ruling Tuesday, Ruddick wrote that the Supreme Court rule gives him discretion on whether to accept the notice.
Kelsey Smith
- Police await autopsy results in Kelsey Smith murder (June 9, 2007)
- Man accused in death of Overland Park teen former Emporian (June 8, 2007)
- MySpace page links bizarre references with Kelsey Smith's accused killer (June 8, 2007)
- DA: Kelsey Smith was strangled (text only) (June 8, 2007)
- Man accused of Kelsey Smith's murder makes first court appearance (June 7, 2007)
- Prayer vigil held for slain Overland Park teen (June 6, 2007)
- Police say body found near KC during search is missing Overland Park teen (June 6, 2007)
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