County of courthouse: Barber County
Location of courthouse: Washington St. & Walnut St., Medicine Lodge
"MEDICINE LODGE - Barber County Undersheriff Virgil “Dusty” Brewer, 60, was arrested on a charge of involuntary manslaughter Wednesday at the Barber County Courthouse following a Kansas Bureau of Investigation probe into the fatal shooting of Steven Myers on Oct. 6, 2017, in Sun City.
"The arrest by the KBI agents occured at 11:25 a.m. Wednesday and was without incident. Bond was set at $15,000 and Brewer quickly bonded out of the Barber County Jail.
"Barber County Sheriff Lonnie Small, who hired and appointed Brewer, formerly of Texas, as undersheriff after Small was elected sheriff in 2016, was away at training Wednesday. Staff in the Barber County Clerk’s office did not know the status of Brewer’s employment.
"Brewer cannot engage in law enforcement while the criminal charges are pending. The Kansas Attorney General’s office will prosecute the case filed Wednesday in Barber County District Court. The charge states Brewer “unlawfully, feloniously and recklessly” killed Myers. If convicted, he faces a possible prison sentence of 31 to 36 months and a fine of up to $300,000. His first appearance in court will be Friday.
"Body camera video and audio recordings captured Brewer firing a beanbag round at the unarmed Myers at close range. Myers fell to the ground and was declared dead at the scene.
'“I just don’t see how they could not charge him with the evidence against him. We are definitely very happy with the decision,” said Myers’ widow, Kristina Myers, in a phone interview Wednesday.
'“This is not the wild west,” she said. “They are trained to be peace officers,” she said.
'“The truth always comes out in the end,” she said, and she is putting her faith and trust in “the good Lord and the criminal justice system.”
"On Oct. 6, a 911 call made in Buster’s Bar reported that Steven Myers was outside the bar and armed. By the time officers arrived - including Small and Brewer and deputies - Myers could not be located. They searched and he was spotted in a shed behind a house. He was shot in the yard between the house and shed.
"Kristina Myers hired Kuckelman Torline Kirkland and the law firm fought in court to obtain video and audio recordings. Brewer had attached his body camera to the sun visor of his vehicle but other officers wore electronic equipment that revealed how events unfolded.
'“Without the law enforcement body camera recording video and audio, it might not have been possible to bring criminal or even civil charges against Brewer. It’s as simple as that. The shooting was unjustified, and the body cameras show why,” said attorney Michael Kuckelman in a statement.
"Kristina Myers, living in Hardtner and raising the couple’s three young children, has a civil rights suit pending in federal court against Brewer and a civil case charging Small with negligence pending in Barber County District Court.
"Both Kristina Myers and attorney Kuckelman advocate for the mandated use of body cameras by officers." ~ The Hutchinson News, By Mary Clarkin, Sept. 6, 2018