WASHINGTON (AP) —Bolts that helped secure a panel to the frame of a Boeing 737 Max 9 were missing before the panel blew off the Alaska Airlines plane last month, according to accident investigators.

The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report on the Jan. 5 incident Tuesday.

The report included a photo from Boeing, which worked on the panel, which is called a door plug. In the photo, three of the four bolts that prevent the panel from moving upward are missing. The location of the fourth bolt is obscured.

The investigators said that the lack of certain damage around the panel indicates that all four bolts were missing before the plane took off from Portland, Oregon.

Pilots were forced to make a harrowing emergency landing with a hole in the side of the plane.

Without the bolts, nothing prevented the panel from sliding upward and detaching from “stop pads” that secured it to the airframe.

The preliminary report said the door plug, installed by supplier Spirit AeroSystems, arrived at Boeing’s factory near Seattle with five damaged rivets around the plug. A Boeing crew replaced the damaged rivets, which required them to remove the four bolts to open the plug.

The NTSB did not declare a probable cause for the accident – that will come at the end of an investigation that could last a year or longer.

“Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened,” CEO David Calhoun said in a statement. “An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory. We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers.”

Investigators said they were still trying to determine who authorized the Boeing crew to open and reinstall the door plug.

Safety experts have said the accident could have been catastrophic if the Alaska jet had reached cruising altitude. The decompression in the cabin after the blowout would have been far stronger, and passengers and flight attendants might have been walking around instead of being belted into their seats.

The incident has added to questions about manufacturing quality at Boeing that started with the deadly crashes of two Max 8 jets in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether Boeing and its suppliers followed proper safety procedures in manufacturing parts for the Max. The FAA has barred Boeing from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-halts-boeing-max-production-expansion-improve-quality-control-also-lays-out-extensive">speeding up production of 737s</a>&nbsp;until the agency is satisfied about quality issues.

FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said Tuesday that his agency is about halfway through a six-week audit of manufacturing processes at Boeing and its key supplier on the Max, Spirit AeroSystems. He said the agency is confronted with two questions — what’s wrong with the Max 9, and “what’s going on with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-administrator-boeing-safety-oversight-8b8433b3c6c9bcb31980f7a979ce3326">production at Boeing</a>?”

Spirit AeroSystems, which Boeing spun off as a separate company nearly 20 years ago, said in a statement that it was reviewing the NTSB preliminary report and was working with Boeing and regulators “on continuous improvement in our processes and meeting the highest standards of safety, quality and reliability.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705012450283.png" alt="This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image taken Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024, and released by the National Transportation Safety Board, shows a section of Alaska Airlines Flight 1282 that is missing panel on a Boeing 737-9 MAX in Portland, Ore. Federal officials are investigating Boeing's oversight of production of a panel that blew off a jetliner in midflight last week. (NTSB via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Bolts that helped secure a panel to the frame of a Boeing 737 Max 9 were missing before the panel blew off the Alaska Airlines plane last month, according to accident investigators.The National Transportation Safety Board issued a preliminary report on the Jan. 5 incident Tuesday.The report included a photo from Boeing, which worked on the panel, which is called a door plug. In the photo, three of the four bolts that prevent the panel from moving upward are missing. The location of the fourth bolt is obscured.The investigators said that the lack of certain damage around the panel indicates that all four bolts were missing before the plane took off from Portland, Oregon.Pilots were forced to make a harrowing emergency landing with a hole in the side of the plane.Without the bolts, nothing prevented the panel from sliding upward and detaching from “stop pads” that secured it to the airframe.The preliminary report said the door plug, installed by supplier Spirit AeroSystems, arrived at Boeing’s factory near Seattle with five damaged rivets around the plug. A Boeing crew replaced the damaged rivets, which required them to remove the four bolts to open the plug.The NTSB did not declare a probable cause for the accident – that will come at the end of an investigation that could last a year or longer.“Whatever final conclusions are reached, Boeing is accountable for what happened,” CEO David Calhoun said in a statement. “An event like this must not happen on an airplane that leaves our factory. We simply must do better for our customers and their passengers.”Investigators said they were still trying to determine who authorized the Boeing crew to open and reinstall the door plug.Safety experts have said the accident could have been catastrophic if the Alaska jet had reached cruising altitude. The decompression in the cabin after the blowout would have been far stronger, and passengers and flight attendants might have been walking around instead of being belted into their seats.The incident has added to questions about manufacturing quality at Boeing that started with the deadly crashes of two Max 8 jets in 2018 and 2019, killing 346 people.The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating whether Boeing and its suppliers followed proper safety procedures in manufacturing parts for the Max. The FAA has barred Boeing from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-halts-boeing-max-production-expansion-improve-quality-control-also-lays-out-extensive">speeding up production of 737s</a>&nbsp;until the agency is satisfied about quality issues.FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker said Tuesday that his agency is about halfway through a six-week audit of manufacturing processes at Boeing and its key supplier on the Max, Spirit AeroSystems. He said the agency is confronted with two questions — what’s wrong with the Max 9, and “what’s going on with the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/faa-administrator-boeing-safety-oversight-8b8433b3c6c9bcb31980f7a979ce3326">production at Boeing</a>?”Spirit AeroSystems, which Boeing spun off as a separate company nearly 20 years ago, said in a statement that it was reviewing the NTSB preliminary report and was working with Boeing and regulators “on continuous improvement in our processes and meeting the highest standards of safety, quality and reliability.”

Missing bolts: Report reveals new details on jet's mid-flight blowout

KANSAS CITY —The victim of a hit-and-run in Kansas City on Saturday has died.

Just before 10p.m. Saturday, a man got off a southbound KCATA bus, on the west side of Hardesty, just south of East 18th Street in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Jake Becchina.

The pedestrian attempted to cross Hardesty to the east but was struck by a dark colored SUV or van. The vehicle that struck the man left the scene, south on Hardesty and then west on 23rd Street. 

EMS transported the man for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Police reported the man's death on Tuesday. The man's name has not been released.

KANSAS CITY —The victim of a hit-and-run in Kansas City on Saturday has died.Just before 10p.m. Saturday, a man got off a southbound KCATA bus, on the west side of Hardesty, just south of East 18th Street in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Jake Becchina.The pedestrian attempted to cross Hardesty to the east but was struck by a dark colored SUV or van. The vehicle that struck the man left the scene, south on Hardesty and then west on 23rd Street. EMS transported the man for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Police reported the man's death on Tuesday. The man's name has not been released.

Pedestrian dies from injuries after hit getting off bus in KC

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury convicted a school shooter’s mother of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">killings of four students in 2021,</a>&nbsp;making her the first parent in the U.S. to be held responsible for a child carrying out a mass school attack.

Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley had a duty under state law to prevent her son, who was 15 at the time, from harming others. She was accused of failing to secure a gun and ammunition at home and failing to get help to support Ethan Crumbley's mental health.

The four guilty verdicts — one for each student slain at Oxford High School — were returned after roughly 11 hours of jury deliberations.

Jennifer Crumbley, 45, looked down and shook her head slightly as each juror was polled after the verdicts were read.

On her way out of the courtroom, prosecutor Karen McDonald hugged Craig Shilling, the father of victim Justin Shilling, and the family of Madisyn Baldwin.

Jennifer and James Crumbley were the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first parents in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. James Crumbley faces trial in March.

"The cries have been heard, and I feel this verdict is gonna echo throughout every household in the country,” Craig Shilling told reporters.

“I feel it’s necessary, and I’m happy with the verdict. It’s still a sad situation to be in. It’s gotta stop. It’s an accountability, and this is what we’ve been asking for for a long time now," Shilling said.

A gag order by the judge prevented McDonald and defense attorney Shannon Smith from speaking to reporters.

On&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-school-shooting-timeline-79e4111a45567d79ffbc63acb75ba24a">the morning of Nov. 30, 2021,</a>&nbsp;school staff members were concerned about a violent drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on Ethan Crumbley’s math assignment. His parents were called to the school for a brief meeting, but they didn't take the boy home.

A few hours later, Ethan Crumbley pulled a handgun from his backpack and shot 10 students and a teacher. No one had checked the backpack.

The gun was the Sig Sauer 9 mm his father had purchased with him just four days earlier. Jennifer Crumbley had taken her son to a shooting range that same weekend.

“You're the last adult to have possession of that gun,” assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said while cross-examining the mother last week. “You saw your son shoot the last practice round before the (school) shooting on Nov. 30. You saw how he stood. ... He knew how to use the gun."

Jennifer Crumbley replied, “Yes, he did."

Besides 17-year-old Justin Shilling and 17-year old Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, 14, and Tate Myre, 16, were also killed. Seven people were wounded.

Ethan Crumbley, now 17,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-michigan-school-shooting-ethan-crumbley-sentencing-fb10065053ca542b0d443671bab53947">pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism</a>&nbsp;and is serving a life sentence.

Jennifer Crumbley told jurors that it was her husband's job to keep track of the gun. She also said she saw no signs of mental distress in her son.

“We would talk. We did a lot of things together," she testified. "I trusted him, and I felt I had an open door. He could come to me about anything.”

In a journal found by police, Ethan Crumbley wrote that his parents wouldn’t listen to his pleas for help.

“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” he wrote.

The words with the drawing that prompted a counselor to call the Crumbleys to the school said: “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. The world is dead. My life is useless.”

Prosecutors introduced evidence that Ethan Crumbley texted his mother in spring 2021 about “demons” throwing bowls and other hallucinations. But she told the jury that it was “just Ethan messing around.”

“I have asked myself if I would have done anything differently. I wouldn’t have. I wish he would have killed us instead,” she testified.

The jury of six men and six women included people who own guns or grew up with them in their home. The jurors said they could put their opinions about guns aside and serve fairly.

Jennifer Crumbley will get credit for roughly 2 1/2 years in the county jail when she returns to court for sentencing on April 9. The judge will set the minimum prison sentence, based on scoring guidelines and other factors.

It will be up to the Michigan parole board to determine how long she actually stays in prison. The maximum term for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years.

Prosecutors have not said if they will ask for consecutive sentences on the four convictions, which could mean a maximum of 60 years if Judge Cheryl Matthews agrees.

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury received instructions from a judge and began deliberations Monday in a novel trial against a school shooter's mother who could go to prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">deaths of four students in 2021.</a>

“You must not let sympathy, bias or prejudice influence your decision,” Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews said.

Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley was grossly negligent when she failed to tell Oxford High School officials that the family had guns, including a 9 mm handgun that was used by her son, Ethan Crumbley, at a shooting range just a few days earlier.

The school was concerned about a macabre drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on a math assignment. But Ethan was allowed to stay in school on Nov. 30, 2021, following a roughly 12-minute meeting with Jennifer and James Crumbley, who didn't take him home.

The teenager pulled the gun from his backpack in the afternoon and shot 10 students and a teacher, killing four peers. No one had checked the backpack.

“He literally drew a picture of what he was going to do. It says, ‘Help me,’” prosecutor Karen McDonald said during closing arguments Friday in suburban Detroit.

Jennifer Crumbley knew the gun in the drawing was identical to the new one at home, McDonald said.

“She knew it wasn't stored properly," the prosecutor added. “She knew that he was proficient with the gun. She knew he had access to ammunition.”

“Just the smallest steps” by Jennifer Crumbley could have saved the lives of Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin, the prosecutor said.

Defense attorney Shannon Smith told jurors that a conviction would have a chilling effect on unwitting parents whose kids break the law. The tragedy, she argued, was not foreseeable.

Ethan Crumbley was a “skilled manipulator” who didn’t have mental illness, and the gun was the responsibility of James Crumbley, not his wife, Smith said.

“Unfortunately this is a case where the prosecution made a charging decision way too fast,” Smith said. “It was motivated by obvious reasons, for political gain and done for media attention.”

She said the case won’t bring justice to the victims or their families: “It certainly doesn’t bring back any lives.”

The jury of six men and six women includes some gun owners or people who grew up with firearms in their house. They said it wouldn’t interfere with their ability to be fair.

The four students who died at Oxford High School, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Detroit, were Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin.

Jennifer Crumbley, 45, and James Crumbley, 47, are the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first parents in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. The latter faces trial in March.

Besides knowledge of the gun, the Crumbleys are accused of ignoring their son's mental health needs. In a journal found by police in his backpack, he wrote that they wouldn't listen to his pleas for help.

“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” Ethan wrote.

The maximum penalty for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years in prison. The Crumbleys have been in jail for more than two years, unable to post $500,000 bond while awaiting trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621694054.png" alt="Crumbley as shown in her November 2021 booking photo from Oakland Co. Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Crumbley as shown in her November 2021 booking photo from Oakland Co. Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury convicted a school shooter’s mother of involuntary manslaughter Tuesday in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">killings of four students in 2021,</a>&nbsp;making her the first parent in the U.S. to be held responsible for a child carrying out a mass school attack.Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley had a duty under state law to prevent her son, who was 15 at the time, from harming others. She was accused of failing to secure a gun and ammunition at home and failing to get help to support Ethan Crumbley's mental health.The four guilty verdicts — one for each student slain at Oxford High School — were returned after roughly 11 hours of jury deliberations.Jennifer Crumbley, 45, looked down and shook her head slightly as each juror was polled after the verdicts were read.On her way out of the courtroom, prosecutor Karen McDonald hugged Craig Shilling, the father of victim Justin Shilling, and the family of Madisyn Baldwin.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638551635768.png" alt="Ethan Crumbley's November 2021 booking photo from Oakland Co. Michigan" />
 <figcaption>Ethan Crumbley's November 2021 booking photo from Oakland Co. Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>“Thank you,” a man whispered to her.Jennifer and James Crumbley were the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first parents in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. James Crumbley faces trial in March."The cries have been heard, and I feel this verdict is gonna echo throughout every household in the country,” Craig Shilling told reporters.“I feel it’s necessary, and I’m happy with the verdict. It’s still a sad situation to be in. It’s gotta stop. It’s an accountability, and this is what we’ve been asking for for a long time now," Shilling said.A gag order by the judge prevented McDonald and defense attorney Shannon Smith from speaking to reporters.On&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-school-shooting-timeline-79e4111a45567d79ffbc63acb75ba24a">the morning of Nov. 30, 2021,</a>&nbsp;school staff members were concerned about a violent drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on Ethan Crumbley’s math assignment. His parents were called to the school for a brief meeting, but they didn't take the boy home.A few hours later, Ethan Crumbley pulled a handgun from his backpack and shot 10 students and a teacher. No one had checked the backpack.The gun was the Sig Sauer 9 mm his father had purchased with him just four days earlier. Jennifer Crumbley had taken her son to a shooting range that same weekend.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621716369.png" alt="James Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking. photo from Oakland County, Michigan" />
 <figcaption>James Crumbley as shown in his 2021 booking. photo from Oakland County, Michigan</figcaption>
 </figure>“You're the last adult to have possession of that gun,” assistant prosecutor Marc Keast said while cross-examining the mother last week. “You saw your son shoot the last practice round before the (school) shooting on Nov. 30. You saw how he stood. ... He knew how to use the gun."Jennifer Crumbley replied, “Yes, he did."Besides 17-year-old Justin Shilling and 17-year old Madisyn Baldwin, Hana St. Juliana, 14, and Tate Myre, 16, were also killed. Seven people were wounded.Ethan Crumbley, now 17,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-michigan-school-shooting-ethan-crumbley-sentencing-fb10065053ca542b0d443671bab53947">pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism</a>&nbsp;and is serving a life sentence.Jennifer Crumbley told jurors that it was her husband's job to keep track of the gun. She also said she saw no signs of mental distress in her son.“We would talk. We did a lot of things together," she testified. "I trusted him, and I felt I had an open door. He could come to me about anything.”In a journal found by police, Ethan Crumbley wrote that his parents wouldn’t listen to his pleas for help.“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” he wrote.The words with the drawing that prompted a counselor to call the Crumbleys to the school said: “The thoughts won’t stop. Help me. The world is dead. My life is useless.”Prosecutors introduced evidence that Ethan Crumbley texted his mother in spring 2021 about “demons” throwing bowls and other hallucinations. But she told the jury that it was “just Ethan messing around.”“I have asked myself if I would have done anything differently. I wouldn’t have. I wish he would have killed us instead,” she testified.The jury of six men and six women included people who own guns or grew up with them in their home. The jurors said they could put their opinions about guns aside and serve fairly.Jennifer Crumbley will get credit for roughly 2 1/2 years in the county jail when she returns to court for sentencing on April 9. The judge will set the minimum prison sentence, based on scoring guidelines and other factors.It will be up to the Michigan parole board to determine how long she actually stays in prison. The maximum term for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years.Prosecutors have not said if they will ask for consecutive sentences on the four convictions, which could mean a maximum of 60 years if Judge Cheryl Matthews agrees.------------------PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A Michigan jury received instructions from a judge and began deliberations Monday in a novel trial against a school shooter's mother who could go to prison if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">deaths of four students in 2021.</a>“You must not let sympathy, bias or prejudice influence your decision,” Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews said.Prosecutors say Jennifer Crumbley was grossly negligent when she failed to tell Oxford High School officials that the family had guns, including a 9 mm handgun that was used by her son, Ethan Crumbley, at a shooting range just a few days earlier.The school was concerned about a macabre drawing of a gun, bullet and wounded man, accompanied by desperate phrases, on a math assignment. But Ethan was allowed to stay in school on Nov. 30, 2021, following a roughly 12-minute meeting with Jennifer and James Crumbley, who didn't take him home.The teenager pulled the gun from his backpack in the afternoon and shot 10 students and a teacher, killing four peers. No one had checked the backpack.“He literally drew a picture of what he was going to do. It says, ‘Help me,’” prosecutor Karen McDonald said during closing arguments Friday in suburban Detroit.Jennifer Crumbley knew the gun in the drawing was identical to the new one at home, McDonald said.“She knew it wasn't stored properly," the prosecutor added. “She knew that he was proficient with the gun. She knew he had access to ammunition.”“Just the smallest steps” by Jennifer Crumbley could have saved the lives of Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin, the prosecutor said.Defense attorney Shannon Smith told jurors that a conviction would have a chilling effect on unwitting parents whose kids break the law. The tragedy, she argued, was not foreseeable.Ethan Crumbley was a “skilled manipulator” who didn’t have mental illness, and the gun was the responsibility of James Crumbley, not his wife, Smith said.“Unfortunately this is a case where the prosecution made a charging decision way too fast,” Smith said. “It was motivated by obvious reasons, for political gain and done for media attention.”She said the case won’t bring justice to the victims or their families: “It certainly doesn’t bring back any lives.”The jury of six men and six women includes some gun owners or people who grew up with firearms in their house. They said it wouldn’t interfere with their ability to be fair.The four students who died at Oxford High School, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Detroit, were Hana St. Juliana, Tate Myre, Justin Shilling and Madisyn Baldwin.Jennifer Crumbley, 45, and James Crumbley, 47, are the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-high-school-shooting-shootings-education-violence-crime-31b054a2e403275f119b5e919f7fbc43">first parents in the U.S.</a>&nbsp;to be charged in a mass school shooting committed by their child. The latter faces trial in March.Ethan Crumbley, now 17,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-michigan-school-shooting-ethan-crumbley-sentencing-fb10065053ca542b0d443671bab53947">pleaded guilty to murder and terrorism</a>&nbsp;and is serving a life sentence.Besides knowledge of the gun, the Crumbleys are accused of ignoring their son's mental health needs. In a journal found by police in his backpack, he wrote that they wouldn't listen to his pleas for help.“I have zero help for my mental problems and it’s causing me to shoot up the ... school,” Ethan wrote.The maximum penalty for involuntary manslaughter is 15 years in prison. The Crumbleys have been in jail for more than two years, unable to post $500,000 bond while awaiting trial.___

History: Mother of school shooter guilty of manslaughter

WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals panel ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump can face trial on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">the 2020 election</a>, rejecting the former president’s claims that he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-special-counsel-f82dbd294cd7b963dd69f1ecdf90aded">immune from prosecution</a>&nbsp;and breathing life back into a landmark prosecution that had been effectively frozen while the court considered the arguments.

The decision marks the second time in as many months that judges have spurned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-special-counsel-immunity-appeal-64eec975e6a602949eb4b90315239318">Trump’s immunity arguments</a>&nbsp;and held that he can be prosecuted for actions undertaken while in the White House and in the run-up to Jan. 6, 2021, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of his supporters</a>&nbsp;stormed the U.S. Capitol. But it also sets the stage for additional appeals from the Republican ex-president that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court and result in further delays.

The one-month gap between when the appeals court heard arguments and when it issued its ruling has already created uncertainty about the timing of any trial in a calendar-jammed election year, with the judge overseeing the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-us-capitol-9ab9da935bc620d57c4192134f81acde">last week canceling the March 4 date that was initially set</a>&nbsp;and not immediately scheduling a replacement one. The judges gave Trump until February 12 to ask the Supreme Court to pause the ruling.

The trial date carries obvious and enormous political ramifications, with special counsel Jack Smith's team hoping to prosecute Trump this year and the Republican primary front-runner seeking to delay it until after the November election. If Trump were to defeat President Joe Biden, he could presumably try to use his position as head of the executive branch to order a new attorney general to dismiss the federal cases or he potentially could seek a pardon for himself.

The unanimous ruling, which had been expected given the skepticism with which the three judges on the panel greeted the Trump team's arguments, was unsparing in its repudiation of the claim that a former president could be shielded from prosecution for actions taken while in office.

“Presidential immunity against federal indictment would mean that, as to the President, the Congress could not legislate, the Executive could not prosecute and the Judiciary could not review. We cannot accept that the office of the Presidency places its former occupants above the law for all time thereafter,” the judges wrote.

They also sharply rejected Trump’s claim that “a President has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power — the recognition and implementation of election results.”

“Nor can we sanction his apparent contention that the Executive has carte blanche to violate the rights of individual citizens to vote and to have their votes count,” they wrote.

The appeals court took center stage in the immunity dispute after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-14th-amendment-immunity-supreme-court-d3f001f66c5c3e85302b8772753ed769">the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;in December said it was at least temporarily staying out of it, rejecting a request from Smith's team to take up the matter quickly and issue a speedy ruling. But the court could yet still decide to act on a Trump team appeal, adding to the uncertainty of a trial date.

The Supreme Court has held that presidents are immune from civil liability for official acts, and Trump’s lawyers have for months argued that that protection should be extended to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-special-counsel-immunity-appeal-64eec975e6a602949eb4b90315239318">criminal prosecution</a>&nbsp;as well.

They said the actions Trump was accused of in his failed bid to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election to Biden, including badgering his vice president to refuse to certify the results of the election, all fell within the “outer perimeters” of a president’s official acts.

But Smith’s team has said that no such immunity exists in the U.S. Constitution or in prior cases and that, in any event, Trump’s actions weren’t part of his official duties.

U.S. District Judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-judge-tanya-chutkan-capitol-riot-9ba5c18d315697d759521425ea203012">Tanya Chutkan</a>, who is presiding over the case, rejected Trump’s arguments in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">a Dec. 1 opinion</a>&nbsp;that said the office of the president “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”

Trump’s lawyers then appealed to the D.C. appeals court, but Smith asked the Supreme Court to weigh in first, in hopes of securing a fast and definitive ruling and preserving the March 4 trial date. The high court declined the request, leaving the matter with the appeals court.

The case was argued before Judges Florence Pan and J. Michelle Childs, appointees of Biden, a Democrat, and Karen LeCraft Henderson, who was named to the bench by President George H.W. Bush, a Republican. The judges made clear their skepticism of Trump’s claims during arguments last month, when they peppered his lawyer with tough questions and posed a series of extreme hypotheticals as a way to test his legal theory of immunity — including whether a president who directed Navy commandos to assassinate a political rival could be prosecuted.

Trump’s lawyer, D. John Sauer, answered yes — but only if a president had first been impeached and convicted by Congress. That view was in keeping with the team’s position that the Constitution did not permit the prosecution of ex-presidents who had been impeached but then acquitted, like Trump.

The case in Washington is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">four criminal prosecutions</a>&nbsp;Trump faces as he seeks to reclaim the White House this year. He faces federal charges in Florida that he illegally retained classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a case that was also brought by Smith and is set for trial in May. He’s also charged in state court in Georgia with scheming to subvert that state’s 2020 election and in New York in connection with hush money payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels. He has denied any wrongdoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680634182015.png" alt="File Former President Donald Trump in a New York courtroom in April 2023 (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)" />
 <figcaption>File Former President Donald Trump in a New York courtroom in April 2023 (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals panel ruled Tuesday that Donald Trump can face trial on charges that he plotted to overturn the results of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">the 2020 election</a>, rejecting the former president’s claims that he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-justice-department-special-counsel-f82dbd294cd7b963dd69f1ecdf90aded">immune from prosecution</a>&nbsp;and breathing life back into a landmark prosecution that had been effectively frozen while the court considered the arguments.The decision marks the second time in as many months that judges have spurned&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-special-counsel-immunity-appeal-64eec975e6a602949eb4b90315239318">Trump’s immunity arguments</a>&nbsp;and held that he can be prosecuted for actions undertaken while in the White House and in the run-up to Jan. 6, 2021, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of his supporters</a>&nbsp;stormed the U.S. Capitol. But it also sets the stage for additional appeals from the Republican ex-president that could reach the U.S. Supreme Court and result in further delays.The one-month gap between when the appeals court heard arguments and when it issued its ruling has already created uncertainty about the timing of any trial in a calendar-jammed election year, with the judge overseeing the case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-us-capitol-9ab9da935bc620d57c4192134f81acde">last week canceling the March 4 date that was initially set</a>&nbsp;and not immediately scheduling a replacement one. The judges gave Trump until February 12 to ask the Supreme Court to pause the ruling.The trial date carries obvious and enormous political ramifications, with special counsel Jack Smith's team hoping to prosecute Trump this year and the Republican primary front-runner seeking to delay it until after the November election. If Trump were to defeat President Joe Biden, he could presumably try to use his position as head of the executive branch to order a new attorney general to dismiss the federal cases or he potentially could seek a pardon for himself.The unanimous ruling, which had been expected given the skepticism with which the three judges on the panel greeted the Trump team's arguments, was unsparing in its repudiation of the claim that a former president could be shielded from prosecution for actions taken while in office.“Presidential immunity against federal indictment would mean that, as to the President, the Congress could not legislate, the Executive could not prosecute and the Judiciary could not review. We cannot accept that the office of the Presidency places its former occupants above the law for all time thereafter,” the judges wrote.They also sharply rejected Trump’s claim that “a President has unbounded authority to commit crimes that would neutralize the most fundamental check on executive power — the recognition and implementation of election results.”“Nor can we sanction his apparent contention that the Executive has carte blanche to violate the rights of individual citizens to vote and to have their votes count,” they wrote.The appeals court took center stage in the immunity dispute after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-14th-amendment-immunity-supreme-court-d3f001f66c5c3e85302b8772753ed769">the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;in December said it was at least temporarily staying out of it, rejecting a request from Smith's team to take up the matter quickly and issue a speedy ruling. But the court could yet still decide to act on a Trump team appeal, adding to the uncertainty of a trial date.The Supreme Court has held that presidents are immune from civil liability for official acts, and Trump’s lawyers have for months argued that that protection should be extended to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jan-6-special-counsel-immunity-appeal-64eec975e6a602949eb4b90315239318">criminal prosecution</a>&nbsp;as well.They said the actions Trump was accused of in his failed bid to cling to power after he lost the 2020 election to Biden, including badgering his vice president to refuse to certify the results of the election, all fell within the “outer perimeters” of a president’s official acts.But Smith’s team has said that no such immunity exists in the U.S. Constitution or in prior cases and that, in any event, Trump’s actions weren’t part of his official duties.U.S. District Judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-judge-tanya-chutkan-capitol-riot-9ba5c18d315697d759521425ea203012">Tanya Chutkan</a>, who is presiding over the case, rejected Trump’s arguments in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-donald-trump-a98872759762c95fa925ff831df27388">a Dec. 1 opinion</a>&nbsp;that said the office of the president “does not confer a lifelong ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ pass.”Trump’s lawyers then appealed to the D.C. appeals court, but Smith asked the Supreme Court to weigh in first, in hopes of securing a fast and definitive ruling and preserving the March 4 trial date. The high court declined the request, leaving the matter with the appeals court.The case was argued before Judges Florence Pan and J. Michelle Childs, appointees of Biden, a Democrat, and Karen LeCraft Henderson, who was named to the bench by President George H.W. Bush, a Republican. The judges made clear their skepticism of Trump’s claims during arguments last month, when they peppered his lawyer with tough questions and posed a series of extreme hypotheticals as a way to test his legal theory of immunity — including whether a president who directed Navy commandos to assassinate a political rival could be prosecuted.Trump’s lawyer, D. John Sauer, answered yes — but only if a president had first been impeached and convicted by Congress. That view was in keeping with the team’s position that the Constitution did not permit the prosecution of ex-presidents who had been impeached but then acquitted, like Trump.The case in Washington is one of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">four criminal prosecutions</a>&nbsp;Trump faces as he seeks to reclaim the White House this year. He faces federal charges in Florida that he illegally retained classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, a case that was also brought by Smith and is set for trial in May. He’s also charged in state court in Georgia with scheming to subvert that state’s 2020 election and in New York in connection with hush money payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels. He has denied any wrongdoing.

Appeals court rejects Trump’s claim he is  immune from prosecution

Mark and Mandy Helstrom, who face criminal drug charges, say they accidentally recorded private conversations in courthouse

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Mark and Mandy Helstrom feared their lives were in danger when they discovered an audio recording of Wallace County law enforcement and court officials talking about ways to kill the couple.

The couple say they inadvertently recorded the private conversation with Mark Helstrom’s phone after he left it in a clerk’s office in the Wallace County Courthouse. They shared the recording with Kansas Reflector.

In one part of the conversation, District Judge Scott Showalter, court clerk Rosella Ryser and County Attorney Charles Moser say they should take the couple into Colorado for a visit to the “Yellowstone train station.” The innuendo — from the TV show “Yellowstone” — refers to killing an enemy.

Later in the same recording, Sheriff Marshall Unruh and Undersheriff Lance Finley talk about putting a bag over Mandy Helstrom’s head.

“I just live in fear all day, every day,” she said in an interview for this story.

The Helstroms live in Sharon Springs, in the far northwest corner of the state, and are defending themselves from criminal drug charges. Mark Helstrom describes himself in court filings as sovereign — but he says he is not associated with the “sovereign citizen” movement of extremist&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2010/april/sovereigncitizens_041310/domestic-terrorism-the-sovereign-citizen-movement">anti-government activism</a>.

Showalter recused himself from handling the couple’s cases after they discovered the audio recording and brought it to the court’s attention.

Ryser, Moser, Unruh and Finley didn’t respond to inquiries for this story. Showalter responded with a written statement.

“I acknowledge I made inappropriate remarks that were in poor taste, and I regret it,” Showalter said. “The remarks, made in a private conversation, were not intended as a threat to anyone. I recognize my error, recused myself from the cases at hand, and self-reported my actions to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. I apologize to the parties, my court colleagues, and anyone else affected by my remarks.”

Sheriff’s officers arrested the Helstroms in June after they found marijuana and oxycodone in their house. Moser charged them with possession of the drugs, as well as not having a drug tax stamp and possession of drug paraphernalia. Moser also charged Mark Helstrom with interference with law enforcement.

Mandy Helstrom said she suffers from a medical condition that frequently causes her to vomit or feel nauseated. The couple said she intended to order a legal form of CBD to see if it would help, but the package arrived with marijuana. The U.S. Postal Service notified law enforcement, which raided their house.

Officers found the marijuana, as well as oxycodone. Mark Helstrom said a neighbor inadvertently left the prescribed painkillers in the house years ago and that the Helstroms had forgotten about them.

The Helstroms chose to represent themselves in court rather than rely on a court-appointed stand-by counsel, who happens to be a prosecutor from a neighboring county.

In court filings, Mark Helstrom declared himself to be sovereign and to have revoked his consent to be governed.

“I do not consent to your laws nor have I consented to this court’s jurisdiction, the only reason, I have appeared at-all, is because of the government’s violent tendencies which is placing my life in danger of being terminated,” Mark Helstrom wrote in an Oct. 16 motion to dismiss his case. “I am a peaceful man just trying to live my life without interference from the government, God gave this right to man and this country was founded upon this principle.”

In a Sept. 25 filing, Mark Helstrom demanded Moser drop the charges against him. Otherwise, he wrote, “I will have no other choice in this matter but to file criminal charges for slavery.”

Mark Helstrom said he began recording audio with his phone before the couple entered the courthouse for a Dec. 14 hearing.

Inside, he was instructed to leave his phone on the counter in the clerk’s office while he was in the courtroom. He said he forgot to turn the recording off.

A couple of days later, he said, his wife was looking through the phone and found the recording — and the private conversation among the judge, court clerk and prosecutor.

Showalter: “Charles, we’ve decided we need a train station somewhere about two miles into Colorado.”

Moser: “And it needs to be the Yellowstone train station.”

Ryser: Yes, exactly … and we all know what that means.”

At first, the Helstroms didn’t understand the reference to the TV show and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://yellowstone.fandom.com/wiki/The_Train_Station">the rural canyon where enemies are executed</a>.

“Then we found out what it was all about, and then it was like, ‘Wow. They’re talking about murdering me, is what they’re saying.’ That’s exactly what it means. You can’t take that any other way,” Mark Helstrom said.

At another point in the recording, Sheriff Unruh and Undersheriff Finley are heard talking about Mark Helstrom. Finley referenced a ball and chain at his desk, and Unruh said: “We’re gonna have to get him, ’cause he’s gonna file a report.”

Then Unruh and Finley turn their attention to Mandy Helstrom.

“God, I wish they would just put a bag over her head,” Finley said. “Like tie it off so she throws up.”

Finley adds: “That’s a medical. She needs to go to Greeley County so they can kill her.”

Audio Player00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.

The Helstroms filed a complaint against Unruh and Finley with the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training.

CPOST identifies its mission as “providing the citizens of Kansas with qualified, trained, ethical, competent, and professional peace officers.” But in a Jan. 5 letter to the Helstroms, CPOST investigator Kevin Sexton said the agency doesn’t investigate alleged crimes. Their complaint was dismissed.

“The appropriate forum for any issues you may have with your complaints and concerns lie with the Wallace County Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office,” Sexton wrote. “Please contact them for information on how to proceed with your concerns.”

The Helstroms say they don’t feel safe, even if the recorded comments were intended to be a joke.

“I was telling my wife, I said, ‘Well, if the cops came over here right now, and they said they had a warrant for your arrest, even though it may be real or not real, and they put the handcuffs on you and then drove you two miles out, took the cuffs off and blew your brains out, who’s gonna know?” Mark Helstrom said. “Nobody’s gonna know.”

<h2>Mark and Mandy Helstrom, who face criminal drug charges, say they accidentally recorded private conversations in courthouse</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Mark and Mandy Helstrom feared their lives were in danger when they discovered an audio recording of Wallace County law enforcement and court officials talking about ways to kill the couple.The couple say they inadvertently recorded the private conversation with Mark Helstrom’s phone after he left it in a clerk’s office in the Wallace County Courthouse. They shared the recording with Kansas Reflector.In one part of the conversation, District Judge Scott Showalter, court clerk Rosella Ryser and County Attorney Charles Moser say they should take the couple into Colorado for a visit to the “Yellowstone train station.” The innuendo — from the TV show “Yellowstone” — refers to killing an enemy.Later in the same recording, Sheriff Marshall Unruh and Undersheriff Lance Finley talk about putting a bag over Mandy Helstrom’s head.“I just live in fear all day, every day,” she said in an interview for this story.The Helstroms live in Sharon Springs, in the far northwest corner of the state, and are defending themselves from criminal drug charges. Mark Helstrom describes himself in court filings as sovereign — but he says he is not associated with the “sovereign citizen” movement of extremist&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2010/april/sovereigncitizens_041310/domestic-terrorism-the-sovereign-citizen-movement">anti-government activism</a>.Showalter recused himself from handling the couple’s cases after they discovered the audio recording and brought it to the court’s attention.Ryser, Moser, Unruh and Finley didn’t respond to inquiries for this story. Showalter responded with a written statement.“I acknowledge I made inappropriate remarks that were in poor taste, and I regret it,” Showalter said. “The remarks, made in a private conversation, were not intended as a threat to anyone. I recognize my error, recused myself from the cases at hand, and self-reported my actions to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. I apologize to the parties, my court colleagues, and anyone else affected by my remarks.”<h2>Drugs and consent</h2>Sheriff’s officers arrested the Helstroms in June after they found marijuana and oxycodone in their house. Moser charged them with possession of the drugs, as well as not having a drug tax stamp and possession of drug paraphernalia. Moser also charged Mark Helstrom with interference with law enforcement.Mandy Helstrom said she suffers from a medical condition that frequently causes her to vomit or feel nauseated. The couple said she intended to order a legal form of CBD to see if it would help, but the package arrived with marijuana. The U.S. Postal Service notified law enforcement, which raided their house.Officers found the marijuana, as well as oxycodone. Mark Helstrom said a neighbor inadvertently left the prescribed painkillers in the house years ago and that the Helstroms had forgotten about them.The Helstroms chose to represent themselves in court rather than rely on a court-appointed stand-by counsel, who happens to be a prosecutor from a neighboring county.In court filings, Mark Helstrom declared himself to be sovereign and to have revoked his consent to be governed.“I do not consent to your laws nor have I consented to this court’s jurisdiction, the only reason, I have appeared at-all, is because of the government’s violent tendencies which is placing my life in danger of being terminated,” Mark Helstrom wrote in an Oct. 16 motion to dismiss his case. “I am a peaceful man just trying to live my life without interference from the government, God gave this right to man and this country was founded upon this principle.”In a Sept. 25 filing, Mark Helstrom demanded Moser drop the charges against him. Otherwise, he wrote, “I will have no other choice in this matter but to file criminal charges for slavery.”<h2>Death threats</h2><h2>Death threats</h2>Mark Helstrom said he began recording audio with his phone before the couple entered the courthouse for a Dec. 14 hearing.Inside, he was instructed to leave his phone on the counter in the clerk’s office while he was in the courtroom. He said he forgot to turn the recording off.A couple of days later, he said, his wife was looking through the phone and found the recording — and the private conversation among the judge, court clerk and prosecutor.A section goes as follows:Showalter: “Charles, we’ve decided we need a train station somewhere about two miles into Colorado.”Moser: “And it needs to be the Yellowstone train station.”Ryser: Yes, exactly … and we all know what that means.”At first, the Helstroms didn’t understand the reference to the TV show and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://yellowstone.fandom.com/wiki/The_Train_Station">the rural canyon where enemies are executed</a>.“Then we found out what it was all about, and then it was like, ‘Wow. They’re talking about murdering me, is what they’re saying.’ That’s exactly what it means. You can’t take that any other way,” Mark Helstrom said.At another point in the recording, Sheriff Unruh and Undersheriff Finley are heard talking about Mark Helstrom. Finley referenced a ball and chain at his desk, and Unruh said: “We’re gonna have to get him, ’cause he’s gonna file a report.”Then Unruh and Finley turn their attention to Mandy Helstrom.“God, I wish they would just put a bag over her head,” Finley said. “Like tie it off so she throws up.”Finley adds: “That’s a medical. She needs to go to Greeley County so they can kill her.”TOPEKA — Mark and Mandy Helstrom feared their lives were in danger when they discovered an audio recording of Wallace County law enforcement and court officials talking about ways to kill the couple.The couple say they inadvertently recorded the private conversation with Mark Helstrom’s phone after he left it in a clerk’s office in the Wallace County Courthouse. They shared the recording with Kansas Reflector.In one part of the conversation, District Judge Scott Showalter, court clerk Rosella Ryser and County Attorney Charles Moser say they should take the couple into Colorado for a visit to the “Yellowstone train station.” The innuendo — from the TV show “Yellowstone” — refers to killing an enemy.Later in the same recording, Sheriff Marshall Unruh and Undersheriff Lance Finley talk about putting a bag over Mandy Helstrom’s head.“I just live in fear all day, every day,” she said in an interview for this story.The Helstroms live in Sharon Springs, in the far northwest corner of the state, and are defending themselves from criminal drug charges. Mark Helstrom describes himself in court filings as sovereign — but he says he is not associated with the “sovereign citizen” movement of extremist&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://archives.fbi.gov/archives/news/stories/2010/april/sovereigncitizens_041310/domestic-terrorism-the-sovereign-citizen-movement">anti-government activism</a>.Showalter recused himself from handling the couple’s cases after they discovered the audio recording and brought it to the court’s attention.Ryser, Moser, Unruh and Finley didn’t respond to inquiries for this story. Showalter responded with a written statement.“I acknowledge I made inappropriate remarks that were in poor taste, and I regret it,” Showalter said. “The remarks, made in a private conversation, were not intended as a threat to anyone. I recognize my error, recused myself from the cases at hand, and self-reported my actions to the Commission on Judicial Conduct. I apologize to the parties, my court colleagues, and anyone else affected by my remarks.”<h2>Drugs and consent</h2>Sheriff’s officers arrested the Helstroms in June after they found marijuana and oxycodone in their house. Moser charged them with possession of the drugs, as well as not having a drug tax stamp and possession of drug paraphernalia. Moser also charged Mark Helstrom with interference with law enforcement.Mandy Helstrom said she suffers from a medical condition that frequently causes her to vomit or feel nauseated. The couple said she intended to order a legal form of CBD to see if it would help, but the package arrived with marijuana. The U.S. Postal Service notified law enforcement, which raided their house.Officers found the marijuana, as well as oxycodone. Mark Helstrom said a neighbor inadvertently left the prescribed painkillers in the house years ago and that the Helstroms had forgotten about them.The Helstroms chose to represent themselves in court rather than rely on a court-appointed stand-by counsel, who happens to be a prosecutor from a neighboring county.In court filings, Mark Helstrom declared himself to be sovereign and to have revoked his consent to be governed.“I do not consent to your laws nor have I consented to this court’s jurisdiction, the only reason, I have appeared at-all, is because of the government’s violent tendencies which is placing my life in danger of being terminated,” Mark Helstrom wrote in an Oct. 16 motion to dismiss his case. “I am a peaceful man just trying to live my life without interference from the government, God gave this right to man and this country was founded upon this principle.”In a Sept. 25 filing, Mark Helstrom demanded Moser drop the charges against him. Otherwise, he wrote, “I will have no other choice in this matter but to file criminal charges for slavery.”<h2>Death threats</h2>Mark Helstrom said he began recording audio with his phone before the couple entered the courthouse for a Dec. 14 hearing.Inside, he was instructed to leave his phone on the counter in the clerk’s office while he was in the courtroom. He said he forgot to turn the recording off.A couple of days later, he said, his wife was looking through the phone and found the recording — and the private conversation among the judge, court clerk and prosecutor.A section goes as follows:Showalter: “Charles, we’ve decided we need a train station somewhere about two miles into Colorado.”Moser: “And it needs to be the Yellowstone train station.”Ryser: Yes, exactly … and we all know what that means.”Audio Player00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.At first, the Helstroms didn’t understand the reference to the TV show and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://yellowstone.fandom.com/wiki/The_Train_Station">the rural canyon where enemies are executed</a>.“Then we found out what it was all about, and then it was like, ‘Wow. They’re talking about murdering me, is what they’re saying.’ That’s exactly what it means. You can’t take that any other way,” Mark Helstrom said.At another point in the recording, Sheriff Unruh and Undersheriff Finley are heard talking about Mark Helstrom. Finley referenced a ball and chain at his desk, and Unruh said: “We’re gonna have to get him, ’cause he’s gonna file a report.”Audio Player00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.Then Unruh and Finley turn their attention to Mandy Helstrom.“God, I wish they would just put a bag over her head,” Finley said. “Like tie it off so she throws up.”Audio Player00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.Finley adds: “That’s a medical. She needs to go to Greeley County so they can kill her.”Audio Player00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.<h2>Professional standard</h2>The Helstroms filed a complaint against Unruh and Finley with the Kansas Commission on Peace Officers’ Standards and Training.CPOST identifies its mission as “providing the citizens of Kansas with qualified, trained, ethical, competent, and professional peace officers.” But in a Jan. 5 letter to the Helstroms, CPOST investigator Kevin Sexton said the agency doesn’t investigate alleged crimes. Their complaint was dismissed.“The appropriate forum for any issues you may have with your complaints and concerns lie with the Wallace County Sheriff’s Department and District Attorney’s Office,” Sexton wrote. “Please contact them for information on how to proceed with your concerns.”The Helstroms say they don’t feel safe, even if the recorded comments were intended to be a joke.“I was telling my wife, I said, ‘Well, if the cops came over here right now, and they said they had a warrant for your arrest, even though it may be real or not real, and they put the handcuffs on you and then drove you two miles out, took the cuffs off and blew your brains out, who’s gonna know?” Mark Helstrom said. “Nobody’s gonna know.”

Recording captures judge, prosecutor, undersheriff talking about killing Kansas couple

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A spark from welding at a Kansas car dealership caused a fire on Monday.

At 5:45p.m., crews responded to the fire at Lubbers, 944 North Main Street in Cheney,&nbsp;according to Fire Chief Jerry Peitz.&nbsp;&nbsp;Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles around. Crews worked quickly to keep the fire from reaching cars on the lot and had the fire contained at approximately 6:18p.m.

The welding on a forklift was being done in a back room where fluids, cleaners and other equipment are stored, according to Peitz.&nbsp;

Due to the amount of expensive diagnostic equipment and engines in the storage area, it is difficult for investigators to estimate a damage amount. There was also significant smoke damage in the bay area where techs work.

One dealership employee was treated for smoke inhalation, according to Peitz.&nbsp; There were no other injuries. A fire crew from Sedgwick County also responded to assist.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707233806184.png" alt="Fire damage in Lubbers -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Fire damage in Lubbers -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A spark from welding at a Kansas car dealership caused a fire on Monday.At 5:45p.m., crews responded to the fire at Lubbers, 944 North Main Street in Cheney,&nbsp;according to Fire Chief Jerry Peitz.&nbsp;&nbsp;Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles around. Crews worked quickly to keep the fire from reaching cars on the lot and had the fire contained at approximately 6:18p.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707233773766.png" alt="Crews at the scene of the fire-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Crews at the scene of the fire-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The welding on a forklift was being done in a back room where fluids, cleaners and other equipment are stored, according to Peitz.&nbsp;Due to the amount of expensive diagnostic equipment and engines in the storage area, it is difficult for investigators to estimate a damage amount. There was also significant smoke damage in the bay area where techs work.One dealership employee was treated for smoke inhalation, according to Peitz.&nbsp; There were no other injuries. A fire crew from Sedgwick County also responded to assist.

Thousands of dollars in damage after fire at Kansas car dealership

KANSAS CITY —A Nebraska man’s brief crime spree came to an end over the weekend thanks to a Sheriff’s Office canine and teamwork by numerous law enforcement agencies.

Just after 2p.m. February 4, an elderly woman home alone called the Clay County Sheriff’s office to report an unknown vehicle that had parked in her driveway near H Highway and Crockett road, southwest of Excelsior Springs., according to a media release. She said a man then got out of the vehicle and ran behind her house.

The vehicle left in the woman’s driveway turned out to be stolen from Nebraska. Deputies and Excelsior Springs Police moved into the area to locate the driver. Soon, dispatchers reported a caller had seen a man acting oddly walking on Cameron Road nearby. As deputies were moving to that area, they got another report of a truck was just stolen from farmers at Cameron Road and NE 136th Street. The victims were in their barn and saw their truck being driven away.

The KCPD helicopter joined in to try to locate the suspect vehicle. They saw it exit from 92 Highway to southbound Interstate 35 in Kearney. Kearney Police pursued the vehicle, and Sheriff’s deputies took over at the city limit. A Sheriff’s deputy and Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper were able to successfully deploy Stop Sticks, deflating the suspect’s tires, and bring the truck safely to a stop by the exit to 152 Highway.

At that point, the suspect got out of the truck and ran. Deputies, including K9 Duke, ran after him. Duke apprehended the suspect in the median of the highway. After being treated for his dog bite at the hospital, the suspect was booked at the Clay County Detention Center, where he remains in custody on a $40,000 bond.

Timothy M. Miller, 38, of Omaha, Neb., has now been charged with tampering with a motor vehicle and resisting arrest by fleeing, according to the sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707160985667.png" alt="The Clay County Sheriff's office asked, "Who runs faster?"" />
 <figcaption>The Clay County Sheriff's office asked, "Who runs faster?"</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Nebraska man’s brief crime spree came to an end over the weekend thanks to a Sheriff’s Office canine and teamwork by numerous law enforcement agencies.Just after 2p.m. February 4, an elderly woman home alone called the Clay County Sheriff’s office to report an unknown vehicle that had parked in her driveway near H Highway and Crockett road, southwest of Excelsior Springs., according to a media release. She said a man then got out of the vehicle and ran behind her house.The vehicle left in the woman’s driveway turned out to be stolen from Nebraska. Deputies and Excelsior Springs Police moved into the area to locate the driver. Soon, dispatchers reported a caller had seen a man acting oddly walking on Cameron Road nearby. As deputies were moving to that area, they got another report of a truck was just stolen from farmers at Cameron Road and NE 136th Street. The victims were in their barn and saw their truck being driven away.The KCPD helicopter joined in to try to locate the suspect vehicle. They saw it exit from 92 Highway to southbound Interstate 35 in Kearney. Kearney Police pursued the vehicle, and Sheriff’s deputies took over at the city limit. A Sheriff’s deputy and Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper were able to successfully deploy Stop Sticks, deflating the suspect’s tires, and bring the truck safely to a stop by the exit to 152 Highway.At that point, the suspect got out of the truck and ran. Deputies, including K9 Duke, ran after him. Duke apprehended the suspect in the median of the highway. After being treated for his dog bite at the hospital, the suspect was booked at the Clay County Detention Center, where he remains in custody on a $40,000 bond.Timothy M. Miller, 38, of Omaha, Neb., has now been charged with tampering with a motor vehicle and resisting arrest by fleeing, according to the sheriff's office.

Suspect's KC-area crime spree ends after caught by sheriff's K9

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — To flat tax or not to flat tax? That is the question for Kansas Sen. David Haley, a Kansas Democrat who says he cannot make up his mind on a sprawling 5.25% flat tax proposal estimated to cost $1.589 billion over three years.

A House leader says Haley is doing it for the attention.&nbsp;

While Republican leaders in the Kansas House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/29/kansas-gop-leaders-house-not-senate-possesses-votes-to-override-kellys-tax-veto/">estimate they have the two-thirds majority</a>&nbsp;needed to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the legislation, their compatriots in the Senate believe they are still one vote short. The bill is one of their top priorities for the session.

Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, and one of a small contingent of Senate Democrats who would be critical to sustaining Kelly’s veto, said Monday he has doubts about which way he will be voting.&nbsp;

“I want everyone here to know, David Haley is not predictable on such crucial measures. …” Haley said. “I’m just not a placeholder there that can be so easily predicted.”

Haley aired his hesitations by calling an “emergency” town hall meeting Saturday to discuss the flat tax proposal with constituents. During the Wyandotte County meeting, the majority of attendees spoke against the flat tax proposal and asked him to sustain the veto.

“Wyandotte countians were clear,” said&nbsp;Sister Therese Bangert, of the Sisters of Charity in Leavenworth. Bangert, who attended the Saturday gathering,&nbsp;estimated that most of those present spoke against the tax.&nbsp;

Haley said he wasn’t blinded by what he characterized as “very real tribal support for who is our governor.”

“Many of them wanted me to say that I’ve made a decision. And I’ve had to say I didn’t,” Haley said during a Monday interview with Kansas Reflector. “I try to be a little more thoughtful than just sheer partisanship on fiscal issues like this.”

House Minority Leader Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka,&nbsp; spoke strongly against the flat tax, calling the proposal unfair and bad policy. Miller said Haley’s hesitation stemmed from a desire for the spotlight.&nbsp;

“He likes the spotlight, and I think that’s what this is all about,” Miller said. “I don’t think his vote’s going to make the difference. I think he would like it to make a difference, he would like to be the person who makes it or breaks it, so he gets even more attention than he’s getting now. He likes the spotlight.”&nbsp;

The flat tax package is estimated to cost $1.589 billion over a three-year period.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/23/kansas-gop-leaders-tout-flat-tax-plan-that-would-save-charles-koch-875k-annually/">A study of the proposal&nbsp;</a>conducted by ITEP, a nonpartisan research organization that favors a progressive tax system, estimated that 44.5% of the income tax savings would go to the top 5% of wage earners. The top 20% would have gotten an average tax break of $828, while the bottom 80% of wage earners would get an average annual tax break of $89 under the flat tax.

Other elements in the package are more broadly popular, such as eliminating the state sales tax on groceries April 1, instead of the current deadline of Jan. 1, 2025.

The Republican-dominated Legislature<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/17/republican-leadership-in-kansas-legislature-places-income-sales-tax-reform-on-fast-track/">&nbsp;fast tracked</a>&nbsp;the plan early in the legislative session, sending the bill to Kelly’s desk, where she shot down the bill, characterizing it as a “reckless” plan and similar to former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax “experiment.”.

Last year, Kelly vetoed a similar flat tax plan that included a 5.15% flat tax.&nbsp;In the Senate’s veto override attempt, 26 Republicans voted in favor of the flat tax, while two Republicans broke party lines to vote with Democrats against the tax.&nbsp;

Top Republican legislators Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, both strong flat tax advocates, have condemned Kelly’s veto. A veto override attempt is expected this week. In the House, 84 votes are needed to override Kelly’s veto, and 27 votes are needed in the Senate to complete the veto override.&nbsp;

Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said she and other Senate Democrats would work to sustain the veto and rally others in the chamber to her cause.&nbsp;

“It’s bad policy, it’s going to jeopardize us in the future, and we need to say no and then we can have an honest conversation about something that actually would have relief for working Kansans,” Sykes said.&nbsp;

She cautioned Haley against the move.&nbsp;

“It would be a very bad vote for him, not to sustain the veto for his district, so I’m hoping he sees that,” Sykes said. “From what I’ve heard, that was the strong message from his constituents on Saturday to sustain the governor’s veto.”&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707227041548.png" alt=" During an “emergency” Feb. 3 town hall, Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, said he had reservations about the flat tax vote. (Matthew Kleinmann)" />
 <figcaption> During an “emergency” Feb. 3 town hall, Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, said he had reservations about the flat tax vote. (Matthew Kleinmann)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — To flat tax or not to flat tax? That is the question for Kansas Sen. David Haley, a Kansas Democrat who says he cannot make up his mind on a sprawling 5.25% flat tax proposal estimated to cost $1.589 billion over three years.A House leader says Haley is doing it for the attention.&nbsp;While Republican leaders in the Kansas House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/29/kansas-gop-leaders-house-not-senate-possesses-votes-to-override-kellys-tax-veto/">estimate they have the two-thirds majority</a>&nbsp;needed to override Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of the legislation, their compatriots in the Senate believe they are still one vote short. The bill is one of their top priorities for the session.Sen. David Haley, D-Kansas City, and one of a small contingent of Senate Democrats who would be critical to sustaining Kelly’s veto, said Monday he has doubts about which way he will be voting.&nbsp;“I want everyone here to know, David Haley is not predictable on such crucial measures. …” Haley said. “I’m just not a placeholder there that can be so easily predicted.”Haley aired his hesitations by calling an “emergency” town hall meeting Saturday to discuss the flat tax proposal with constituents. During the Wyandotte County meeting, the majority of attendees spoke against the flat tax proposal and asked him to sustain the veto.“Wyandotte countians were clear,” said&nbsp;Sister Therese Bangert, of the Sisters of Charity in Leavenworth. Bangert, who attended the Saturday gathering,&nbsp;estimated that most of those present spoke against the tax.&nbsp;Haley said he wasn’t blinded by what he characterized as “very real tribal support for who is our governor.”“Many of them wanted me to say that I’ve made a decision. And I’ve had to say I didn’t,” Haley said during a Monday interview with Kansas Reflector. “I try to be a little more thoughtful than just sheer partisanship on fiscal issues like this.”House Minority Leader Rep. Vic Miller, D-Topeka,&nbsp; spoke strongly against the flat tax, calling the proposal unfair and bad policy. Miller said Haley’s hesitation stemmed from a desire for the spotlight.&nbsp;“He likes the spotlight, and I think that’s what this is all about,” Miller said. “I don’t think his vote’s going to make the difference. I think he would like it to make a difference, he would like to be the person who makes it or breaks it, so he gets even more attention than he’s getting now. He likes the spotlight.”&nbsp;The flat tax package is estimated to cost $1.589 billion over a three-year period.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/23/kansas-gop-leaders-tout-flat-tax-plan-that-would-save-charles-koch-875k-annually/">A study of the proposal&nbsp;</a>conducted by ITEP, a nonpartisan research organization that favors a progressive tax system, estimated that 44.5% of the income tax savings would go to the top 5% of wage earners. The top 20% would have gotten an average tax break of $828, while the bottom 80% of wage earners would get an average annual tax break of $89 under the flat tax.Other elements in the package are more broadly popular, such as eliminating the state sales tax on groceries April 1, instead of the current deadline of Jan. 1, 2025.The Republican-dominated Legislature<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/01/17/republican-leadership-in-kansas-legislature-places-income-sales-tax-reform-on-fast-track/">&nbsp;fast tracked</a>&nbsp;the plan early in the legislative session, sending the bill to Kelly’s desk, where she shot down the bill, characterizing it as a “reckless” plan and similar to former Gov. Sam Brownback’s tax “experiment.”.Last year, Kelly vetoed a similar flat tax plan that included a 5.15% flat tax.&nbsp;In the Senate’s veto override attempt, 26 Republicans voted in favor of the flat tax, while two Republicans broke party lines to vote with Democrats against the tax.&nbsp;Top Republican legislators Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, both strong flat tax advocates, have condemned Kelly’s veto. A veto override attempt is expected this week. In the House, 84 votes are needed to override Kelly’s veto, and 27 votes are needed in the Senate to complete the veto override.&nbsp;Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, said she and other Senate Democrats would work to sustain the veto and rally others in the chamber to her cause.&nbsp;“It’s bad policy, it’s going to jeopardize us in the future, and we need to say no and then we can have an honest conversation about something that actually would have relief for working Kansans,” Sykes said.&nbsp;She cautioned Haley against the move.&nbsp;“It would be a very bad vote for him, not to sustain the veto for his district, so I’m hoping he sees that,” Sykes said. “From what I’ve heard, that was the strong message from his constituents on Saturday to sustain the governor’s veto.”&nbsp;

Kansas Democratic senator: I’m ‘not predictable’ on flat tax override vote

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Toby Keith, a sometimes polarizing figure in country music who crafted an identity around his macho, pro-American swagger, has died. He was 62.

The “Beer For My Horses” singer-songwriter, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/toby-keith-cancer-return-to-stage-2288efe6edabee0f57208b6dc6700363">was battling stomach cancer</a>, died peacefully Monday surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted on the country singer's website. “He fought his fight with grace and courage,” the statement said. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-health-country-music-7f96982e300407c47899a904423d070f">was diagnosed in 2022</a>.

The 6-foot-4 singer broke out in the country boom years of the 1990s, writing songs that fans loved to hear. Over his career he publicly clashed with other celebrities and journalists and often pushed back against record executives who wanted to smooth his rough edges.

He was known for his overt patriotism on post 9/11 songs like “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” and boisterous barroom tunes like “I Love This Bar” and “Red Solo Cup.” He had a powerful booming voice, a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and range that carried love songs as well as drinking songs.

Among his 20 No. 1 Billboard hits were “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “My List” and “Beer for My Horses,” a duet with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/willie-nelson-book-songwriting-7e20e3adf314637c2f36dd5d88265392">Willie Nelson</a>.

Keith worked as a roughneck in the oil fields of Oklahoma as a young man, then played semi-pro football before launching his career as a singer.

“I write about life, and I sing about life, and I don’t overanalyze things,” Keith told The Associated Press in 2001, following the success of his song “I’m Just Talking About Tonight.”

Keith learned good lessons in the booming oil fields, which toughened him up, but also showed him the value of money.

“The money to be made was unbelievable,” Keith told the AP in 1996. “I came out of high school in 1980 and they gave me this job December of 1979, $50,000 a year. I was 18-years-old.”

But the domestic oil field industry collapsed and Keith had not saved. “It about broke us,” he said. “So I just learned. I’ve taken care of my money this time.”

He spent a couple seasons as a defensive end for the Oklahoma City Drillers, a farm team for the now-defunct United States Football League. But he found consistent money playing music with his band throughout the red dirt roadhouse circuit in Oklahoma and Texas.

“All through this whole thing the only constant thing we had was music,” he said. “But it’s hard to sit back and say, ‘I’m going to go make my fortune singing music, or writing music. I had no contacts.”‘

Eventually his path took him to Nashville, where he attracted the interest of Mercury Records head Harold Shedd, who was best known as a producer for the hit group Alabama. Shedd brought him to Mercury, where he released his platinum debut record “Toby Keith,” in 1993.

“Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” his breakout hit, was played 3 million times on radio stations, making it the most played country song of the 1990s.

But label’s focus on global star Shania Twain overshadowed the rest of the roster and Keith felt that the executives were trying to push him in a pop direction.

“They were trying to get me to compromise, and I was living a miserable existence,” Keith told the AP. “Everybody was trying to mold me into something I was not.”

After a series of albums that produced hits like “Who’s That Man,” and cover of Sting’s “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying,” Keith moved to DreamWorks Records in 1999.

That’s when his multi-week “How Do You Like Me Now?!” took off and became his first song to crossover to Top 40 charts. In 2001, he won the male vocalist of the year and album of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, exclaiming from the stage: “I’ve waited a long time for this. Nine years!”

Songs like “I Wanna Talk About Me,” a spoken-word song written by Bobby Braddock about a man frustrated by a talkative partner, got him attention for its similarity to the cadence of rap, which Keith dismissed. “They’re going to call it a rap song, (although) there ain’t nobody doing rap who would call it rap,” he told “Billboard” magazine in 2001.

Keith often wore his politics on his sleeve, especially after the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil in 2001, and early on he said was a conservative Democrat, but later claimed he was an independent. He’s played at events for Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, the latter giving him a National Medal of the Arts in 2021. His songs and his blunt opinions sometimes caused him controversy, which he seemed to court.

His 2002 song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” included a threat— “We’ll put a boot in your ass — It’s the American way” — to anyone who dared to mess with America.

That song got pulled from a patriotic ABC Fourth of July special after producers deemed it too angry for the show. Singer-songwriter Steve Earle called Keith’s song “pandering to people’s worst instincts at a time they are hurt and scared.”

Then there was the feud between Keith and The Chicks (formerly called the Dixie Chicks), who became a target of Keith’s ire when singer Natalie Maines told a crowd that they were ashamed of then President George W. Bush. Maines had also previously called Keith’s song “ignorant.”

Keith, who had previously claimed that he supported any artist’s freedom to voice their opinion about politics, used a doctored photo of Maines with an image of Saddam Hussein at his concerts, further ramping up angry fans.

Maines responded by wearing a shirt with the letters “FUTK” onstage at the 2003 ACM Awards, which many people believed was a vulgar message to Keith.

He also publicly called out actor Ethan Hawke, who had written a story in “Rolling Stone” that described an argument between Kris Kristofferson and an unnamed country star that sounded a lot like Keith. During a backstage press conference during an awards show, Keith was furious at Hawke (and reporters for repeating the story) for what he called a “fictitious (expletive) lie.”

Keith, who has acknowledged that he holds onto grudges, walked out of the ACM Awards in 2003 early because he had gotten snubbed in earlier categories, causing him to miss out when he was announced as entertainer of the year. Vince Gill accepted on his behalf. He came back the next year and won the top prize for a second year in a row, along with top male vocalist and album of the year for “Shock ’n Y’all.”

His pro-military stance wasn’t just fodder for songs, however. He went on 11 USO tours to visit and play for troops serving overseas. He also helped to raised millions for charity over his career, including building a home in Oklahoma City for kids and their families who are battling cancer.

After Universal Music Group acquired DreamWorks, Keith started anew again, starting his own record label, Show Dog, in 2005 with record executive Scott Borchetta, who launched his own label Big Machine at the same time.

“Probably 75% of the people in this town think I’ll fail, and the other 25% hope I fail,” he said that year.

Later the label became Show Dog-Universal Music and had Keith, Trace Adkins, Joe Nichols, Josh Thompson, Clay Walker and Phil Vassar on its roster.

His later hits included “Love Me If You Can,” “She Never Cried In Front of Me,” and “Red Solo Cup.” He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.

He was honored by the performance rights organization BMI in November 2022 with the BMI Icon award, a few months after announcing his stomach cancer diagnosis.

“I always felt like that the songwriting was the most important part of this whole industry,” Keith told the crowd of fellow singers and writers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707216570029.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Toby Keith, a sometimes polarizing figure in country music who crafted an identity around his macho, pro-American swagger, has died. He was 62.The “Beer For My Horses” singer-songwriter, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/toby-keith-cancer-return-to-stage-2288efe6edabee0f57208b6dc6700363">was battling stomach cancer</a>, died peacefully Monday surrounded by his family, according to a statement posted on the country singer's website. “He fought his fight with grace and courage,” the statement said. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-health-country-music-7f96982e300407c47899a904423d070f">was diagnosed in 2022</a>.The 6-foot-4 singer broke out in the country boom years of the 1990s, writing songs that fans loved to hear. Over his career he publicly clashed with other celebrities and journalists and often pushed back against record executives who wanted to smooth his rough edges.He was known for his overt patriotism on post 9/11 songs like “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” and boisterous barroom tunes like “I Love This Bar” and “Red Solo Cup.” He had a powerful booming voice, a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor and range that carried love songs as well as drinking songs.Among his 20 No. 1 Billboard hits were “How Do You Like Me Now?!,” “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “My List” and “Beer for My Horses,” a duet with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/willie-nelson-book-songwriting-7e20e3adf314637c2f36dd5d88265392">Willie Nelson</a>.Keith worked as a roughneck in the oil fields of Oklahoma as a young man, then played semi-pro football before launching his career as a singer.“I write about life, and I sing about life, and I don’t overanalyze things,” Keith told The Associated Press in 2001, following the success of his song “I’m Just Talking About Tonight.”Keith learned good lessons in the booming oil fields, which toughened him up, but also showed him the value of money.“The money to be made was unbelievable,” Keith told the AP in 1996. “I came out of high school in 1980 and they gave me this job December of 1979, $50,000 a year. I was 18-years-old.”But the domestic oil field industry collapsed and Keith had not saved. “It about broke us,” he said. “So I just learned. I’ve taken care of my money this time.”He spent a couple seasons as a defensive end for the Oklahoma City Drillers, a farm team for the now-defunct United States Football League. But he found consistent money playing music with his band throughout the red dirt roadhouse circuit in Oklahoma and Texas.“All through this whole thing the only constant thing we had was music,” he said. “But it’s hard to sit back and say, ‘I’m going to go make my fortune singing music, or writing music. I had no contacts.”‘Eventually his path took him to Nashville, where he attracted the interest of Mercury Records head Harold Shedd, who was best known as a producer for the hit group Alabama. Shedd brought him to Mercury, where he released his platinum debut record “Toby Keith,” in 1993.“Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” his breakout hit, was played 3 million times on radio stations, making it the most played country song of the 1990s.But label’s focus on global star Shania Twain overshadowed the rest of the roster and Keith felt that the executives were trying to push him in a pop direction.“They were trying to get me to compromise, and I was living a miserable existence,” Keith told the AP. “Everybody was trying to mold me into something I was not.”After a series of albums that produced hits like “Who’s That Man,” and cover of Sting’s “I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying,” Keith moved to DreamWorks Records in 1999.That’s when his multi-week “How Do You Like Me Now?!” took off and became his first song to crossover to Top 40 charts. In 2001, he won the male vocalist of the year and album of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards, exclaiming from the stage: “I’ve waited a long time for this. Nine years!”Songs like “I Wanna Talk About Me,” a spoken-word song written by Bobby Braddock about a man frustrated by a talkative partner, got him attention for its similarity to the cadence of rap, which Keith dismissed. “They’re going to call it a rap song, (although) there ain’t nobody doing rap who would call it rap,” he told “Billboard” magazine in 2001.Keith often wore his politics on his sleeve, especially after the terrorist attacks on U.S. soil in 2001, and early on he said was a conservative Democrat, but later claimed he was an independent. He’s played at events for Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, the latter giving him a National Medal of the Arts in 2021. His songs and his blunt opinions sometimes caused him controversy, which he seemed to court.His 2002 song, “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” included a threat— “We’ll put a boot in your ass — It’s the American way” — to anyone who dared to mess with America.That song got pulled from a patriotic ABC Fourth of July special after producers deemed it too angry for the show. Singer-songwriter Steve Earle called Keith’s song “pandering to people’s worst instincts at a time they are hurt and scared.”Then there was the feud between Keith and The Chicks (formerly called the Dixie Chicks), who became a target of Keith’s ire when singer Natalie Maines told a crowd that they were ashamed of then President George W. Bush. Maines had also previously called Keith’s song “ignorant.”Keith, who had previously claimed that he supported any artist’s freedom to voice their opinion about politics, used a doctored photo of Maines with an image of Saddam Hussein at his concerts, further ramping up angry fans.Maines responded by wearing a shirt with the letters “FUTK” onstage at the 2003 ACM Awards, which many people believed was a vulgar message to Keith.He also publicly called out actor Ethan Hawke, who had written a story in “Rolling Stone” that described an argument between Kris Kristofferson and an unnamed country star that sounded a lot like Keith. During a backstage press conference during an awards show, Keith was furious at Hawke (and reporters for repeating the story) for what he called a “fictitious (expletive) lie.”Keith, who has acknowledged that he holds onto grudges, walked out of the ACM Awards in 2003 early because he had gotten snubbed in earlier categories, causing him to miss out when he was announced as entertainer of the year. Vince Gill accepted on his behalf. He came back the next year and won the top prize for a second year in a row, along with top male vocalist and album of the year for “Shock ’n Y’all.”His pro-military stance wasn’t just fodder for songs, however. He went on 11 USO tours to visit and play for troops serving overseas. He also helped to raised millions for charity over his career, including building a home in Oklahoma City for kids and their families who are battling cancer.After Universal Music Group acquired DreamWorks, Keith started anew again, starting his own record label, Show Dog, in 2005 with record executive Scott Borchetta, who launched his own label Big Machine at the same time.“Probably 75% of the people in this town think I’ll fail, and the other 25% hope I fail,” he said that year.Later the label became Show Dog-Universal Music and had Keith, Trace Adkins, Joe Nichols, Josh Thompson, Clay Walker and Phil Vassar on its roster.His later hits included “Love Me If You Can,” “She Never Cried In Front of Me,” and “Red Solo Cup.” He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015.He was honored by the performance rights organization BMI in November 2022 with the BMI Icon award, a few months after announcing his stomach cancer diagnosis.“I always felt like that the songwriting was the most important part of this whole industry,” Keith told the crowd of fellow singers and writers.