Hawkinson Charged With Voluntary Manslaughter, Posts Bond in Soden Case
Court appoints attorneys after finding defendant cannot afford a lawyer; hearing set for April 22
MCPHERSON, Kan. — Daniel T. Hawkinson, 18, of McPherson, has been formally charged with one count of voluntary manslaughter in the Jan. 31 death of Joshua Soden. The McPherson County Attorney's Office filed the charging document March 23 in the Ninth Judicial District Court. Hawkinson was arrested the same day on a warrant signed by District Magistrate Judge Amanda Faber and booked into the McPherson County Jail with bond set at $200,000.
Hawkinson posted bond March 24 through Morey and Crow Bonding, backed by Lexington National Insurance Corporation. As a condition of his release, he must obey all federal, state and local laws, have no contact with witnesses or alleged victims and appear at all scheduled court dates. If he violates those conditions, the court can revoke his release and order him back to jail.
At his first court appearance April 7, Hawkinson appeared in person before Judge Faber. The court determined he cannot afford to hire his own attorney and appointed Charles C. Lindberg and Torrance R. Parkins of Allen & Associates Law, LLC, based in Minneapolis and McPherson, to represent him at public expense.
On April 10, Judge Faber approved two defense requests to hire investigator Bryan Weinbrennar and expert Dr. Jarrod Steffan to evaluate Hawkinson. Both will be paid with public defense funds, indicating the defense team is actively building its case.
The charging document lists more than 60 potential witnesses the State may call, including 14 KBI agents, 10 McPherson County Sheriff's Office deputies, officers from the Moundridge, McPherson and Inman police departments, three Harvey County Sheriff's Department members, Inman Fire Department personnel, Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center staff, forensic pathologist Timothy Gorrill and more than 20 civilian witnesses. Several witnesses are identified only by initials, which may indicate they are minors.
A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. April 22 before Judge Faber, where prosecutors must present enough evidence to show there is reason to believe the crime occurred. If the judge agrees, the case moves forward toward trial. The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. All defendants are presumed innocent unless, or until, found guilty in a court of law.
Greg Loving
Greg Loving
Greg Loving
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