Pubdate: Wed, 19 Jan 2000 Source: Wichita Eagle (KS) Copyright: 2000 The Wichita Eagle Contact: P.O. Box 820, Wichita, KS 67201 Fax: (316) 268-6627 Website: http://www.wichitaeagle.com/ Author: Associated Press SHERIFF ABSENT FROM START OF OWN TRIAL Ouster proceedings against Shawnee County Sheriff Dave Meneley amount to an ongoing "Ken Starr investigation," a defense attorney says. TOPEKA -- The ouster trial of Shawnee County Sheriff Dave Meneley began Tuesday with Meneley nowhere in sight. The sheriff's absence on the first day of his trial was made more conspicuous by the many people who appeared and were prepared to testify. The trial is a civil proceeding in Shawnee County District Court to determine whether Meneley will be removed from office. At one point, District Judges Matthew Dowd and Richard Anderson allowed about 20 witnesses to leave until they are called to testify. In May, Attorney General Carla Stovall filed a petition to remove Meneley from office, alleging 13 counts of willful misconduct or moral turpitude. Eight counts are linked to cocaine missing from the sheriff's department, while five allege Meneley improperly requested information from criminal records. The ouster trial is one of three cases involving Meneley, who has served as sheriff for seven years. Stovall also has filed 20 criminal charges against him, including counts of theft, misuse of public funds and personal use of campaign funds. Meneley is set to make his first appearance Jan. 26 on those charges. He also faces two counts of perjury. Those charges relate to testimony he gave last year during a hearing in a drug case, in which he said he did not know a deputy had used drugs. Shawnee County District Attorney Joan Hamilton filed the perjury charges in April. A preliminary hearing to determine whether the case should go to trial started last week and will continue Jan. 27. The ouster petition alleges that Meneley knew in 1995 that Timothy Oblander, a sheriff's deputy at the time, used illegal drugs obtained from the sheriff's office or bought drugs with law enforcement money. Oblander has admitted using cocaine and methamphetamine. Sheriff's Detective Daniel Jaramillo testified on Tuesday that Meneley told him and a deputy in July 1995 that Oblander was addicted to cocaine and had been using drugs purchased during undercover investigations. Also Tuesday, Meneley's attorney, Margie Phelps, contended the judges should give Meneley immunity so he could testify without fear of facing more perjury charges. She described the attorney general's efforts to remove Meneley from office as a "Ken Starr-type, ongoing, sweeping investigation." The judges did not address Phelps' request. - --- MAP posted-by: Greg