Pubdate: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 Source: Topeka Capital-Journal (KS) Copyright: 1999 The Topeka Capital-Journal Contact: 616 S.E. Jefferson, Topeka, Kansas 66607 Website: http://cjonline.com/ MENELEY TIMELINE Here is how the case has progressed. DEC. 4, 1998 -- Shawnee County District Judge Thomas Conklin orders the release of a 1996 KBI report of cocaine disappearing from a Shawnee County Sheriff's Department evidence locker in 1994. DEC. 10, 1998 -- Meneley at a news conference denies knowing where the missing cocaine went and says statements to the contrary by three deputies are lies. FEB. 4, 1999 -- An attorney for drug defendant Carlos Hernandez files a district court action to dismiss marijuana charges filed in 1995, alleging misconduct by sheriff's narcotics officers and a break in the chain of custody. FEB. 26, 1999 -- Sheriff's Deputy Tim Oblander resigns and three days later issues a statement admitting he had addictions to alcohol and cocaine obtained through his law enforcement work. He denies having stolen cocaine. MARCH 17, 1999 -- Sponsors file a petition with the Shawnee County Election Commissioner's office and begin collecting signatures to force a recall election on Meneley. APRIL 2, 1999 -- Oblander is arrested on charges of six counts of perjury for alleged false testimony about the drug scandal in the sheriff's department and one count of official misconduct. APRIL 19, 1999 -- Meneley is arrested on charges of two counts of perjury regarding testimony on Oblander's drug habit and the missing cocaine evidence. APRIL 20, 1999 -- Deputy Frank Good, Oblander's former partner, is arrested on charges of two counts of perjury. MAY 11, 1999 -- District Judge Eric Rosen dismisses drug charges against Carlos Hernandez and says drugs used as evidence by the sheriff's department from January 1994 through December 1996 were "irreparably contaminated and tainted." MAY 24, 1999 -- Based on information uncovered by the KBI in a second probe, Kansas Attorney General Carla Stovall files an ouster proceeding to remove Meneley from office. She cites 13 counts of willful misconduct or violations of moral turpitude, eight linked to the missing cocaine case and five to alleged misuse of the Triple-I database. JUNE 15, 1999 -- The recall petition effort fails because sponsors gathered only slightly more than half the signatures needed to force an election. OCT. 7, 1999 -- Sheriff's Lt. Larry Crady issues the results of his 9-month investigation, ordered in December 1998 by Meneley, that implicates former deputy J.D. Sparkman as the culprit who stole the missing drugs. Hamilton blasts the report and elects not to take it seriously. OCT. 12, 1999 -- Members of the Phelps family of attorneys are introduced as Meneley's attorneys in his perjury case. District judges had dismissed Meneley's previous counsel, Billy Rork, from the case because of a conflict of interest posed by his representing both Meneley and Tim Oblander. DEC. 10, 1999 -- Hamilton announces Oblander will testify against Meneley and Good in their perjury trials as a result of a plea bargain through which Oblander accepts diversion. DEC. 13, 1999 -- Rork steps down as attorney for Meneley in his ouster case, saying it would be a conflict of interest for Rork to cross-examine former client Oblander during the ouster trial. - --- MAP posted-by: Keith