The Star Valley Independent is a member of the Wyoming News Exchange. These stories come courtesy of the WNE.

Colorado murder suspect agrees to extradition

CODY (WNE) — A Colorado man remains in custody at the Park County Law Enforcement Center, awaiting extradition to Colorado on charges of first-degree murder.

Jonathan Akin, 22, signed off on his extradition Nov. 30 after refusing to do so during his extradition hearing earlier that day in Park County Circuit Court. County staff said Akin wanted to speak with an attorney before signing the document. After speaking with his public defender Travis Smith, Akin agreed to be extradited.

Smith presented the signed extradition at Park County Courthouse around 3:30 p.m. Nov. 30, county staff said. Akin did not return to the courthouse for a second visit, county staff said.

Akin was arrested Nov. 27 at the Powell Police Department. Staff said Akin turned himself into their office and said he had killed his girlfriend at his home in Thornton, Colo., and then drove to Wyoming with her body in the vehicle.

The charging warrant says Akin spent an entire night at his mother’s house in Deaver on Nov. 26, before revealing the murder to her the next morning.

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Judge denies request to revive fair board

CHEYENNE (WNE) — The Laramie County Fair Board remains in limbo. 

A District Court judge on Wednesday denied a request to stay the County Commission’s Nov. 20 decision to dissolve the board, telling attorneys he saw no harm done that he couldn’t later overturn, and that he had no right to effectively resolve the case before proper argument.

The decision is an initial setback for the all-volunteer board, which is fighting for its life following the commission’s decision to dissolve it and put a professionally run events department in charge of the Archer Complex, its new events center and other county recreation.

Commissioners say they’re trying to relieve a growing burden on the volunteer board and promote better management of important assets. Fair Board members have declared the move an illegal power grab. 

Gay Woodhouse, the Fair Board’s attorney, told Laramie County District Judge Thomas Campbell her clients needed an injunction to defend themselves. 

Without one, she said, the commission’s attorney could try to dismiss the lawsuit by arguing a nonexistent board couldn’t sue.

She also argued that if the board couldn’t meet, make decisions and monitor the construction of the $9.98 million Archer Events Facility, paid for with sixth-penny sales tax money, they couldn’t do their jobs.  

But Campbell said the board would be a participant in the case until he decided otherwise, and pointed out the fairgrounds and construction were moving along just as they would be with or without the Fair Board.

He then added that he thought ruling in the Fair Board’s favor would overstep the bounds of the judicial system by legislating in place of the elected county commissioners. 

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UW settling lawsuit over Foundation allegations

LARAMIE (WNE) —Attorneys for the University of Wyoming and a former employee who sued the institution told Wyoming’s federal district court Tuesday they expect to reach a settlement agreement in the lawsuit that’s been ongoing since March 2017.

The settlement would bring an end to the dispute between Mandy Davis, former HR manager for the UW Foundation, and her former employer.

UW spokesman Chad Baldwin and Davis’s attorney, Megan Hayes, both declined to comment on the nature of the settlement.

A trial in the matter was scheduled for February.

A hearing in the case before U.S. District Court Judge Alan Johnson was scheduled for Tuesday, but then was cancelled the same day after the court was informed of the settlement.

Attorneys in the case will now have until Jan. 3 to finalized a settlement and file for dismissal of the lawsuit.

The Davis lawsuit stems from a June 2015 incident, when Davis hired an employee — the most qualified candidate — who had an apparent physical disability. Foundation CEO Ben Blalock apparently took issue with the hiring and Davis was allegedly told to not hire another “retard.”

The lawsuit’s defendants denied that claim.

Davis filed a discrimination complaint, and six months later, Davis was laid off as part of a Foundation reorganization, which followed a university-wide hiring freeze initiated by former UW President Dick McGinity amid Wyoming’s economic downturn.

Davis claimed the reorganization was an illegal subterfuge for her firing.

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Debate over housing prompts stabbing

GILLETTE (WNE) — An argument over housing turned violent early Wednesday morning when Brandon Longest, 28, allegedly stabbed a 46-year-old man three times, causing a lung injury, said Gillette Police Detective Jeremiah Wagner.

Longest was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault and battery, a felony.

The 46-year-old was taken to the emergency room for his wounds. Campbell County Health spokeswoman Karen Clarke said the man’s condition was fair by late Wednesday morning.

The 46-year-old had been staying in Longest’s Stanley Avenue residence for a week, and at about 2 a.m. Wednesday, Longest confronted the 46-year-old about not leaving, Wagner said. The two argued and eventually, Longest allegedly punched the older man and stabbed him with a knife in the arm, the abdomen and the hand, Wagner said.

When police officers arrived, they administered first aid to the 46-year-old until an ambulance arrived.

The police investigation into the stabbing is ongoing.