Opinion ID: 2377101
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Beginning of This Criminal Prosecution and Continuing Mandamus Actions

Text: As Johnson County District Attorney, Kline filed this action against CHPP on October 17, 2007. District Judge James F. Vano ordered the complaint and any documents filed with it to be placed under seal. Counts 1 through 23 of the complaint allege felony violation of K.S.A. 21-3711 through making of a false information. Counts 24 through 49 allege misdemeanor failure to maintain a record required to be kept by an abortion provider under K.S.A. 65-6703(b)(5). Counts 50 through 78 allege misdemeanor failure to determine fetal viability before performance of late-term abortions under K.S.A. 65-6703. Counts 79 through 107 allege misdemeanor unlawful performance of late-term abortions in violation of K.S.A. 65-6703. All of the counts in each group are identical from count to count except as to document numbers and patient numbers designed to identify the particular abortion that is the focus of each. On October 19, 2007, Judge Anderson filed his sealed response to the Morrison v. Anderson petition. To justify his refusal to release Inquisition patient records to the Attorney General's office, Judge Anderson described his observations of the patient medical records produced by the two clinics, saying returning evidence to CHPP and WHCS at this point in time would unacceptably increase the risk that the evidence could be lost, destroyed or compromised while active investigations and prosecutions are [ongoing]. He further stated that it appeared KDHE reports [received from CHPP], which are required by law to be filed and maintained for five years, do not match copies obtained from KDHE. Moreover, he said that he had permitted Kline to keep copies of the CHPP patient records because they raised substantial factual and legal issues about CHPP compliance with the law.... The recent disclosures of possible false writings, which in context could mean that somebody may have committed a felony in an attempt to cover up a misdemeanor, convinces the District Court that no hasty decision should be made about management of the files which would risk loss or destruction of the as-filed redacted medical files of CHPP. On October 24, 2007, this court appointed Chief District Judge David J. King of the First Judicial District to conduct an evidentiary hearing and produce a report containing recommended findings of fact for Comprehensive Health, the mandamus action focused on Kline's transfer of records. Specifically, Judge King was directed to obtain responses to 17 questions concerning Kline's handling of patient records. Judge King conducted a 5-day evidentiary hearing in November and December 2007. When given notice by Judge Anderson that he had been subpoenaed to testify in the Judge King proceeding, this court did not intervene to prevent or limit Judge Anderson's participation. In addition to Judge Anderson, witnesses at the hearing included Kline and certain of his subordinates. Judge King filed his report in Comprehensive Health on January 10, 2008.