Petitions began
circulating Tuesday night calling for a grand jury to investigate
Cherokee County law enforcement, among other things. Nearly 20 people
turned out for the first meeting of a group calling itself Cherokee
County Citizens for Better Government. It was held in the 4-H building
at the county fairgrounds. Among the issues the group wants a grand
jury to investigate is the Aug. 26, 2003, death of Wyandotte, Okla.,
private investigator Jim Potts outside Galena. A gunshot entry wound
was behind and below his right ear at the base of his skull.
Investigators with the Cherokee County Sheriff's Department quickly
determined that the death was a suicide. Potts had been investigating
allegations of police brutality by the Galena Police Department and
then-police Chief Cameron Arthur for Joplin, Mo., attorney Roger
Johnson. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has started its own
investigation into Potts' death. "That's No. 1 on our agenda," said
organizer Judy Evans at the end of the meeting. [more ]
]
