THE UNIVERSITY MARY KANSAN JESDAY DECEMBER 1.2009 NEWS 7A CRIME Man charged with murder of wife, daughters BY JOHN HANNA Associated Press LYNDON, Kan. — A former Missouri city official previously accused of assaulting his wife was charged Monday with capital murder in the shootings of her and their two teenage daughters in eastern Kansas. James Kraig Kahler, 46, also was charged with one count of attempted first-degree murder in the shooting of his estranged wife's 89-year-old grandmother and one count of aggravated burglary. Authorities suspect he broke into the grandmother's home near Topeka, where the shootings occurred. During Kahler's first appearance in Osage County District Court, Judge Phillip Fromme set bail at $10 million and scheduled another hearing for Dec. 10. Kahler, who often went by his middle name Craig, declined to comment as sheriff's deputies escorted him in handcuffs from jail to the courthouse. He had been scheduled to appear in court in Columbia, Mo., Wednesday on a domestic assault charge stemming from an altercation with his wife in March that led to the loss of his job as director of Columbia's Water & Light Department. A divorce trial for Kahler and his 44-year-old wife, Karen, was scheduled to start Dec. 21, but a "He never was interested in his daughters — only his son." settlement hearing was planned for Friday. Court records showed that he complained of financial pressures and the couple had been sparring over their children. DAN PINGELTON Attorney The Kahlers' daughters, Emily, 18, and Lauren, 16, were killed Saturday, along with their mother. His wife's grandmother, Dorothy Wight, 89, was wounded. The couple's 10-year-old son, Sean, was at Wight's house south of Burlingame on Saturday but was uninjured. Wight remained in critical condition at a Topeka hospital, said Ashley Anstaett, spokeswoman for the attorney general's office. She Dan Pingelton, a Columbia attorney representing Karen Kahler in the divorce, described her husband as "controlling." declined to say where the boy was staying. He said Kahler refused to see his daughters. Emily attended the St. Louis College of Pharmacy and Lauren was an honors student at a Columbia high school. "He never was interested in his daughters Pingelton said Kahler set up a visit with his son over the Thanksgiving holiday. "Happy Holiday." — only his son," Pingelton said. "And I think that is the reason that little boy is alive today." A single capital murder count covers the three killings; Kansas law allows the death penalty for multiple murders arising from a single "scheme or course of conduct." But the Kansas attorney general's office also filed three alternative charges of premeditated first-degree murder in what Deputy Attorney General Barry Disney called a "fallback position" should jurors fail to convict Kahler of the capital charge. Kahler and his family had moved to Missouri from Parker County, Texas, in July 2008, after he'd been utilities director for the city of Weatherford for nine years. In Columbia, Mo., his $150,000 annual salary made him the city's highest paid employee. But he was asked to resign in September and was paid two months' salary and one month of severance. In an Oct. 9 court filing, he asked for relief from the temporary monthly payments of $2,030 in child support and $1,500 in maintenance he was required to provide his family. Kahler said he expected to remain unemployed "for a substantial period of time," adding that he was prevented by court order from withdrawing money from his retirement account pending the divorce. ASSOCIATED PRESS James Kraig Kahler makes his first appearance at the Osage County Courthouse Monday in Lyndon. Kalher was charged with killing his estranged wife and two teenage daughters in Burlingame Nov. 28. POLITICS Man starts movement to ban divorce in California BY JUDY LIN Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. — 'Til death do us part? The vow would really hold true in California if a Sacramento Web designer gets his way. In a movement that seems ripped from the pages of Comedy Central writers, John Marcotte wants to put a measure on the ballot next year to ban divorce in California. The effort is meant to be a satirical statement after California voters outlawed gay marriage in 2008, largely on the argument that a ban is needed to protect the sanctity of traditional marriage. If that's the case, then Marcotte reasons voters should have no problem banning divorce. "Since California has decided to protect traditional marriage, I think it would be hypocritical of us not to sacrifice some of our own rights to protect traditional marriage even more," the 38-year-old married father of two said. Marcotte is looking into whether he can gather signatures online, as proponents are doing for another proposed 2010 initiative to repeal Marcotte said he has collected dozens of signatures, including one from his wife of seven years. The initiative's Facebook fans have swelled to more than 1,100. Volunteers that include gay activists and members of a local comedy troupe have signed on to help the gay marriage ban. But the odds are stacked against a campaign funded primarily by the sale of $12 T-shirts featuring bride and groom stick figures chained at the wrists. Marcotte needs 694,354 valid signatures by March 22, a high hurdle in a state where the typical petition drive costs millions of dollars. Even if his proposed constitutional amendment made next year's ballot, it's not clear how voters would react. Not surprisingly, Marcotte's campaign to make divorce in California illegal has divided those involved in last year's campaign for and against Proposition 8; As much as everyone would like to see fewer divorces, making it illegal would be "impractual", said Ron Prentice, the executive director of the California Family Council who led a coalition of religious and conservative groups to qualify Proposition 8. No other state bans divorce, and only a few countries, including the Philippines and Malta, do. The California proposal would amend the state constitution to eliminate the ability of married couples to get divorced while allowing married couples to seek an annulment. KANSANCLASSIFIEDS Prentice said proponents of traditional marriage only seek to strengthen the one man-one woman union. "That's where our intention begins and ends," he said. - . . . . . . . . . - jobs 785-864-4358 FOR SALE BARTENDING UP TO $300/DAY NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY TRAINING PROVIDED 800-965-6520 EXT 108 2 African Dwarf tanks, tanks and accessories. Excellent condition. Absolute minimum $60 OBO music_is_me280@yahoo.com http://www.yahoo.com/4317 3 sets of tickets for Elton John & BliJoel at 1 on d.7 130 in KC, $100-$200 each face value. Email victoriamara@yahoo.com. MUST SELL. hawkchalk.com4241 Seven week old calico female kitten needs a good home. Small adoption fee. Will include kitten supplies. Very playful and loving. Email smakat@ku.edu. hawchkali.com/42597 ANNOUNCEMENTS Eudora Schools accepting applications for After-School Activity Leader. www.eudorashonia.org. EOF JOBS Lost camera case with 4 memory cards in front pocket, lost at Memorial Stadium during KU/Nebraska game. If found please call 785-219-9445. 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