KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A former Wyandotte County detention officer charged in an inmate’s death must wait until next year to learn if a judge will order him to stand trial.
Richard Fatherley is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Charles Adair.
The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office believes Fatherley kneeled on Adair’s back for more than a minute inside the Wyandotte County Jail in July. Adair died and a coroner ruled his death a homicide.
Adair was in the jail for one day prior to his arrest according to investigators. He had been arrested after he failed to appear in court for multiple traffic violations.
The judge scheduled a preliminary hearing to take place in April. At that time the DA’s office will make their case against Fatherley. The judge will then rule if there is enough evidence for Fatherley to stand trial for Adair’s death.
Fatherley has not been taken into custody in the case. Instead, he was issued a criminal summons to appear in court. Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree previously said Fatherley is not considered a light risk. Because of that a warrant for his arrest has not been issued.
Dec. 19 is the first time Fatherley appeared in a courtroom on the charges. Fatherley and his attorney attended a hearing last month virtually.
A judge declined to allow a KCTV5 camera in the courtroom for Friday’s hearing. A KCTV5 photojournalist recorded video of Fatherly as he walked into the courtroom.
Adair’s family attended Friday’s hearing. Video shows Fatherley walking past family members as he entered the courtroom. Fatherley did not acknowledge the family.
Adair’s family declined to comment on the case after Friday’s hearing on the advice of their attorney.
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