KANSAS CITY, Kan. — On Tuesday, a judge granted Antoine Fielder's wife permission to visit him in jail despite prosecutors allegations that he has instructed her to intimidate witnesses in the past.
Fielder is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting deaths of Wyandotte County Sheriff's Deputies Patrick Rohrer and Theresa King in June 2018.
In court Wednesday, Fielder's defense attorney asked the judge to enforce a subpoena for records from the Johnson County Sheriffs Department and to allow Fielder's wife to visit Fielder in jail. Fielder is being held in the Johnson County jail for safety reasons.
Request for Visitation Privileges
Since Fielder was arrested last June, Fielder's wife has not been allowed to visit Fielder in the Johnson County Jail. In the court hearing on Wednesday, Fielder's attorneys asked the judge to allow Fielder's wife to visit him in jail.
Wyandotte County Prosecutors claimed in court, that in a separate case, Fielder and his wife plotted during a jail-visit, to intimidate a witness who was scheduled to testify against Fielder.
According to prosecutors, Fielders wife took pictures of the witness's house and dog and sent them to the witness, threatening the witness about what could happen if they testified. Prosecutors also admitted in court that they did not file witness-intimidation charges because they did not have sufficient evidence.
Fielder's defense attorneys told the judge that all visits at the Johnson County Jail are recorded—audio and video—so if Fielder and his wife were plotting to intimidate witnesses in the double-murder case, it would be captured on camera.
After hearing arguments, the judge ruled to restore visitation rights to Fielder's wife, allowing her to visit him in the Johnson County Jail.
Requests for Documents
Fielder's defense attorneys are asking for copies of records from the Johnson County Jail's kiosk system. They want copies of complaints Fielder submitted in the kiosk regarding his medical care and safety concerns.
The Sheriff responded to those complaints and Fielder's defense attorneys are also asking for copies of the Sheriff's response.
The Johnson County Sheriff's attorney claims the documents are irrelevant and does not want to give them to Fielder's attorney.
The judge announced his ruling will come after he reviews the documents in question to determine if they are relevant.
