Jury Convicts Eudora Resident of Murder

Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announced this morning that a jury convicted Eudora resident Danny W. Queen, 37, of murder in the second degree, attempted murder in the second degree and attempted voluntary manslaughter.

On June 24, 2017 at about 1:07 a.m., emergency personnel were dispatched to a 911 call at D-Dub’s Bar at 10 W. 9th Street in Eudora reporting that a person had been shot.  Upon arrival officers found Danny W. Queen being detained by bar employees, who had disarmed him.  Also present was Bo Matthew Hopson, who had suffered gunshot wounds to his chest and right arm. Hopson was transported by air ambulance to KU Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas, where he succumbed to his wounds on Sunday, June 25.

At trial, the State’s witnesses described the defendant making lewd comments to a woman at the bar.  When the defendant was asked to leave, he resisted their efforts which led to a fight between him and another patron of the bar.  The defendant was physically subdued by others and placed upon a flatbed trailer to calm down.  Mr. Hopson asked if he needed a ride home.  The defendant, after resting on the trailer for several minutes, responded by shooting Mr. Hopson twice.  He then chased and tried to shoot Clark Orth and Dustin Crowe.  The defendant testified that he acted in self-defense by shooting Mr. Hopson.

Queen’s jury trial began in the Division Six courtroom on Monday, July 23 with jury selection.  Opening statements were delivered Tuesday morning.  The case continued Tuesday throughout the week and into the following week.  Closing arguments were delivered Tuesday morning, July 31.  The jury deliberated and returned a verdict shortly after 5pm on Wednesday August 1.

Based upon the Kansas Sentencing Guidelines, Queen faces between 653 and 147 month on the murder charge, between 247 and 55 months on the attempted second degree murder and a range of 136 to 31 months on the attempted voluntary manslaughter all in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections.   The Court ordered a pre-sentence investigation report be completed and scheduled him to be sentenced on October 9, 2018.

The Honorable Peggy C. Kittel presided over the case.  It was investigated by the Eudora Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Senior Assistant District Attorney Amy McGowan and Assistant District Attorney Bryant Barton. The case was defended by Dakota Loomis and Joshua Seiden.

*Rule 226 - Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct

3.6 Advocate: Trial Publicity

3.8 Advocate: Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor

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