There were two minor inaccuracies in the below story concerning Hutchinson Attorney David Holmes and an incident at Carl's Bar, a downtown Hutchinson restaurant.

**Holmes was not at the restaurant when the owner called for police. He had already left and police instead went to Holmes' office, where they advised him of criminal trespass if ever returned to Carl's Bar.

**Holmes allegedly scraped the condiments on his bun off onto the table before reportedly smearing them around on the table.

The errors have been fixed in the story.

Dwight Jurgens

HUTCHINSON -- A local defense attorney has been charged with misdemeanor battery after an altercation with a former client and, in a separate incident, ordered to stay out of a popular downtown bar and grill.

Attorney David Holmes was charged with battering William Cox, 37, after Cox went to Holmes’ law office on East 2^nd Feb. 8 to pay Holmes for legal representation.

Apparently a shoving match ensued. Police showed up and arrested Cox for investigation of misdemeanor battery and three counts of disorderly conduct. He later posted a $500 bond.

A few days later, Holmes was issued a Notice to Appear in municipal court, charging him with battering Cox.

Both men appeared in court Monday and entered not guilty pleas. Cox is due back in court March 3 for a pre-trial.

No date has been set for Holmes because both City Prosecutor Mike Robinson and Municipal Court Judge Tad Dower have recused themselves from hearing Holmes’ case.

Instead, Kingman attorney Matthew Ricke will serve as prosecutor and Pratt lawyer Rob Eisenhower will sit as judge in Holmes’ case. Holmes has indicated he does not want a pre-trial but wishes to go straight to trial, according to court personnel.

If Cox and the city cannot work out a plea agreement at his pre-trial, the two out-of-town attorneys will hear his case, as well.

And earlier this week, police were called to Carl’s Bar, 103 N. Main, where Holmes, his wife and two others had gone to eat.

Inman City Police Chief Mike Akins was arrested and jailed  for investigation of rape charges Tuesday night. Bond was set at $250,000.

He is being held in the McPherson County Jail.

No other details were available at 6:30 Wednesday morning.

Check back later today.

The Sponsorship/Special Events Director of the Kansas State Fair forwarded an email from government owned computers this (Tuesday) morning warning people on the her mailing list of the perceived problems with a universal healthcare bill  proposed by the U.S. House of Representatives.

Connie Schmidt, who’s been with the State Fair about two years, forwarded the email after receiving it from Kevin Meyer, who lives in Kansas City and who Schmidt identified as a “friend.” The email was identified as “Gov’t Control in Health Care” in its subject line.

Schmidt said she was opposed to the health care bill, and forwarded it to others “just as information.”

Asked if she knew whether it was against state policy for employees to use their work computers for personal political purposes, Schmidt replied, “Probably. I don’t know. I’ll have to see.”

 Fair Manager Denny Stoecklein said he was unaware of the email until Schmidt  showed it to him Tuesday afternoon after being contacted by The Effort.