LAWRENCE — A Couglas County judge refused to dismiss robbery charges against a pair of men from Richmond Wednesday. Dustin Smith, 24, and Mikael Englund, 23, are accused in a case in which a Lawrence man was robbed in his home twice last year. The Lawrence Journal-World reported that their defense attorneys accused prosecutors of coercing a juvenile defendant who has been sentenced in the case. They said assistant Douglas County district attorney Deborah Moody was involved in a heated courtroom exchange with the mother of the juvenile defendant over his testimony. The defense attorneys said Moody threatened to charge him with perjury if he didn’t change his testimony against the Richmond men. Moody later apologized to the woman. The paper said District Judge Paula Martin said she didn’t condone Moody’s behavior, but she said there was no evidence that Moody tried to threaten the boy. Smith’s trial is Feb. 27. Englund’s trial is April 2.
Thursday, Feb. 16, 4 p.m.
