Suspect in killing of KCK police captain makes first court appearance in Wyandotte County

The 20-year-old man charged in the Tuesday afternoon killing of Kansas City, Kan., Police Capt. Robert D. Melton made a brief court appearance Friday.

Jamaal Lewis was charged Thursday with capital murder and could face a death sentence if convicted.

He was represented Friday by attorney Jeff Dazey on behalf of the Kansas Death Penalty Defense Unit. Lewis was not required to enter a plea Friday. District Judge Aaron Roberts set the case for a scheduling hearing Sept. 23.

Lewis is being held in jail on a bond of $10 million.

According to police and prosecutors, Lewis was the driver of a car involved in a drive-by shooting early Tuesday afternoon.

The alleged shooter in that incident, 18-year-old Daqon Sipple, also had his first court appearance Friday morning. He requested a court-appointed attorney. His case was set for a hearing Aug. 2.

Sipple’s bond is set at $100,000.

Both Sipple and Lewis are charged with aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm in connection with the drive-by shooting in the 200 block of Edgerton Avenue. No one was injured.

Sipple also is charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer.

After the shooting, police spotted the vehicle used in the shooting and saw three people run from the area. Sipple, who had a 9 mm handgun, was taken into custody while other officers combed the area.

A few minutes later, Melton was fatally shot while trying to stop a suspect. Officers arrested Lewis nearby.

Wyandotte County District Attorney Jerome Gorman said the .40-caliber handgun believed to have been used in killing the officer has been recovered and is being tested at a lab.

Police are still seeking to find and talk to the third person in the car during the initial shooting, Gorman said.

Gorman said a decision on whether to seek the death penalty for Lewis has not been made and will include input from Melton’s family.

He is the second person to be charged in Wyandotte County this year with capital murder in the killing of a police officer.

Curtis Ayers, 29, of Tonganoxie, is charged in the May 9 killing of Detective Brad Lancaster. A preliminary hearing for Ayers is scheduled for Nov. 21.

Dazey also is one of the lawyers representing Ayers.

This story was originally published July 22, 2016 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Suspect in killing of KCK police captain makes first court appearance in Wyandotte County."