Juvenile enters guilty plea in murder case

A 17-year-old suspect in a stabbing death that took place last year pleaded guilty to second-degree murder Wednesday morning in Bourbon County District Court.

The male juvenile, charged with the May 21 killing of 23-year-old James C. Enloe, entered his plea before District Judge Mark Ward. Ward accepted the plea and ordered that pre-dispositional and pre-sentence investigation reports be completed before sentencing, which is scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. Monday, March 26.

If the level-two felony had been committed by an adult, it would carry a minimum sentence of 109 months and a maximum of 493 months. But according to the plea agreement, the youngster faces commitment to a juvenile correctional facility for a minimum of 24 months, up to a maximum of 60 months or until he turns 22 1/2 years of age.

The agreement includes an aftercare conditional release for a minimum of six months and could run until the defendant turns 23. At the disposition sentencing, Bourbon County Attorney Terri Johnson will recommend a sentence of 60 months with an aftercare term until the age of 23. If it is determined that he has violated the juvenile sentence or terms of the aftercare, the court will request that an additional 117-month adult sentence in the Kansas Department of Corrections be imposed, the agreement states.

The pre-dispositional and pre-sentence investigation reports are done prior to sentencing to determine the juvenile's criminal history and where the crime falls on a sentencing grid.

At the hearing, Ward read the defendant his rights and made sure he had read, signed and understood the plea petition that was submitted and that he had gone over it with his attorney, Gil Gregory. Ward also asked some questions of the defendant, who also swore an oath and agreed that he had entered the plea freely and voluntarily and had discussed the case with Gregory. Ward also confirmed that the juvenile is mentally competent and understood the consequences he faces as a result of entering the guilty plea.

The juvenile, who was 16 at the time of the offense, was arrested last May in connection with Enloe's stabbing. He was taken into custody, transported to the Southeast Kansas Juvenile Detention Center in Girard and charged with second-degree murder.

The Bourbon County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to Hidden Valley Lake, a private recreational development near Mapleton, the evening of May 21 after a report of a disturbance. Officers arrived shortly after 9 p.m. and found Enloe with several stab wounds to his body. Enloe was transported to Mercy Health Center where he was pronounced dead.

A continuance was granted in the case last September. Assistant County Attorney Valorie Leblanc is the prosecutor in the case.

No bond has ever been set and the defendant will continue to be detained at the SEKJDC in Girard until his sentencing.

Enloe was a graduate of Jayhawk Linn High School.