Escape case continued for two weeks

A Friday court appearance for a man accused of escaping from the Leavenworth County Jail tentatively had been scheduled as a plea hearing for an escape charge. But the case was continued for a couple of weeks to give parties time to work out a plea deal for multiple cases.

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By John Richmeier

The Leavenworth Times - Leavenworth, KS

By John Richmeier

Posted Jan. 5, 2013 at 8:00 AM

By John Richmeier

Posted Jan. 5, 2013 at 8:00 AM

A Friday court appearance for a man accused of escaping from the Leavenworth County Jail tentatively had been scheduled as a plea hearing for an escape charge. But the case was continued for a couple of weeks to give parties time to work out a plea deal for multiple cases.

Raheem K. Armstead, 29, Leavenworth, has three cases pending against him in Leavenworth County District Court. His most recent case stems from an alleged Dec. 29 escape from the Leavenworth County Jail. He was taken back into custody Monday. At the time of the alleged escape, Armstead already had charges pending in two other cases.

After Armstead was taken back into custody, he was charged with aggravated escape from custody. He made his first court appearance on that charge Wednesday.

District Judge Michael Gibbens said Friday’s hearing tentatively had been set for a plea because Armstead indicated Wednesday that he wished to plead to the escape charge without legal counsel.

“The court discouraged that,” Gibbens said.

Court-appointed attorney Geoffrey Sonntag met with Armstead before court. The attorney said he hoped to work out a resolution for all three of the pending cases.

The escape case was continued until Jan. 18, which is when Armstead is next scheduled to appear on his other two cases.