Post last updated at 5:19 p.m. Friday, July 14:
A man was charged Friday afternoon in Douglas County District Court with second-degree murder in connection with the death of David Sullivan, 62, of Lawrence.
Sullivan “appeared to have suffered traumatic injuries after being struck with a blunt object” when he was found dead near Sixth and Vermont streets Wednesday morning, according to a Thursday news release from LPD. Police said they did not know how long Sullivan had been in the location where he was found.
Chadwick Potter, 34, appeared in court Friday afternoon via video from the Douglas County jail. Police arrested him Thursday night after taking him in for questioning.
Deputy District Attorney Joshua Seiden requested that the judge set Potter’s bond at $1 million cash or surety because of the nature of the crime. In addition, Seiden said Potter had reportedly been swinging a hatchet around and making homicidal comments in the presence of a police officer.
Seiden said Potter is also not local and has lived in several states, including Arizona, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Florida and others.
Potter asked for the opportunity to be released from jail but said he was currently homeless and couldn’t afford to pay much for his bond. The judge agreed to the $1 million bond.
The judge appointed John Kerns to represent Potter, and the next court hearing is set for July 25.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office declined to release Potter’s booking photo.
All arrestees and defendants in criminal cases should be presumed not guilty unless and until they are convicted.
Related coverage:
Andrea Albright/Lawrence Times
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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