Francisco A. Mendez, the man charged with shooting former Washburn University football players Dwane Simmons and Corey Ballentine last year, is seeking a new defense lawyer.
Mendez is charged with the premeditated first-degree murder of Simmons, 23, and the attempted first-degree murder of Corey Ballentine, now 24. The shooting occurred on April 28, 2019, hours after the Giants had drafted Ballentine in the sixth round. He was wounded in the attack.
Mendez is also charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder of Channon Ross, Kevin Neal and James Letcher, who were with Simmons and Ballentine.
Ballentine and Simmons were attending an off-campus party in Topeka, Kansas, when Mendez allegedly opened fire from a vehicle, killing Simmons and wounding Ballentine in the buttocks. Ballantine recovered and played in 13 games (starting two) in his rookie season for the Giants.
Mendez has petitioned the judge to replace his defensive attorney, KiAnn Caprice, stating “there is a “significant breakdown” in communication between the two, including an “irrevocable breakdown” in the attorney-client relationship.” The judge previously denied a request from Mendez to change his attorney.
According to WIBW.com, “Mendez’s nine-day trial has been scheduled to start on July 13, but it’s expected that no jury trials in Shawnee County District Court will be conducted before September 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
Ballentine, a defensive back the Giants have used mainly in packages and on special teams, was not only a teammate of Simmons’; they were roommates and best friends. He played his rookie season with a heavy heart.
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