Mandy
The Kansas Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments for Wednesday, January 28, 2026, in the long-running death penalty cases of Reginald Carr and Jonathan Carr.
The hearing will focus on the brothers’ appeals challenging a Sedgwick County judge’s refusal to grant new sentencing hearings.
Background of the Crimes and Convictions
The offenses that led to the Carr brothers’ convictions took place over several days, from December 7 through December 14, 2000.
Following a lengthy trial, a jury on November 14, 2002, found both defendants guilty on multiple charges, including capital murder. The jury recommended the death penalty, and the trial court formally imposed the sentences the next day.
Long Appeals History
The Carr cases have moved through multiple layers of state and federal review over more than two decades.
- July 15, 2014: The Kansas Supreme Court partially upheld the convictions but vacated the death sentences, sending the cases back for further proceedings.
- January 20, 2016: The U.S. Supreme Court overturned that ruling and returned the cases to Kansas courts, effectively reinstating the death sentences.
- January 21, 2022: Acting on the federal court’s direction, the Kansas Supreme Court affirmed the death sentences for both men.
- January 9, 2023: The U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the brothers’ petitions, ending that round of appeals.
Current Legal Proceedings
In early 2023, the Kansas Supreme Court instructed the Sedgwick County District Court to move forward with enforcing the judgment, beginning the post-conviction phase commonly known as a K.S.A. 60-1507 proceeding.
Both Reginald and Jonathan Carr filed motions arguing that the original sentencing process was flawed and that the trial judge improperly announced the death sentences. They requested new sentencing hearings.
On April 24, 2024, District Judge Goering rejected those requests. The brothers appealed that decision, which directly led to the January 2026 oral arguments now scheduled before the Kansas Supreme Court.
Key Arguments From Both Sides
- Defense position: The Carr brothers contend that they are entitled to fresh sentencing hearings, where the issue of the death penalty would be reconsidered from the start.
- State’s position: Prosecutors argue that the death sentences have already been conclusively resolved through prior rulings and that no new sentencing phase is legally required.
How Kansas Capital Appeals Typically Work
Kansas follows a structured, multi-step process for appeals in capital murder and other off-grid felony cases:
- Direct appeal: Automatically reviewed by the Kansas Supreme Court for trial errors; further review may be sought in federal courts.
- Post-conviction motions (K.S.A. 60-1507): Defendants may raise claims such as ineffective assistance of counsel, with decisions appealable at state and federal levels.
- Habeas corpus proceedings: These allow inmates to challenge the legality of their confinement after other remedies are exhausted.
The upcoming Kansas Supreme Court oral arguments mark another significant chapter in the decades-long legal battle surrounding the Carr brothers’ death penalty cases.
At issue is whether the law requires new sentencing hearings or whether prior rulings have permanently settled the punishment question.
The court’s decision could clarify how far post-conviction challenges may go in capital cases and will be closely watched across Kansas and beyond.