Slates appears in court

Roy A. Slates appeared in the Associate Circuit Court of Vernon County on Wednesday, Sept. 22, on a Felony Fugitive Complaint filed by the by Vernon County Prosecutor Lynn M. Ewing III.

The complaint was filed in response to a warrant issued by the state of New Jersey charging Slates with four felony counts, stemming from the January 2010 kidnapping attempt of New Jersey pet food dealer Jeffrey Muller.

Slates was arrested Monday.

Wearing shackles, jail house stripes and looking unshaven, Slates sat quietly in the jury box and listened as Associate Circuit Judge Neal Quitno read the complaint. Quitno asked Slates if he understood the basis for the complaint and Slates said he did.

Slates asked for time to speak with his attorney, Joseph Passanise, and Quitno set his next court appearance for Thursday, Oct. 14, at 9 a.m. After Quitno set the date, Slates asked if he could waive his extradition right at any time between now and the court date and Quitno told him that he could. Quitno told Slates to communicate his desire to waive extradition to the personnel at the jail and they would see to it that he made it back to the courtroom.

Slates then asked if he could speak to Quitno and Vernon County Prosecutor Lynn Ewing III. Quitno said he could not speak with Slates regarding the case, at which time Slates said, "I've just got one question."

Slates said that after speaking with his attorney and discussing extradition that he wanted to know that even if you "fight and fight and fight" you'll still end up being extradited, "won't you," he said. Ewing replied, "I'm not going to answer that." Quitno again advised Slates to contact his attorney with any questions he may have. The brief court session was adjourned, and Slates and another defendant were led from the room.

Slates will remain in the Vernon County Jail with no bond. Four other men also are being held in connection with the same case. Having either waived extradition or been extradited, Douglas Stangeland, Andrew Wadel and Lonnie Swarnes are all incarcerated in Sussex County New Jersey and William Barger is either jailed there or en route to that state to face kidnapping and other charges stemming from the Jan. abduction of Muller.

When the cases are settled there, the men will be returned to Missouri to face numerous felony charges relating to a November 2009 home invasion and shooting incident in rural Vernon County.