Attorney: Dannenmueller said she was surprised by stealing charges

~ The former Chaffee city court clerk pleaded not guilty, while the judge disqualified himself from the case.

BENTON, Mo. -- The attorney for former Chaffee city court clerk Robin Dannenmueller said his client was surprised when charges were filed against her for stealing.

In her first court appearance Tuesday Dannenmueller pleaded not guilty. Defense attorney Malcolm Montgomery said his client was "of the opinion this had all been resolved," when the Scott County prosecutor's office filed felony stealing charges against her earlier this month.

Dannenmueller has been accused of stealing $1,000 in bond money from the Chaffee municipal court. The bond money was given to Dannenmueller in her capacity as court clerk by a man who had been arrested in Chaffee on a Cape Girardeau warrant.

When the man tried to claim the bond money owed to him in January, the Cape Girardeau court said the money hadn't been received. Chaffee Police Chief Jeff Womack called for a Missouri State Highway Patrol investigation and Dannenmueller resigned and replaced the missing money.

In a press release issued Jan. 24 Scott County Prosecutor Paul Boyd said he told the patrol the Chaffee government had handled the matter internally and requested the investigation to stop.

Boyd's office later charged Dannenmueller with stealing on Feb. 6 after receiving a probable cause statement from a patrol investigator.

Montgomery said his client has assumed no guilt of wrongdoing.

"I would like for everyone to presume innocence until a court hears the evidence," Montgomery said.

Dannenmueller appeared before Judge David Mann, who disqualified himself from the case. Mann also handles municipal court for Chaffee and worked with Dannenmueller when she was clerk.

Dannenmueller's case will now go before Judge David Dolan, who may refer the case to the Missouri Supreme Court for reassignment. No date has been set for a future hearing.

msanders@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182