Coroner Jordan receives another extension from judge in civil suit; seeks change of venue in criminal case

A judge granted another extension Friday, June 7, to Cape Girardeau County Coroner Wavis Jordan to find an attorney to defend him in a civil suit seeking to remove him from office.

In a case review held via video conference, Judge Jerel Lee Poor II extended a deadline to Friday, June 14, to either hire an attorney or file an answer to the Missouri Attorney General petition.

According to the state’s online record system, the request was granted over objection from the AG’s office, represented by attorney Gregory Goodwin.

The petition, called a quo warranto filing, seeks to remove Jordan from office based on several accusations, including allegations he provided false information on vital records and stole an amount less than $20 from a deceased person.

Jordan also faces those charges in criminal court, where he has retained a criminal defense attorney. On Tuesday, June 4, the AG’s office filed a response to Jordan’s request for a change of venue. Jordan’s criminal attorney, Lynne Chambers, argued that county residents are prejudiced against the defendant or that the state has an “undue influence over the inhabitants of the county". The AG’s response, filed by assistant attorney general Miranda Loesch, stated that the defendant has failed to demonstrate that county residents are prejudiced against Jordan, adding “the mere fact this case has attracted local media coverage alone is not inherently prejudicial” and that the defendant has not shown how the publicity has risen to the level as to warrant a venue change.

The AG’s office filed the charges and the petition on Feb. 8. In the civil case, Poor has granted several extensions as Jordan has not been represented by legal counsel. In the meantime, the county continues to pay Jordan his full salary while the sheriff’s office has taken on the administrative duties of the office and added a deputy coroner to the payroll. The court has mandated that Jordan cannot continue doing the work of the coroner’s office until the legal matter is settled. Jordan’s term ends at the end of this year, but he has announced that he is running for another term.