MOREHOUSE POLICE CHIEF TO BE DEFENDENT IN TRIAL

NEW MADRID -- While campaigning for sheriff of Stoddard County, the embattled Morehouse police chief apparently will have to take time out to go to trial.

According to court documents, Doug Triplett, who has been suspended from his duties since October, will now face three misdemeanor charges and a felony charge. He is charged with three counts of violation of the juvenile code for failing to take a child to juvenile court and one count of felonious restraint.

In March, New Madrid County Prosecuting Attorney H. Riley Bock had filed a motion to dismiss the charges.

According to his letter to Judge T. Lynn Brown, who was to hear the cases, the conditions of the dismissal included "the Defendant Doug Triplett is to resign his position as Chief of Police of the City of Morehouse, Missouri, within seven days of these dismissals. Accordingly these dismissals are contingent upon him doing so."

In a second letter to Brown, dated April 6, Bock said he contacted the City Attorney Joe Fuchs, who indicated Triplett had not yet submitted his resignation.

Because Triplett failed to abide by the conditions of the dismissals, Bock requested the dismissals be set aside and a date be set for trial.

Although Triplett is suspended without pay as city marshal of the New Madrid County community, he has filed for office in Stoddard County. Triplett, who listed his address as Essex on the candidate's form, has filed to run for Stoddard County sheriff.