KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Terra Morehead, former Wyandotte County prosecutor and retired assistant U.S. attorney, will not be able to practice law in the state of Kansas.
After surrendering her law license, the Kansas Supreme Court officially disbarred her on Friday.
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The decision is personal for Niko Quinn Jackson, who said she wasn't happy for years after Lamonte McIntyre went to prison for the murder of her cousins, Doniel Quinn and Donald Ewing.
McIntyre was imprisoned for 29 years, seven months and a day using Quinn’s testimony.
"[Terra Morehead] told me if I didn’t do what she told me to do, if I didn’t [accuse] Lamonte, she’d throw my Black a** in jail and take my children," Quinn Jackson said. "I pointed at him; I seen him cry, and I cried, too."
Quinn Jackson said her family knew who the shooter was, and she always said it wasn't McIntyre.
To this day, she can only refer to Morehead by pronouns.
"I can’t stand to say her name," Quinn Jackson said. "1994 was the worst. The worst day of my life. I died that day. Everything in me died that day."
Action has not been taken on accusations of Morehead's conduct in that case, but her disbarment came during pending disciplinary proceedings based on conduct in two different cases and an investigative report from the Department of Justice.
"A lot of people ask me how do I feel about her losing her license? I prayed about this for a long time." Quinn Jackson said.
Alongside of her fight is Justice for Wyandotte, a group that’s been specifically pushing for Morehead’s cases to be reviewed for years.
"The court accepts Morehead’s request to surrender her Kansas law license, disbars Morehead under Rule 230 (b) and revokes Morehead’s license and privilege to practice law in Kansas. Bout time, bout time," said Nikki Richardson, CEO of Justice for Wyandotte.
They believe there are more McIntyres and evidence that may point to Morehead’s misconduct.
"The message is the same, but it’s definitely louder now," Richardson said. "We have a list of cases she covered in her time here that showed discrepancies and issues that deserve a further look."
Morehead may have closed any remaining chapters in her law career, but the next page for Quinn Jackson is personal.
"Her dreams have been taken from her; she took mine in 1994," Quinn Jackson said. "I can live and find some sanity."
Quinn Jackson and five other women filed a lawsuit against former KCKPD Det. Roger Golubski last year accusing him of violating their civil rights.
Golubski is also accused of colluding with Morehead to frame McIntyre.
While she hopes he is found guilty in the federal case, Quinn Jackson said she wants to see criminal charges brought against Morehead.
"I pray that it goes to the justice department, but you know what, if it doesn’t make it there, I know a God that sits high and looks low and what they don’t serve on this side they will serve on that side," Quinn Jackson said.
The Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office has not responded to multiple requests about whether Morehead’s cases will be reviewed.
The office for Morehead’s attorney said he "doesn’t speak to reporters".
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