The Cole County Commission approved a plan Wednesday to pay penalties and attorneys' fees following a January ruling by the Missouri court of appeals in Kansas City, which upheld Cole County Circuit Judge Pat Joyce's October 2017 finding that then-Cole County Prosecutor Mark Richardson "knowingly and purposefully violated the Sunshine Law."
Joyce ordered Richardson to pay $12,100 to Aaron Malin, the plaintiff in the 2015 lawsuit.
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And, in an amended order in March 2018, Joyce ordered Richardson to pay an additional $24,070 to cover Malin's attorney fees.
Due to Richardson appealing the case — and losing — there were additional attorneys' fees of $11,232.50.
With interest applied to the lawyers' fees, the total cost to the county is $51,166.55.