Evidence of a violent past

From the archives of The Shawnee-News Star:

November 23, 1997 Section: News Three to face charges in beating PAULA niBRIDE SNS Writer The three young men who beat a 20-year-old male at a party earlier this month will face charges of aggravated assault, said Pottawatomie County sheriff's deputy Mark Young.

Joseph Medley, 20, Cass Merrill, 21, Richard Ellis, 21, and Paul Smith were at a party in a field on Munson Road between 45th Street and MacArthur Nov. 1 when the victim drove up, Young said. The victim, Lance Briggs, also known as Lance Robinson, 20, said he was hit from behind when he got out of his pickup truck at the party. According to witnesses, Briggs was knocked to his knees by Medley, who then struck him several more times. The other men allegedly joined in the beating. Two witnesses reportedly told the sheriff's deputy Merrill pushed Briggs into a nearby fire. "Briggs suffered major burns on his left arm and had severe head and facial injuries," Young said. The victim was treated and released that night at Shawnee Regional Hospital. The hostility between the two men apparently began more than a year ago, Young said. The deputy said Medley said he was hit on the head with a beer bottle, allegedly by Briggs, last year. Briggs told the deputy someone else had struck Medley with the bottle. Copyright 1997 The Shawnee News-Star July 15, 1998 Shots damage house, cars near Meeker MICHELLE BOYD WATERS SNS Staff Writer A spray of bullets fired at an occupied Meeker area house damaged a sliding glass door and two cars early Saturday. Several adult and two juvenile occupants of the house, three miles west of Meeker on U.S. 62, reported no injuries at the scene, according to Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Undersheriff Chester Duncan. Lance Briggs, a resident at the home, had been assaulted and thrown into a fire during an altercation a few months ago in Shawnee, Duncan said. The undersheriff said his office is investigating whether or not there is a connection between the earlier altercation and Saturday's drive-by shooting. Deputies at the scene discovered that bullets or fragments of a bullet shattered the sliding glass door on the home and two bullets struck each of the two vehicles parked in front of the house. "At least five rounds were fired," Duncan said. "We have some suspects, but (the residents) didn't get a vehicle description." The undersheriff said the shooters fired the rounds at the home from the highway. Several families were inside the house, including at least two small children. No one was outside the home, Duncan said. Deputies Dale McNelly and Clarence Gibson responded to the scene from the area of U.S. 62 and U.S. 177 -- three miles from the shooting scene. Deputy Mike Bennett arrived at the scene later.