True crime case update: December 2025 trial results for Kansas prosecutor charged with lying under oath
Case File: TCU-414 Update
When former Neosho County Attorney Linus Thuston walked into court on December 15, 2025, he faced three felony perjury counts that could have ended his 30-year legal career with prison time. Four days later, he walked out with a mixed verdict that leaves everyone—including the prosecution—uncertain about what happens next.
This crime case represents the latest chapter in the investigation we covered in Betrayal of Justice: The Linus Thuston Story, our deep dive into how a Kansas prosecutor allegedly weaponized his office for decades while accountability systems failed.
What Happened at Trial
The perjury charges stemmed from a single day: July 1, 2024. During sworn testimony in an official proceeding, Thuston allegedly named several local men as confidential informants working for his office.
The problem? According to court documents, the men denied it. They weren’t informants. They never had been.
The State of Kansas brought three felony counts under K.S.A. 21-5903, each carrying up to 17 months in prison:
| Count | Alleged False Statement | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Count 1 | Named “one of the Landsdowns” as informant who came to his home | HUNG JURY |
| Count 2 | Named Thomas Sprague as informant | NOT GUILTY |
| Count 3 | Named Mike Hole as informant | HUNG JURY |
The Prosecution’s Case
Special Prosecutor Branden Bell opened with a pointed question to the jury pool: “Do you know someone who thinks they can talk their way out of anything?”
In opening arguments, Bell laid out what the state called a deliberate scheme:
“This case is about trying to lie your way out of trouble.”
The Trouble That Started It
According to the prosecution, on July 25, 2023, Thuston met secretly with a woman in her car. Shortly after, confidential police information about pending drug investigations began leaking. When investigators questioned Thuston under oath about why he was meeting with this woman—and why information started getting out—he offered an explanation that would become the foundation of the perjury charges.
Bell explained the prosecution’s view: “When the defendant is asked, ‘What is going on with you and this woman in this car, and then information starts getting out about confidential investigative information,’ the defendant claims, ‘I was meeting this woman as a confidential informant.'”
The Alleged False Testimony
Under further questioning during the July 1, 2024 preliminary hearing, Thuston claimed he frequently met with “off-the-books” confidential informants. When pressed for names, he identified several local men. According to the jury instructions, he testified that:
- “One of the Landsdowns” was an informant who had come to his home to provide information
- Thomas Sprague had acted as an informant for him
- Mike Hole had acted as an informant for him
The problem? According to the probable cause affidavit filed by Sheriff Greg Taylor, every man Thuston named denied ever being an informant.
“Honestly, If He Hadn’t Made Those Phone Calls…”
What happened next is what truly damned Thuston, according to prosecutors. That same evening, Thuston began calling the men he had just named under oath—attempting, the state alleged, to convince them they actually had been informants.
One recipient of those calls, alarmed by what Thuston was asking him to confirm, immediately contacted the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office. According to court records, Thuston was described as “fake crying” on the phone while apologizing for using the man’s name in court.
Bell told jurors: “Honestly, if the defendant hadn’t made those phone calls, we probably wouldn’t be here.”
The state called multiple witnesses, including the alleged “informants” themselves, who each testified they had never served in that capacity. One witness, Mike Hole, testified that Thuston had once approached him during an Easter egg hunt asking if he would testify against a neighbor suspected of drug dealing. Hole’s response, he told the court: “I told him, not no, but f*** no.”
The prosecution presented the official transcript of Thuston’s July 2024 testimony and argued he “had a choice, and intentionally chose to lie.”
The Defense Strategy
Thuston’s attorneys argued the statements were either true, immaterial, or made without the required criminal intent. They filed a Motion for Judgment of Acquittal on December 23, 2025, challenging whether the state proved:
- The statements were actually false
- The statements were material to the proceeding
- Thuston knew they were false when he made them
What a “Hung Jury” Means
For Counts 1 and 3, the 12-person jury couldn’t reach unanimous agreement. The verdict forms show they deliberated but ultimately reported “no verdict”—what’s legally called a mistrial on those counts.
This isn’t an acquittal. The state can retry Thuston on these charges.
What Happens Next
The prosecution now faces a decision:
- Retry Counts 1 and 3? They have the legal right to empanel a new jury
- Accept the partial victory? One acquittal may signal jury skepticism
- Negotiate a resolution? Sometimes mixed verdicts lead to plea discussions
We’ll continue monitoring court filings for the state’s decision.
The Bigger Picture
This trial is just one piece of the Linus Thuston story. As we documented in our original episode, former Sheriff Jim Keath filed 26 misconduct allegations against Thuston in 2017. Sheriff Greg Taylor submitted eight separate offense reports documenting alleged crimes. Multiple investigations over multiple decades led to Thuston’s guilty plea on misdemeanor charges in September 2024.
But the perjury charges struck at something fundamental: whether a prosecutor would lie under oath to protect himself.
The jury’s answer was… complicated.
Listen to the Full Investigation
Our original episode Betrayal of Justice: The Linus Thuston Story covers three decades of allegations, from financial misconduct in 2002 to criminal charges in 2024. Built entirely from court documents and official records.
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Sources
All facts verified through official court documents filed in Case No. NOC-2024-CR-000358 (Neosho County District Court):
- Criminal Complaint (amended May 2, 2025)
- Probable Cause Affidavit (Sheriff Greg Taylor)
- Final Jury Instructions (December 2025)
- Verdict Forms (December 18, 2025)
- Motion for Judgment of Acquittal (December 23, 2025)
- Kansas Reflector news coverage
True Crime Cases You Haven’t Heard is an investigative podcast built entirely from court documents, FBI affidavits, and official records. We cover crime cases with documentary integrity and respect for all involved.
