Deputy now on paid administrative leave after charges dismissed in Charles Adair death case

Deputy now on paid administrative leave after charges dismissed in Charles Adair death case

Deputy now on paid administrative leave after charges dismissed in Charles Adair death case

Video above: Charges dismissed against deputy sheriff in death of Charles Adair in the Wyandotte County jail

A Wyandotte County deputy previously charged in connection with the jail death of Charles Adair is back on paid administrative leave.

Richard Fatherley was charged in September 2025 with second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter in the alternative for Adair's death two months prior.

An autopsy revealed Adair died from complications of mechanical asphyxia after an officer knelt on his back in the Wyandotte County Jail. The coroner deemed his death a homicide.

In August 2026, all charges against Fatherley were dismissed.

"We respect the law but disagree with the decision," Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree said in a statement after charges were dropped. "As such, the Wyandotte County District Attorney's Office has filed a notice to appeal with the Kansas Court of Appeals."

Fatherley was placed on unpaid administrative leave when he was charged, but a spokesperson for the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office confirmed to KMBC 9 on Oct. 14 that Fatherley is on paid administrative leave.

The sheriff's office offered no additional comment.