Disgraced former Kansas City, Kansas, Police Detective Roger Golubski was in federal court in Topeka Wednesday for his third appearance in a case that prosecutors say is already amassing reams of evidence and will likely grow as the investigation continues.
Golubski, 69, wearing a navy blue suit, tie and leather loafers, was quiet during the seven-minute hearing. He waived his right to a speedy trial, and U.S. District Judge Toby Crouse set his next hearing for Dec. 14. Golubski, who is under house arrest, had no comment for reporters.
The former homicide detective was indicted last month on charges that he violated the civil rights of two women by raping, sexual assaulting and kidnapping them. Prosecutors say Golubski used the power of his badge for decades to assault Black women in Kansas City, Kansas, threatening them with their lives or those of their loved ones if they told anyone.
In court documents requesting that he be denied bail, prosecutors alleged Golubski had assaulted at least seven other women besides the two named in the indictment.
Prosecutor Stephen Hunting said there were 36,000 pages of evidence in the case so far, and that he may ask the judge for a protective order and redactions of parts of the case file. There will be a “fairly significant” amount of evidence, which will grow larger as the investigation continues, Hunting said.
One of the women Golubski is accused of raping, Ophelia Williams, was in the courtroom and became upset that the trial will take so long.
“She’s disappointed the system works the way it works and a man who has done such terrible things is on the street,” said William Skepnek, Williams' attorney.
Williams is identified by her initials in the indictment. Golubski is accused of raping her over the course of about three years in the late 1990s while he was investigating a murder case involving her twin sons.
Williams, along with several other women involved in the case, are planning to file a civil lawsuit against Golubski, Skepnek said. In addition to Williams, Skepnek represents Niko Quinn, whom Golubski allegedly forced to give false testimony in a 1994 double homicide, and Saundra Newsom, the mother of one of the victims, Doniel Quinn, in that case. Lamonte McIntyre was convicted of the crime and served 23 years in prison before he was exonerated in 2017.
The planned lawsuit may target other defendants, Skepnek said, although he did not name anyone in particular.
“There are lots of actors here to be held accountable,” he said. “No one thinks he acted alone. It’s the elephant in the room, isn’t it?”
