Luke X. Martin
Race, Culture & Ethnicity ReporterLuke X. Martin reports on race, culture and ethnicity for KCUR 89.3.
Born in Manhattan, Kansas, and raised in Wichita, he fell in love with public radio listening to member station KMUW. Luke got his start pulling early morning DJ shifts at the student-run radio station KJHK while he studied English at the University of Kansas, in Lawrence.
Luke was previously an intern for KCUR's Up To Date, and joined the staff as associate producer in 2016. He has reported on government and politics in the Chicago metro area, and national security and defense in Washington. Luke's work has appeared online at UPI.com, The Daily Caller, Politics Daily and The Pitch.
He has a Master of Science degree from the Medill School of Journalism, Media and Integrated Marketing Communications at Northwestern University. If you see Luke limping along a running trail or track in Kansas City, please offer him some water or a high five.
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Judge Kevin Harrell decided not to recuse himself or Jackson County's 16th District Circuit Court from the case — a ruling that could be appealed by the state attorney general. -
The Missouri Attorney General has raised questions about the appearance of bias within the 16th District Circuit Court and asked the judge to recuse himself and the jurisdiction. A date for Kevin Strickland's innocence hearing has still not been set.
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Legal delays and appeals from the Missouri Attorney General's Office have kept Strickland incarcerated, despite the fact that Jackson County Prosecutors say he's innocent. His family is bearing the burden.
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Instead of setting a date to begin hearing evidence, a judge and attorneys will meet Sept. 13, to decide if Strickland's case will be heard in a Jackson County Court.
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An innocence hearing for Kevin Strickland was set for Thursday in the court that handed down his guilty verdict 43 years ago. Instead, a judge will meet with attorneys to determine a new schedule.
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The Jackson County Prosecutor said in a court filing made public Monday that Kevin Strickland's "innocence is clear and convincing."
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Like face masks and Medicaid expansion, the future of Kevin Strickland seems to have entered the state's political arena.
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Late in his career, renowned dancer and choreographer Alvin Ailey forged strong connections in Kansas City, and helped found a local nonprofit. A new documentary tells his story.
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As Kansas City grapples with community violence, a new youth internship program is aiming to change the trajectory of at-risk teens. The model has helped cut crime and boost graduation rates in Omaha, and is showing early signs of success here.
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In a hearing that only included witnesses on one side of the debate, lawmakers attempted to determine if concepts from a controversial legal framework have made their way into public school curriculum.
