Former Warren County Prosecuting Attorney Hannah Dunakey dismissed her appeal challenging her removal from office last month. 

Warren County Presiding Judge Richard Scheibe filed a court order removing her from office on Feb. 6 citing conflicts of interest in over 200 cases related to an affair Dunakey had with former Warren County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Jason Maskey. 

Dunakey appealed that decision on March 18, claiming she was removed from office illegally and without a hearing or due process. 

Eastern Court of Appeals Chief Judge Tomas Clark filed an order on April 17 stating it was unclear whether or not Scheibe’s order could be appealed. 

Clark wrote since Scheibe’s order was not specifically denominated as a “judgement” or “decree” it did not appear to be an appealable decision. 

Clark said the distinction between a judgement and an order is not a formality, but serves as a “bright line test” as to whether or not a decision can be appealed. 

“This requirement is not a mere formality; it provides a bright line test for litigants and appellate courts clearly distinguishing between orders a circuit court intended to be final and appealable and when it intends to retain jurisdiction over an issue,” wrote Clark in the order. 

He also provided Dunakey and her attorneys with a deadline to provide evidence they could appeal Scheibe’s order. 

“(Dunakey) is directed to show cause on or before May 6, 2025 why this appeal should not be dismissed for a lack of a final, appealable judgement,” wrote Clark in the order. 

Dunakey stated she voluntarily dismissed her appeal. 

“I still maintain (Scheibe) didn’t have the authority to do that,” said Dunakey. “But it cost significant resources, so I decided to move on.”

She continued to deny the accusations of impropriety levied in Scheibe’s order removing her from office. 

Gov. Mike Kehoe announced on May 27 he had appointed Rodney McKinney, of Marthasville, as her replacement. 

McKinney said he “(hopes) to restore confidence in the prosecutor’s office,” following his appointment. 

Scheibe wrote in his order the affair jeopardized hundreds of cases involving the deputy during their months-long affair, since Dunakey was allegedly taking nighttime ride-alongs with Maskey and was a witness in cases she prosecuted. 

The Missouri Supreme Court prohibits a lawyer from handling any case where the lawyer is a witness, according to previous Record reporting. 

Maskey also omitted Dunakey’s presence as a witness in the reports he filed and Dunakey omitted her presence as a witness in disclosures made by the state to the defense, according to the court filing.

Prior to the relationship becoming public, Dunakey did nothing to mitigate or address the conflict. Instead, she moved the bulk of Maskey’s cases to a so-called “rocket-docket” with an out-of-circuit judge. At that docket, defendants were allowed to resolve their cases without conviction and receive two-year terms of probation regardless of their criminal histories or the facts of the case, Scheibe’s order stated.

Dunakey was appointed interim prosecuting attorney March 2024 by then-Circuit Judge Jason Lamb.

The affair between Dunakey and Maskey became public in December 2024 as Dunakey acknowledged she had a conflict of interest in letters sent to Sheriff Kevin Harrison and Lamb.

Dunakey wrote a letter dated Dec. 16 to Lamb acknowledging a potential personal conflict between her and Maskey and asking for a special prosecutor to be appointed in cases where Maskey was considered an “essential witness.”

Maskey resigned from the Warren County Sheriff’s Department and is currently employed with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Department, according to previous Record reporting.