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MO: New St. Louis County prosecutor fires some staff (and won't prosecute criminals)

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mountaineer:

--- Quote --- New St. Louis County prosecutor fires some staff
    By JIM SALTER Associated Press 18 hrs ago

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis County's new prosecuting attorney is shaking up his staff and instituting new policies just two days into the job, his spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday, and a veteran assistant prosecutor who presented evidence to the grand jury after the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson is reportedly among those let go.

Former Ferguson Councilman Wesley Bell defeated 28-year incumbent Bob McCulloch in the August Democratic primary and ran unopposed in November. He was sworn in Tuesday, becoming the first-ever African-American to hold the office.

He wasted no time implementing some of his reformist agenda. Bell's office said Wednesday that they will no longer prosecute marijuana possession cases, among other changes.

McCulloch had a reputation as a hardline law-and-order prosecutor. Bell, 44, wants to change the cash bail system, opposes the death penalty and pledged to hold police officers accountable if they step out of line.

Bell's election victory was seen by many as a referendum on McCulloch's handling of the investigation of Darren Wilson, the white Ferguson officer who killed Brown, a black and unarmed 18-year-old, after they got into a scuffle on Aug. 9, 2014, setting off months of sometimes-violent protests.  ...

Assistant prosecutor Kathi Alizadeh was largely responsible for presenting evidence to the grand jury. Critics accused prosecutors of swaying the jurors' decision. Ferguson erupted in renewed protests once the decision was announced.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Alizadeh was among those fired on Wednesday after 30 years working in the office, and that two other veteran prosecutors were suspended pending termination hearings. Alizadeh said Bell gave her a two-page letter describing grounds for termination, but she declined to elaborate.  ...
--- End quote ---
Post-Dispatch

mountaineer:

--- Quote ---... First, St. Louis County will no longer prosecute marijuana possession cases if the defendant has fewer than 100 grams.

Next, they will no longer prosecute people who fail to pay child support. ...
--- End quote ---
KPLR
That's ridiculous. I worked for the previous St. Louis County prosecutor (and his predecessor, as well) in the child support enforcement office. We never went after a non-paying parent who truly was on hard times and couldn't support his or her child, only those who were giving a big middle finger to their children by refusing to pay support when they could afford it.

I'm truly glad not to live there anymore. The police won't support this guy, and the county will start to look like post-Giuliani New York City.

mountaineer:
The other two fired were:
--- Quote ---... Ed McSweeney, a 34-year veteran of the office who earned $119,974 yearly, said Wednesday that he was suspended pending a termination hearing. McSweeney said the action came because of an August Facebook post criticizing Bell. The Riverfront Times reported that McSweeney said, “County voters will soon regret what they did.”

Sources told the Post-Dispatch that the third person suspended, pending a termination hearing, was Jennifer Coffin, who earned $75,171 yearly. She declined to comment.

The St. Louis Police Officers Association, which represents two of the three prosecutors affected, said it was “dismayed” by the action.

“Despite Mr. Bell’s rhetoric about building bridges with career prosecutors, he has apparently decided to suddenly discharge three dedicated public servants in his first hours in office,” union president Ed Clark said in a news release. The union called for their reinstatement. ... Post-Dispatch
--- End quote ---
I worked with Ed, albeit in different sections of the office.

mountaineer:
St. Louis County residents: get out while you can.
--- Quote --- St. Louis County prosecutor mum on reopening Ferguson case
Bell, the first African-American to be elected St. Louis County circuit attorney, will not face restrictions if he reopens the case.
    Jim Salter Associated Press 1 hr ago

CLAYTON, Mo. (AP) — New St. Louis County prosecutor Wesley Bell is wasting no time implementing changes in how the county approaches crime. But so far he’s not ready to address his biggest issue: whether to reopen the investigation of the fatal police shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson.

Among Bell’s first actions since taking office eight days ago was taking steps to remove three veteran assistant prosecutors, including Kathi Alizadeh, who played a role in presenting evidence to the grand jury in the Ferguson case. Bell, the first African-American to be elected St. Louis County circuit attorney, also has already made significant policy changes, including announcing Tuesday that his office will seek counseling, rather than jail, for opioid abusers.

But at a news conference announcing the latest sea change, Bell declined comment on whether he’ll reconsider charging Ferguson officer Darren Wilson in Brown’s death.

Other policy changes he’s made include ending prosecutions for most marijuana possession cases, eliminating cash bail in misdemeanor and low-level felonies, and using civil rather than criminal procedures for people who fail to pay child support.

Bell faces no restrictions in re-examining Brown’s death for potential murder charges. Wilson was never charged and tried, so there is no double-jeopardy. There is no statute of limitations on filing murder charges.

It’s been nearly 4 1/2 years since the shooting of the black and unarmed 18-year-old put Ferguson in the spotlight of the national Black Lives Matter movement.  ...  Rest of story
--- End quote ---
This poor cop will have no peace. The grand jury didn't indict him, but this new activist PA will hound him to the grave.

Wingnut:
I don't even drive I-44 thu that shit hole anymore.  It is not safe.

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