Following Governor Mike Parson’s call to expand the special session on violent crime with a provision that would allow the Attorney General’s Office to take on certain homicide cases in the City of St. Louis that have not been charged, Attorney General Schmitt released the following statement:

“Our mothers, fathers, and children are being killed at a record rate, and many people don’t feel safe in their own communities. Something needs to be done now, and the Attorney General’s Office is ready, willing, and able to step up and help prosecute these most violent crimes in the city of St. Louis. We need all hands on deck. Through our Safer Streets Initiative, our lawyers are already prosecuting violent crimes in the city at the federal level. We’re here to help, and if given the opportunity, we will work to obtain justice on behalf of victims and prosecute the city’s most violent offenders to create safer communities for all.”

Under the proposal, the Attorney General will be able to prosecute cases if 90 or more days have passed, the chief law enforcement officer makes the request of the Attorney General, and the Circuit Attorney has not yet filed charges. 

Read the Governor’s press release here: https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-expands-call-special-session-violent-crime and the proclamation here: https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MOGOV/2020/08/10/file_attachments/1515339/Governor%20Parson%20Expands%20Call%20to%20Special%20Session%20on%20Violent%20Crime.pdf

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