Local News

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Dismisses and Refiles 2-Year-Old Murder Case | St. Louis Metro News | St. Louis

Published

2 years ago

August 30, 2023

[ad_1]

click to enlarge St. Louis City Justice Center Jonathon Jones booking photo

A 2021 murder case that caused chaos at the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office at the tail end of Kim Gardner’s tenure appears to still be causing problems for the prosecutor’s office under new leadership.

The murder trial of 18-year-old Jonathon Jones was supposed to start this Monday. Prosecutors filed a motion asking for a continuance in the case, but Judge Scott Millikan denied it.

And so yesterday, the Circuit Attorney’s Office filed a nolle prosequi, dropping the case. New murder charges stemming from the same alleged crime have already been filed against Jones.When Gardner was in charge of the prosecutor’s office, the overuse of nolle prosequi filings drew flak from both Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, as well as by activists who criticize the maneuver as keeping defendants languishing in jail or on bond in legal limbo. The tactic allows prosecutors to restart the clock on a case, so to speak, giving them more time to prepare. Prior to Gardner’s resignation, an analysis of her office found that more than one-third of all cases ended in the filing of a nolle prosequi.Prior to the case’s dismissal, public defender Cecilia Appleberry filed a memorandum in court Monday saying that her client had a right to a speedy trial and “demands a trial be held immediately” relative to the original charges filed last year. Prosecutors’ actions last night eliminated any chance of that.

The case against Jones has had a relatively high-profile history. The alleged crime itself occurred on September 6, 2021, when police found 29-year-old Brandon Scott dead in his car, which was parked on the steps beneath the Arch near Memorial Drive.

Scott’s sister April later told the RFT that her brother was killed after a night celebrating with friends downtown because he had just completed course work to get his commercial driver’s license. On his way home he got lost, made a U-turn and then was killed in what April says was an act of road rage.

The case’s probable cause statement indicates police have surveillance video of the shooting, which shows two people in the same vehicle opening fire on Scott in his.

At the time of his death, Scott had been supporting his fiancee who was pregnant. Scott’s family was outspoken amid the contempt hearing, calling Gardner’s handling of the case “backward” and saying the then-circuit attorney needed to resign.

Jones’ original trial was supposed to start in April, but Assistant Circuit Attorney Alex Polta didn’t show up to court on the first day of that trial. Judge Millikan then issued an order forcing Gardner to explain why she shouldn’t be held in criminal contempt for her office’s no-show.

Filings made by the Circuit Attorney’s Office for that hearing included text messages between Polta and the office’s then-Chief Warrant Officer Chris Hinckley in which Polta said he was taking leave. He also told Hinckley of Gardner, “I half expect her to be in jail before my vacation ends.”

At the contempt hearing, Polta took the brunt of the blame for the no-show, albeit begrudgingly. But by the end of the week Gardner was facing new contempt charges related to a different murder trial no-show and by the following week had announced she would resign.

Polta quit the office prior to Gardner’s resignation. Since then, the Jones case has been taken over by Terrence J. O’Toole, Jr., a special assistant circuit attorney brought in by Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore not long after Gore was appointed to that role.

Jones remains detained at the City Justice Center.

Another man also charged in the killing of Scott, Mark Perry, 38, is free on bond. Prosecutors filed for a continuance in his case last week as well . It too was denied.

[ad_2]

Source link

Local News

Fenton Man Charged in Sword Attack on Roommate

Published

1 year ago

May 22, 2024

Natural Bridge

[ad_1]

A warrant is out for a Fenton man’s arrest after he allegedly attacked his roommate with a sword.

Police say that on Sunday, Angelus Scott spoke openly about “slicing his roommate’s head” before he grabbed a sword, raised it up and then swung it down at the roommate.

The roommate grabbed Scott’s hand in time to prevent injury. When police arrived at the scene, they found the weapon used in the assault.

The sword in question was a katana, which is a Japanese sword recognizable for its curved blade.

This isn’t the first time a samurai-style sword has been used to violent effect in St. Louis. In 2018, a man hearing voices slaughtered his ex-boyfriend with a samurai sword. His mother said he suffered from schizoaffective disorder.

As for Scott, 35, the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office was charged yesterday with two felonies, assault first degree and armed criminal action. The warrant for his arrest says he is to be held on $200,000 bond.

[ad_2]

Source link

Local News

Caught on Video, Sheriff Says He’s Ready to ‘Turn It All Over’ to Deputy

Published

1 year ago

May 22, 2024

Natural Bridge

[ad_1]

Video of St. Louis Sheriff Vernon Betts taken by a former deputy suggests that the sheriff has a successor in mind to hand the reins of the department over to, even as Betts is in an increasingly heated campaign for reelection.

“I ain’t here for all this rigmarole,” Betts says in the video while seated behind his desk at the Carnahan Courthouse. “The Lord sent me here to turn this department around and I’m doing the best I can and I think I’ve done a good job. I’ve got about eight months and I’m going to qualify for my fourth pension.”

He goes on, “Right now I can walk up out of here and live happily ever after and forget about all this…and live like a king.”

The sheriff then says his wife has been in Atlanta looking at houses and that the other deputy in the room, Donald Hawkins, is someone Betts has been training “to turn it all over to him.”

Asked about the video, Betts tells the RFT, “My future plans are to win reelection on August 6th by a wide margin and to continue my mission as the top elected law enforcement official to make St. Louis safer and stronger. Serving the people of St. Louis with integrity, honor and professional law enforcement qualifications is a sacred responsibility, and I intend to complete that mission.”

The video of Betts was taken by Barbara Chavers, who retired from the sheriff’s office in 2016 after 24 years of service. Chavers now works security at Schnucks at Grand and Gravois. Betts’ brother Howard works security there, too.

Chavers tells the RFT that she was summoned to Betts’ office last week after Betts’ brother made the sheriff aware that she was supporting Montgomery. It was no secret: Chavers had filmed a Facebook live video in which she said she was supporting Betts’ opponent Alfred Montgomery in the election this fall. “Make the judges safe,” she says in the video, standing in front of a large Montgomery sign on Gravois Avenue. “They need a sheriff who is going to make their courtrooms safe.”

In his office, even as Chavers made clear she was filming him, Betts told Chavers he was “flabbergasted” and “stunned” she was supporting Montgomery.

“I don’t know what I did that would make you go against the preacher man,” he says, referring to himself. He then refers to Montgomery as “ungodly.”

Betts goes on to say that not long ago, he was walking in his neighborhood on St. Louis Avenue near 20th Street when suddenly Montgomery pulled up in his car and, according to Betts, shouted, “You motherfucker, you this, you that. You’re taking my signs down.”

Montgomery tells the RFT that he’s never interacted with Betts outside of candidate forums and neighborhood meetings.

“I don’t think anyone with good sense would do something like that to a sitting sheriff,” Montgomery says.

Montgomery has had campaign signs missing and on at least two occasions has obtained video of people tearing them down. (Chavers notes that the sign that she filmed her original Facebook video in front of is itself now missing.)

One man who lives near Columbus Square says that he recently put out two Montgomery signs, which later went missing. “If they keep taking them, I’ll keep putting them up,” he said.

Betts says he has nothing to do with the missing signs. In the video Chavers filmed in Betts’ office, Betts says that his campaign isn’t in a spot where it needs to resort to tearing down opponents’ signs.

“If you sit here long enough, a man is getting ready to come across the street from City Hall bringing me $500, today,” Betts says. “I’m getting that kind of support. I don’t need to tear down signs.”

[ad_2]

Source link

Local News

St. Louis to Develop First Citywide Transportation Plan in Decades

Published

1 year ago

May 21, 2024

Natural Bridge

[ad_1]

The City of St. Louis is working to develop its first citywide mobility plan in decades, Mayor Tishaura Jones’ office announced Tuesday. This plan seeks to make it easier for everyone — drivers, pedestrians, bikers and public transit users — to safely commute within the city.

The plan will bring together other city projects like the Brickline Greenway, Future64, the MetroLink Green Line, and more, “while establishing new priorities for a safer, more efficient and better-maintained transportation network across the City,” according to the release.

The key elements in the plan will be public engagement, the development of a safety action plan, future infrastructure priorities and transportation network mapping, according to Jones’ office.

The overarching goals are to create a vision for citywide mobility, plan a mixture of short and long-term mobility projects and to develop improved communication tools with the public to receive transportation updates. In recent years, both people who use public transit and cyclists have been outspoken about the difficulties — and dangers — of navigating St. Louis streets, citing both cuts to public transit and traffic violence.

To garner public input and participation for the plan, Jones’ office said there will be community meetings, focus groups and a survey for residents to share their concerns. The city will also be establishing a Community Advisory Committee. Those interested in learning more should check out at tmp-stl.com/

“Everyone deserves to feel safe when getting around St. Louis, whether they’re driving, biking, walking or taking public transit,” Jones said in a news release. “Creating a comprehensive transportation and mobility plan allows us to make intentional and strategic investments so that moving around St. Louis for jobs, education, and entertainment becomes easier, safer and more enjoyable.”

[ad_2]

Source link