St. Louis County prosecutor mum on reopening Ferguson case

Source: Associated Press


Jim Salter, Associated Press
Updated 4:45 pm CST, Tuesday, January 8, 2019

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.

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.





Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/New-prosecutor-not-yet-ready-to-revisit-Ferguson-13518137.php