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St. Louis American See page A8
The
CAC Audited JULY 25 – 31, 2024
Serving, empowering and advocating for equity in St. Louis since 1928
Vol. 96 No. 16 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
Racial justice groups say Bell falls short on promise
Kamala Harris has robust start to campaign Money, quick endorsements roll in By Alvin A. Reid St. Louis American Vice President Kamala Harris made it clear during her first campaign rally in Milwaukee on Tuesday that she will “prosecute” former President Donald Trump during the coming months as she seeks to win the presidency. Harris, a former prosecutor, reminded her audience that Trump has been impeached twice, is a convicted felon, and could have other courtroom battles in the future. “I took on perpetrators of all kinds. Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain,” she said. “So, hear me when I say: I know Donald Trump’s type.” Speaking to a crowd of more than 3,000 people, Harris said as California attorney general, she prosecut-
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Prosecutor refutes report, questions its timing Photo by Erin Schaff / Pool Via Reuters
Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris speaks at her campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Del., on July 22, 2024. Harris on Monday compared her election rival Donald Trump to “predators” and “cheaters,” as she attacked the first former President to be convicted of a crime.
order. Yet, Dunn remains in the South Central Correctional Center in Licking, Missouri because Bailey filed notice that he plans to appeal the judge’s ruling, which Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore called unprecedented. “In our view, the judge’s order was very clear, ordering his immediate release,” Gore said at a news conference Tuesday at the Mel Carnahan Courthouse downtown. “Based on that, we are considering what approach and what legal options we have to obtain Mr. Dunn’s release.” Retired Judge Booker Shaw, who was appointed special
Several racial justice organizations claimed this week through a report that the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is not keeping its progressive promises to the community. Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said the organizations that released the report “was complimentary of my work,” before he chose to challenge Congresswoman Cori Bush for the 1st Congressional District Democratic nomination. The 43-page St. Louis County Prosecutor Watch report focused on five areas including transparency, charging decisions, pretrial detention decisions, conviction and sentencing and commitment to alternatives. Wesley Bell It also provides recommendations for the office to help improve its legal system. The justice groups that make up the Prosecutor Organizing Table include ArchCity Defenders, Action St. Louis, Forward Through Ferguson, Freedom Community Center, Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty, Organization for Black Struggle, and Roderick & Solange MacArthur Justice n “If we don’t Center. have that The team information, released the report then there’s no to hold prosecuting attorney offices way to know the area how that office in accountable for is functioning.” the promises that were made to the – Mike Milton, community during founder of the prosecutor’s Freedom campaign. Community “It is just Center as a general principle for an elected official, the expectation is always to be transparent,” said Mike Milton, founder of Freedom Community Center. “If we don’t have that information, then there’s no way to know how that office is functioning.” In a statement to the St. Louis American, Bell said, “As St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney, I have worked with police and community partners to protect people from violence while expanding access to treatment for those who need help. I have made the most of limited resources to build the public’s trust in prosecution by holding police and prosecutors accountable for misconduct and ending the death
See DUNN, A6
See BELL, A6
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore has been granted a motion to vacate Dunn’s conviction for first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree assault and three counts of armed criminal action, ordering the state of Missouri to immediately release Dunn from custody. A judge vacated the sentence of Christopher Dunn, who has served 33 years in prison after being convicted of murdering a teenager in the Wells-Goodfellow neighborhood in St. Louis, a crime Dunn has long held he didn’t commit.
Photo by Wiley Price / St. Louis American
Dunn remains jailed ‘with no legal basis’ By Alvin A. Reid and Sylvester Brown St. Louis American
n After years in prison for a murder he swore he did not commit, Dunn should be free and with his family.
Andrew Bailey, Missouri attorney general is locked in a tight battle for the Republican nomination for the office, which could be why he is keeping Christopher Dunn locked in prison. After years in prison for a murder he swore he did not commit, Dunn should be free and with his family. St. Louis Circuit Judge Jason Sengheiser ruled Monday that the testimony that would lead to Dunn’s conviction for murder May 1990 murder of Ricco Rogers had been recanted, and that a motion to vacate Dunn’s was ruled in
BUSINESS
By Andrea Y. Henderson St. Louis Public Radio
SPORTS
‘Kid-preneurs’ show their business savvy at Urban Expo
Earl Austin Jr. lists his favorite Summer Olympic memories
Founded by Arriel Biggs, Young Biz Kid (YBK) Day is a program that teaches youth how to start, own and operate their very own business. Almost 50 young “kid-preneurs” participated as vendors.
As the world embarks on the Games of the 33rd Olympiad, I would like to share a few of my favorite Olympic memories. Of course, some of them include our great athletes from St. Louis.
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