Rich Gray changed St. Louis sports and sports talk radio
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St. LouiS AmericAn The
91 years of serving the St. Louis community
CAC Audited MAY 2 – 8, 2019
Vol. 91 No. 6 COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
“I am a political person, I have to be, I’m in politics. That’s what we do.” – Steve Stenger
Bell charges cop in shooting at Ladue Schnucks Mistook service revolver for taser while apprehending suspected shoplifter By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American
of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Stenger pled not guilty. His attorney has until June 13 to file any pretrial motions. “The investigation involved the cooperation of any number of witnesses and concerned citizens, court-ordered search warrants, court-ordered pen orders, review of thousands of emails, text messages, resulting
The white Ladue cop who shot a 33-yearold black woman in the Ladue Schnucks parking lot on April 23 has been charged with assault in the second degree, St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell announced at a press conference on Wednesday, May 1. Julia Crews, 37, a 13-year veteran of law enforcement, made public statements this week that she had mistaken her service revolver for her taser while attempting to apprehend the fleeing woman, who was suspected of shoplifting. However, Bell said the officer’s actions were “reckless” and the charges were “appropriate.” “The facts of this case are very clear, and the investigation has given us the answers we need to determine that charges Wesley Bell should be brought against Julia Crews,” Bell said. The victim, a mother of five, suffered a single gunshot wound to the torso, according to police. She has not been charged with any crime, and the investigation is ongoing. She remains in critical condition, Bell said. Police said the officer was responding to a call at around 3 p.m. from the Ladue Schnucks, located at 8867 Ladue Rd., concerning two alleged shoplifters inside the store. Upon arrival, Crews detained a female matching the description of a person involved in the shoplifting, according to the probable cause statement. As Crews attempted to secure the woman in handcuffs, a struggle ensued and the woman attempted to run away, it states. Crews pursued the woman on foot. During that short pursuit, there is evidence to suggest that she gave a verbal warning that she was going to deploy her taser, Bell said. Instead, Crews pulled her
See STENGER, A6
See BELL, A6
Photo by Wiley Price
Steve Stenger and his attorney Scott Rosenblum approached the former county executive’s arraignment hearing at the Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse on Monday, April 29. Stenger pled not guilty to three federal counts of bribery, mail fraud and theft of honest services.
Steve Stenger indicted, resigns as county exec Prosecutor: ‘It was a pay-to-play scheme that involved bribes’ By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American Steve Stenger resigned as St. Louis County Executive on Monday, April 29 after his indictment on three federal counts of bribery, mail fraud and theft of honest services following a yearlong undercover federal investigation was unsealed. “It was a pay-to-play scheme that involved
2019 HeALtH SALute
The struggle for ‘accessible health care’ continues
bribes, paid through political donations in exchange for his official acts in directing others to award contracts – either through St. Louis County or the St. Louis Economic Development Partnership,” said Hal Goldsmith, assistant U.S. attorney. Goldsmith spoke to the press after Stenger’s arraignment hearing at the Thomas F. Eagleton Courthouse on April 29. Each charge carries a maximum penalty
Page selected to succeed Stenger Erby, lone dissenting vote, says, as senior Democrat, she should be county exec By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American
Community activist and retired nurse Zenobia Thompson spoke of the ongoing struggle for health equity and advocating for the poor and uninsured during the 2019 Salute to Excellence in Health Care awards luncheon on Friday, April 26, presented by the St. Louis American Foundation. Thompson was honored with the Lifetime Achiever Award for 54 years as a nurse and
The St. Louis County Council selected Sam Page, its chairman, to succeed County Executive Steve Stenger at an emergency special meeting on Monday, April 29. Earlier that n “This has not been day, Stenger’s a joy to me. This has indictment on been sad. I think that our federal bribery county citizens should be and mail fraud able to weigh in on this.” was unsealed, and he resigned – Councilwoman Hazel Erby and pled notguilty. The council voted 5-1, with Page abstaining. Stenger’s only opposing vote was Councilwoman Hazel Erby, who said that, as the most senior Democrat on the council, the position
See SALUTE, A7
See PAGE, A7
By Sandra Jordan Of The St. Louis American
New Interim County Executive Sam Page faced the press on Tuesday, April 30.
Photo by Jason Rosenbaum / St. Louis Public Radio