St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell Archives

Missouri Congressman Clay focusing on gun violence, witness protection and jobs (AUDIO)

February 27, 2020 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s senior Democrat in Congress is seeking his 11th term on Capitol Hill. U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, traveled to Jefferson City earlier this week to file for re-election.

U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, traveled to Jefferson City on February 25, 2020 to file for re-election for his 11th term (photo from Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth)

Clay, who’s a dean in Missouri’s congressional delegation, chairs the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing, Community Development and Insurance. He’s also a senior member of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

Congressman Clay’s top priority in 2020 is combating gun violence in urban and suburban areas. He’s watching presidential candidates and others closely.

“What kind of firearm policies do you believe in, which firearm policies will you be promoting,” Clay says.

Clay represents St. Louis City and parts of St. Louis County in Congress. There were 194 homicides in St. Louis in 2019, including the shooting deaths of at least 13 children.

A recent study published by “USA Today” listed St. Louis as the 5th most dangerous city in America.

While Congressman Clay continues to support criminal justice reform, he’s also focused on crime victims and witnesses. He tells Missourinet he’s working with St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner and St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell to help them enhance a witness protection program.

“If it means that they need a budget item, a line-item, to actually protect these witnesses more, to maybe move them out of town, before a trial,” says Clay.

There have been teen witnesses to St. Louis homicides in recent years who have been killed, before they could testify.

That includes the highly-publicized “St. Louis murder mom” conspiracy case. The “St. Louis Post-Dispatch” reported this month that 23-year-old Tyrell Davidson was sentenced to 12 years in prison for second degree murder, for that case.

In exchange for that guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed first degree murder and witness tampering charges against Davidson.

Congressman Clay is calling for tougher criminal penalties for witness intimidation.

“And that would better protect these witnesses, will probably get them to come forward and to testify and to get these bad guys off the street,” Clay says.

This past weekend in Clay’s district, kindergartner David Birchfield III was shot to death when a gunman shot into his car. David, who was six, was killed. His nine-year-old sister was also shot.

Clay is also focused on economic development and jobs, including the NGA project, which he notes is the largest single federal government investment in St. Louis history.

“Welcome to a historic day at the corner of Jefferson and Cass,” Clay said at the November groundbreaking ceremony. It’s a $1.7 billion project.

Clay was first elected to Congress in 2000. He won re-election in 2018, beating Republican Robert Vroman with about 80 percent of the vote.

Northwoods Democrat Cori Bush has filed to challenge Clay in the Democratic primary. No Republicans have filed yet.

The last day to file is March 31.

Click here to listen to the full four-minute interview between Missourinet’s Brian Hauswirth and U.S. Rep. Lacy Clay, D-St. Louis, which was recorded on February 25, 2020 at the Kirkpatrick Building in Jefferson City:

Hundreds turn out in Ferguson for fifth anniversary of Michael Brown’s death

August 9, 2019 By Missourinet Contributor

(This story is written by Missourinet St. Louis contributor Jill Enders)

FERGUSON, Mo.- Today marks the fifth anniversary of the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown during a confrontation with then Ferguson Police officer Darren Wilson.

Michael Brown Sr. speaks at the Canfield Green apartments in Ferguson on August 9, 2019 (Jill Enders photo)

Prior to the annual ceremony at the Canfield Green apartments, Mike Brown Sr. held a press conference outside the St. Louis County Justice Center in Clayton. Brown is calling on St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell to re-open the case into his son’s death.

“I could not protect him that day (in 2014) and it breaks my heart. I will stand and fight for justice until the day I die,” Brown says.

Brown tells reporters he’s been communicating with Bell, who defeated longtime St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch in last year’s primary election. Bell was elected in November, and took office in January.

Bell hasn’t said whether or not he’ll re-open the case. He did issue a statement to Missourinet.

“Our office is doing everything we can to understand the underlying issues that contributed to the tragic death of Michael Brown. We are working everyday with the community and law enforcement to implement policies and reforms that meaningfully address those issues, and help this community and this region heal,” Bell’s statement reads.

It was announced on November 24, 2014 that a St. Louis County grand jury decided not to indict Officer Wilson. The announcement resulted in violent protests in Ferguson.

A separate investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice also cleared Wilson of any wrongdoing.

Flags will be at half-staff in Missouri on Monday to honor fallen officer

June 29, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri’s acting governor has ordered that U.S. and state flags at all government buildings in Missouri be flown at half-staff on Monday, to honor an officer who was killed last Sunday in the line of duty.

North County Police Cooperative Officer Michael Langsdorf was killed in the line of duty on June 23, 2019 in Wellston (photo courtesy of Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary website)

Acting Governor Mike Kehoe has issued the order, on behalf of Governor Mike Parson, who is out of the country. The flags will be flown at half-staff Monday to honor North County Police Cooperative Officer Michael Langsdorf, who was shot to death Sunday while responding to a bad check complaint in Wellston.

The 40-year-old Langsdorf had previously worked for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for 17 years.

“For 17 years, Michael Langsdorf patrolled the streets of the St. Louis area, confronting violence and taking risks so others could be safer and the community could be stronger,” Acting Governor Mike Kehoe says. “Since his tragic, senseless killing, we’ve learned about the impact one individual officer can have over a career – from helping save a toddler from a burning building to mentoring and guiding younger officers. We are all indebted to Michael Langsdorf, and we will always remember the difference he made for the St. Louis region.”

The funeral mass for Officer Michael Vincent Langsdorf will be Monday morning at 10 at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. Visitation is Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. at Hoffmeister Colonial Mortuary. The funeral home is on Chippewa in south St. Louis.

Donations are suggested to Backstoppers, a St. Louis-area organization that provides ongoing needed financial assistance and support to spouses and dependent children of police officers, firefighters, paramedics and EMT’s who die in the line of duty.

St. Louis County Prosecutor Wesley Bell has charged Bonette Meeks with first degree murder, resisting arrest and two other felonies, for Officer Langsdorf’s killing. Meeks, who is jailed without bond, is scheduled to appear in court in Clayton for an August 12 preliminary hearing.

A judge has ordered Meeks to be jailed without bond, describing him as a “threat to community given allegations and disregard for human life.”