–letter to legislature cites soaring homicide rate–
Jefferson City, Mo. – Attorney General Chris Koster today sent a letter to members of the Missouri General Assembly, renewing his 2014 call to enact legislation creating an armed offender docket to prioritize crimes committed with the use of a firearm. Koster first called for a pilot project to establish a “gun docket” in his recommendations following his statewide Urban Crime Summit in September 2013.
Koster noted the St. Louis had “endured an unacceptable 120 homicides” in 2013. In the first six months of 2013, 49 homicides had occurred. By contrast, to date in 2015, St. Louis has already seen 96 homicides, nearly a 100% increase. St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay, Chief Sam Dotson and Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce have publicly supported a gun docket proposal.
“St. Louis cannot afford to coddle armed criminals,” Koster said. “Economic development cannot occur in the absence of public safety. A city cannot flourish if it is living in fear.”
Legislation creating an armed offender docket would include the following elements:
- A court docket dedicated solely to weapons offenses, including armed robbery;
- Minimum cash bonds on certain gun crimes set at $25,000 – $50,000;
- Swift and meaningful consequences for offenders who violate probation for weapons offenses.
- Specified judges handling bail, trial and sentencing and supervision of offenders;
- Collection of court and law enforcement data on impact of the docket, reported annually.
The Report and Recommendations of the Attorney General’s 2013 Urban Crime Summit can be found online athttp://ago.mo.gov/docs/default-source/urban-crime-summit/20140321report.pdf?sfvrsn=2
