“Ferguson chief, judge, manager resign”
St. Louis American
On March 4, 2015, the Department of
Justice (DOJ) released a report regarding the policing and court practices in
the City of Ferguson. Since, the Ferguson Police Chief Jackson, Ronald
Brockmeyer, the municipal judge, and John Shaw, the city manager have resigned.
In the article, Senator Maria Chappelle-Nadal (D) suggested that Mayor James
Knowles III would be the next to resign.
Ferguson municipal court cases were
transferred to Judge Roy L. Richter of the Court of Appeals for the Eastern
District of Missouri. Also, the court has assigned staff from its state courts
office to assess Ferguson municipal court practices and to help Richter in
making necessary reforms. Richter will be an asset to Ferguson because he will
offer a fresh perspective to the court practices, and he is able to implement
necessary changes.
Richter is also the chair of the
Municipal Judge Education Committee and supports the work being done by the St.
Louis County Municipal Court Improvement Committee. The following are some of
the reforms proposed by the St. Louis County Municipal Court Improvement
Committee: making volunteer lawyers available on municipal court dates to offer
legal advice to defendants who are not facing jail time for their offenses and
do not qualify for a public defender, encouraging the use of community service
for indigent offenders, setting uniform fines across all municipal courts for
identical offenses, and establishing uniform procedures for payment plans for
indigent defendants.
The article ended with a statement from
Dellwood’s Mayor Reggie Jones, who announced that Dellwood’s municipal court
will be granting “full amnesty” for all traffic tickets issued prior to April
11, 2012 (the last day the city had its own police department).
What do you think is the future of the
Ferguson Police Department? Do you think the St. Louis County Municipal Court
Improvement Committee is headed in the right direction?
I think the St. Louis County Municipal Court Improvement Committee is moving notably towards positive reform and I genuinely believe that there will be further positive development throughout Missouri. The local court systems are flooded with detrimental practices and as noted in the article, numerous individuals hold positions in more than one municipality.The DOJ Report was only able to highlight some of the tragedies that have occurred in the Ferguson court system but it is my hope that these changes will bring enlightenment to the entire state of Missouri's judiciary system. I don't believe the current reforms are enough but it must start somewhere. Initially the DOJ report didn't seem harsh enough to many community activists but I believe we won't have a true scope of its impact for several years.
ReplyDeleteI like the idea of free legal advice for indigent people not facing jail time. Jefferson County Courts need this as well. Families that I have worked with at Children's Division often get into so much legal trouble for driving without a license or insurance, not paying fines, etc. Then they sit in jail because they do not have the funds to get out.
ReplyDeleteI agree a lot with Nicci. I believe that this reform effort is taking a step in the right direction, but it is clear, that right now it is not enough. Reform like this will take time, but I think that they are taking steps in the right direction and I really hope that this is true. Not only in Ferguson, but in other communities. It is clear that a lot of people are learning from this tragedy and their experiences as a result. I truly believe that we will see positive change in the future, but with baby steps along the way.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nici and Hayley that the St. Louis Municipal Court Improvement Committee is making positive change, but more needs to be done. These reforms need to be applied all over the U.S. I like the idea of setting uniform fines; however, I also think that fines should be done on a sliding scale based on income. I strongly support the use of community service for those cannot pay their fines. The fines are predatory because they make up a large percentage of a city’s budget. I also like the idea of providing volunteer lawyers to indigent offenders because it attacks this problem from the other side. It helps protect people from unfair fines. Additionally, the DOJ had one of which will soon be several town hall meetings requesting recommendations from the community on how to make changes moving forward. There is a good video from Last Week Tonight that talks about some of these problems all across America. https://youtu.be/0UjpmT5noto
ReplyDeleteThis situation is mirrored in many of the communities that comprise St. Louis County, and I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of cities and towns in the U.S. have this problem as well. Perhaps a Congressional study would be in order.
ReplyDeleteI am hopeful that the issues that have been uncovered in Ferguson, will also be uncovered in the other StL County municipalities. During my time in a legal clinic of an area NPO, the courts are such a barrier for for low SES residents in the St. Louis area.
ReplyDeleteI am hopeful that the issues that have been uncovered in Ferguson, will also be uncovered in the other StL County municipalities. During my time in a legal clinic of an area NPO, the courts are such a barrier for for low SES residents in the St. Louis area.
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