Jennifer Joyce

Charles Ramsey: Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce Big Fan of Ohio Kidnapping Hero, Internet Star

The biggest national news of the week so far is the incredible story of three women who have been missing for a decade turning up alive in Cleveland, Ohio. The women may have been kidnapped and held hostage for many years. The sidebar to that story, however, is Charles Ramsey. He's a neighbor cred ... More >>

St. Louis Thieves Plead Guilty to Stealing $11,475...In City Dumpster Hooks?

It's like Dumpster diving...only this rummaging through trash can apparently land you in jail. The St. Louis circuit attorney's office announced yesterday that Victoria Gibbs and Ladale Lewis have both pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of metal "Dumpster hooks" from the city. Why? Dumpster hoo ... More >>

"Knockout King" Elex Murphy Sentenced, Widow Testifies, "My Family is Destroyed"

Last month, Elex Murphy, the so-called "knockout king" accused of beating a 72-year-old stranger to death in Dutchtown, was convicted -- two years after the brutal attack. And last week Murphy was sentenced, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office said on Friday, with an announcement that included ... More >>

Charles Smith: St. Louis Man Sentenced After Attempted Kidnapping, Rape of Girl at Bus Stop

As a fifteen-year-old girl walked to her school bus stop, St. Louis resident Charles Smith grabbed her, forced her into his car with a box cutter -- and tried to rape her. She managed to escape half-clothed and flagged down a passing motorist for help. This is the terrible incident of violence tha ... More >>

Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce Says "Sorry" to Victim's Family, But Pushes Plea Deal Anyway

On Friday, we reported on a St. Louis circuit judge's surprise decision to reject a plea deal for suspect Kevin Beindorff who shot and killed eighteen-year-old Matthew Pellegrini. The victim's family celebrated the unexpected decision, after weeks of protesting a plea deal that would give Beindorff, ... More >>

Gun Docket: Proposal to Revamp Firearms Prosecution in St. Louis Advances in Senate

It has been a particularly heated week for gun debates. In Missouri, a Republican outcry about gun owner privacy in Missouri sparked a major policy change and a high-profile resignation. Nationally, the U.S. Senate failed to pass a background check proposal, angering even some longtime NRA members. ... More >>

Sentenced: Man Who Shoved Knife into Woman, Stole Her Purse, Threw It in Dumpster

Police say that James Johnson came up behind a woman outside of a St. Louis drugstore, "shoved a knife into her lower back," and said he would kill her if she didn't give him her purse. She fought back -- but he pushed her into her car and ran away with her belongings. He then, according to the Ci ... More >>

Matthew Pellegrini: Family Testifies in Trial of Man Who Claimed Victim "Asked to be Shot"

The grieving family of Matthew Pellegrini, an eighteen-year-old who was shot point-blank in the head by someone who claimed to be his friend, will have to wait one more week to find out the fate of the accused killer. Yesterday, Judge Edward Sweeny decided to delay until next Friday the sentencing ... More >>

"Knockout King" Elex Murphy Trial: A Look Back At the Accusations, Alleged Confession

The trial has officially begun for Elex Murphy, the so-called "knockout king," accused of fatally beating to death Dutchtown resident Hoang Nguyen in the random, brutal attack that we explored in-depth in our 2011 cover story. Yesterday, prosecutors began laying out the case against the now twenty ... More >>

Marijuana: St. Louis Circuit Attorney Open to Reform Policy for Minor Offenses

An effort to save law enforcement resources by reducing the punishment for low-level marijuana offenses in St. Louis has received renewed attention this month -- with a metro police sergeant actively lobbying for the cause, much to the displeasure of his higher-ups. The free-speech lawsuit this fi ... More >>

25 Years for Attacker: "People Have the Right to Walk Down the Street and Not Be Strangled"

On a Sunday morning in May of 2011, Muhammed Watson approached a young woman on her way to get coffee in the Central West End. "Don't say a word," he told her as he started choking her. Eventually, she was unconscious. This is the horrific scene that St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce des ... More >>

Matthew Pellegrini: Family Slams Plea Deal That Could Give Son's Accused Killer Seven Years

On Friday, we reported on Tami Inkley's campaign to get justice for her 18-year-old son Matthew, who police say was shot point-blank in the head by his friend Kevin Beindorff last year. Since then, the St. Louis Circuit Court Attorney's office and the defense have signed a plea agreement, on view be ... More >>

Senator Claire McCaskill: "The Violence Against Women Act is Way More Popular Than I Am"

Republican Senator Roy Blunt is not interested in passing a Violence Against Women Act that includes special protections for LGBT individuals and Native Americans, as we reported last week. When Daily RFT asked Blunt about it at the end of his recent press conference, he wasn't much interested in ta ... More >>

George Allen, Convicted of Murder in 1983, Is Now One Step Away from Total Freedom

The campaign to free convict George Allen after three decades of incarceration has already succeeded; he was released in mid-November, pending some final legal hurdles. Looks like there's only one legal hurdle left. Yesterday, Missouri's Western Appellate District gave their imprimatur to a lower-co ... More >>

Circuit Attorney Resurrects Map Showing Who's Banned From Your Neighborhood

The Circuit Attorney's website got a facelift on Friday -- and has resurrected a map showing which criminal defendants are banned from where you live (a.k.a. "neighborhood orders of protection").  Former Circuit Clerk Mariano Favazza had first launched such a web feature in July 2010, but it wa ... More >>

Sentencing Provides Details Into Grisly 2008 Murder of St. Louis County Counselor

The sentencing of 24-year-old Ronald Johnson on Wednesday afternoon was a foregone conclusion, but that didn't prevent tears among those gathered -- on either side of a St. Louis courtroom.  

Twitterverse Silent on Hiring of Sam Dotson as St. Louis Police Chief

Given the divisive politics of this town, Daily RFT was expecting fireworks over the weekend with the hiring of Sam Dotson as the next St. Louis police chief. Related content: - Dan Isom Retiring as City Police Chief to Become UMSL Prof - Proxy Twitter War Between Francis Slay and Lewis Reed Heats ... More >>

George Allen Expected To Be Released Wednesday Morning

George Allen has been locked up for about three decades for the brutal rape and murder of court reporter Mary Bell in 1982. But a campaign to prove his innocence has convinced Cole County Judge Daniel Green that he didn't get a fair trial, and tomorrow -- barring a procedural move from the Missouri ... More >>

Man Who Has Spent 30 Years in Jail for Rape-Murder Will Be Set Free

Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce announced today she won't re-file charges against 56-year-old George Allen, who has been locked up for nearly three decades for the murder of court reporter Mary Bell back in 1982. On Friday, Cole Conty judge Daniel Green finally agreed with Allen's attorneys from The ... More >>

Dog-Torturer Darick Stallworth Sentenced to Four Years Behind Bars

Stray Rescue director Randy Grim just posted the following on Facebook:It is an emotional, landmark day, and justice has been served. Judge Margaret Neill sentenced the animal abuser Darick Stallworth to four years for three counts of animal abuse to be served concurrently and 15 days for two animal ... More >>

RFT's 5 Favorite Tweeters in St. Louis

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously said, "You cannot step twice into the same stream." Nor can you click twice into the same Twitter. But the following five members of our city's Twattering class seem like a good read every time we wade in -- if for only 135 characters.

The Joyce of Reason: Circuit Attorney Tweets Complaint About National Priorities

US military drone strikes killing civilians? PACs masquerading as non-profits to get tax breaks and influence elections? B-b-b-b-BORING. Let's talk more about NFL referees. Thanks to Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce for saying this morning what needs to be said: I get that people care about football ... More >>

[VIDEO] St. Louis CrimeStoppers Unveils Graphic PSAs, Urges Citizens to Call In Tips

St. Louis Police Chief Dan Isom. Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce. County Police Chief Tim Fitch. James Clark of Better Family Life. They are a but a few of the stars of a new series of hard-edged public service announcement to be unveiled today.  View the PSAs below. The commercials open with r ... More >>

Scarface in Custody for Hamilton Heights Dog Torture and Slaughter

A male suspect known on the streets as "Scarface" is in custody for the brutal torture deaths of five dogs in the Hamilton Heights neighborhood, according to Stray Rescue of St. Louis. The no-kill dog rescue group is offering a $10,000 reward for information leading to the conviction of those respon ... More >>

Inside an Ashen Building, a Legal Aide Adds Color

"Does that make sense?" asks Vara Lyons. "I'm trying to not sound like a cerebral art historian." She can't help herself. Lyons is a legal assistant for the Community Affairs Bureau of City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office. She's also a self-described art history nerd whose life has been shad ... More >>

Rory Bruce, David Wilson: Two Police Offers Charged with Abusing Minors in Custody

St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Dan Isom issued a video statement on the department's Facebook page this afternoon announcing that two officers have been charged with Third-Degree Assault for physical abuse of minors who were in their custody. Sure enough, shortly after that link went live, Circ ... More >>

Circuit Attorney: Bring on the Complaints!

Jennifer Joyce, St. Louis's circuit attorney, wants you to know she can take your hits. So confident is she, in fact, that she's launched an online sounding board called "From the Complaint Department," all but inviting peeved St. Louisans to air their grievances about any of her recent musings on F ... More >>

North Pointe Residents Say No to Crime

"The neighborhood itself is a nice neighborhood," says Simril. "It's got a few bad apples in it, but the citizen's patrol is trying to calm down the scene, and the last couple of months we've made progress." ​Most days for the past fifteen years, 57-year-old Tommy Simril has climbed into his 1 ... More >>

Details of Alleged "Knockout King" Elex Murphy's Confession

​This week's feature story, "Knockout King", revisits the death of Dutchtown resident Hoang Nguyen, who was fatally beaten two months ago while walking home from his local grocery store in broad daylight. The attack was later determined to be part of a violent ritual -- the young teens who pa ... More >>

Police Respond to Rash of Violent Crime in Dutchtown

Keith Novara, "the new police face" of Dutchtown.​Perhaps it's no coincidence that three of the most notorious murders in the city this year -- the killing of U.S. Marshal John Perry; the unprovoked assault on 72-year-old Hoang Nguyen as he walked home from the grocery store; and this week's k ... More >>

St. Louis Prosecutor At Odds with Police Over City's Gang Problem

Jennifer Joyce​St. Louis police have a policy of not acknowledging gang-related crime for fear of glamorizing those involved in the underground organizations. But that policy just doesn't make sense, said St. Louis Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce in an interview with Fox 2 yesterday. "Whether you ... More >>

Willie Reed Describes Sexual Encounter That Led to SLU Basketball Suspensions

Former Saint Louis University basketball star Willie Reed is providing details for the first time about the sexual encounter that led to his suspension from the university, along with teammate Kwamain Mitchell. Willie Reed​Daily RFT was not able to verify Reed's account. Police have refused ... More >>

St. Louis Police Board Ordered to Pay Attorney Fees and Fine over World Series Ticket Scandal

​St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Philip Heagney today ordered that the St. Louis Police Board of Commissioners pay a civil fine for violating the state's Sunshine Law.The judge also ordered the board to pay the attorney fees of John Chasnoff, a University City resident who in 2007 sued the police bo ... More >>

World Series Ticket Scandal: Judge Tells Cops to Quit Breaking the Law

​The Cards-Astros home-opener wasn't the only shutout in town yesterday. Three years after improprieties involving city cops and 2006 World Series tickets confiscated from scalpers came to light, a St. Louis judge last night issued a final ruling in the related Sunshine Law case against ... More >>

St. Louis Cops Indicted Over Pot Sales, Stealing Thousands

The U.S. Attorney's Office has charged two St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department officers with stealing drug proceeds and selling marijuana, among other crimes. The ten-count indictment was unsealed today.   The officers, Bobby Lee Garrett and Vincent Carr, were partners and detectives in th ... More >>

Wrongfully Convicted Darryl Burton: Set Free Friday

Not for Attribution

A name-calling, race-baiting word war between two anonymous columnists? Unreal demands to mediate! Plus: Russ Carnahan goes to camp, a local blogger talks politics, and we try on a Beer Bra.

Deadly Dilemma

In Stanley Parker's neighborhood, what you wear and where you go can get you killed

New City Trick

Judge Jim Sullivan has a different way of dealing with crack whores -- don't just jail them, treat them for their addiction

Dixie Chicken

Racial appeals of last week's primary are reminders of St. Louis' Southern streak

Curtain Call

Week of August 7, 2002

North Side Pitch

Jennifer Joyce crosses the racial divide to walk the streets and talk about crime

Crime Story

Ghost letter from a powerbroker teaches Slay the perils of using the bully pulpit

Act of Omission

Educator charged for failing to report alleged sex abuse

Father Hood

Without a lawyer or a prayer, a plaintiff nails a priest big time

Dead Man Voting

St. Louis elections are a national joke. Trouble is, it's not funny anymore.

Mission Impossible

A walk in the moccasins of Cleveland Hammonds Jr.

Dead Heat

Efforts to tie attempted voter fraud to the Bosley campaign haven't stuck

Christmas in August, a Louisville Slugger Next to the Bed

Can Jennifer Joyce parlay a healthy campaign war chest and family connections into a Democratic nomination for St. Louis circuit attorney?