ST. LOUIS — We are learning more about the unique partnership between the United States Attorney’s Office and the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office.
This is the first time this type of move has been made in St. Louis, and it's all because of a backlog of cases left behind by the previous circuit attorney’s administration.
As of last month, the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office had 215 pending homicide cases.
U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri Sayler Fleming said it’s important to get resolutions for these cases.
“Extremely important, just as it is here in federal court. These cases cannot sit. You have people who have been charged, but they are presumed innocent and they are sitting in jail. So they need to have a trial,” Fleming said.
Fleming says that’s one reason her office extended the offer of help to St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore as well as his predecessor.
Now eight Assistant U.S. Attorneys will be taking on at least 20 homicide cases to start, on top of federal cases.
“One of the things that many people don't realize is that violent crime, prosecuting violent crime is one of our, if not our very top priority here in this office, in the United States Attorney's Office,” Fleming said.
Fleming said they are facing some challenges though as some of these cases have been stagnant for years.
“One of the things internally that we were doing and I suspect that they are doing at the circuit attorney's office as well, is sort of starting from the beginning, making sure that all the discovery has been turned over, that we have everything that we need. And the defense also has everything to which they are entitled,” Fleming said.
Fleming said this collaboration is possible because their office doesn’t have a backlog of cases largely because they were able to work through the pandemic. She wants to reassure the public this will benefit everyone in the long run and put a dent in violent crime.
“We are an office of over 70 prosecutors. Those prosecutors have hundreds of years of experience and they always, without fail, rise to the challenges presented to them,” Fleming said.
Flemming says the collaboration between all arms of the justice system seems to be improving in the city overall, which is good news, and they may even send more assistant U.S. attorneys to the circuit attorney’s office if needed.