Politics, Elections and Government

Judge holds Missouri Department of Corrections in contempt for refusing to release prisoner

St. Louis Public Radio | By Lacretia Wimbley

Published August 12, 2024 at 3:57 PM CDT

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey speaks during a press conference on anti-trans measures on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024, at the Old St. Louis Post Office Building in Downtown. In September, Bailey’s office filed a lawsuit against the Wentzville School Board saying they held discussions regarding policies around the use of bathrooms in private meetings rather than open to the public.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office is opposing the release of Howard Roberts after a Greene County circuit judge ordered a retrial. This is the third time this summer that Bailey has opposed the release of a prisoner whose conviction was vacated.

A judge in southwest Missouri is holding the Missouri Department of Corrections in contempt for keeping an 81-year-old man in prison.

Greene County Circuit Judge David Jones has ordered the release of Howard Roberts, who was sentenced to 20 years in 2018 after he was found guilty of committing fraud against an elderly woman. Jones ordered a retrial earlier this year after Roberts claimed he had not received adequate counsel. Jones said state law dictates that Roberts must be released from South Central Correctional Center in the meantime.

On August 7, Jones gave the department eight days to release Roberts or face fines of $1,000 dollars a day. The Department of Corrections’ confirmed he was still incarcerated as of the afternoon of August 12.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s office has opposed the release of a prisoner whose conviction was vacated several times this year.

Earlier this year, the AG’s office blocked the release of Christopher Dunn, who had been serving a life sentence without parole for a 1991 murder and assault. conviction. On July 22, a St. Louis Circuit judge ordered Dunn’s release. But, due to Bailey’s intervention, South Central Correctional Center did not release Dunn until July 30.

Similarly, Bailey blocked the release of Sandra Hemme, who was finally freed from prison mid-July after a Livingston County circuit judge ordered her release in June.