crime

Missouri already has an expungement system that allows people convicted of certain nonviolent misdemeanors and felonies to petition the court to seal their records. The "Clean Slate Act" would make that process automatic, potentially helping thousands of Missourians find housing and a job.

Rep. Melanie Stinnett, a Springfield Republican, sponsored the bipartisan bill that could give voting rights back to more than 53,000 Missourians. It passed the Missouri House 107-36, and is now waiting for action in the Senate.

Under a Missouri House bill, if a person is convicted of domestic violence and has been convicted at least once before, they would have to register as a persistent offender.

Missouri is one of two states where, if a jury is deadlocked on whether to sentence someone to death, the judge can issue the death penalty. The bill also establishes an automatic record-clearing process for most nonviolent offenses.

Christopher Dunn was convicted of murder in 1991 based on the testimony of two adolescent boys who both later recanted. A judge threw out the conviction in 2024, but the Missouri attorney general's office has appealed the decision.

An ordinance set to go before the Kansas City Council would ban small and individual bottles of alcohol and malt beverages to help lower crime in targeted areas of the city. The owner of one convenience store says limiting sales only hurts his business and customers.

Victims of a former chiropractor were shocked when a judge released the man on bond after he was charged with 51 counts of sexual assault. They're supporting a bill endorsed by a Senate committee that requires convicted felons to be held behind bars before sentencing.

Democratic state Rep. Ray Reed introduced legislation that would make grant funding available to houses of worship and LGBTQ community centers for safety improvements. He said the bill is a response to a rise in antisemitism.

A new photo shows the person being sought outside the Clayton home where the fires started on Aug. 5. The FBI, the Jewish Federation of St. Louis and other groups are offering rewards that total about $57,000.

Kansas City’s mayor and chief of police are calling for a review of the juvenile justice system. But court officials in Jackson County say youth referrals are down so far this year, proving that the diversion programs are working.

This week, victims of disgraced Kansas City, Kansas, Police Detective Roger Golubski and other social justice advocates marked one year since Golubski died by suicide on Dec. 2, 2024. That was the day his federal trial was to begin on charges that he violated the civil rights of several women through rape and kidnapping.

Kansas City lauded its new “collaborative public safety” model for breaking the lease of a downtown convenience store, which attracted 184 police calls over two years. But Downtown Market, at 11th Street and Grand Boulevard, is still open.