Jean Peters Baker

Melesa Johnson, 35, will be sworn in as Jackson County's prosecutor on Friday. She says she will keep some of Baker's policies, tweak others and offer her own.

A report from the prosecutor examines officer-involved shootings by the Kansas City Police Department, focusing primarily on the killing of Donnie Sanders, an unarmed Black man, in March 2020.

Jean Peters Baker is leaving office next month after 13 years as Jackson County's top prosecutor. In a recent exit interview, she said she's faced threats and criticism for her decisions — especially over the prosecution of ex-KCPD officer Eric DeValkenaere.

Eric DeValkenaere, who has been in prison for a year and two months, was released at mid-day on Friday, in time to be home for Christmas as his wife had asked of Gov. Mike Parson. The family of Cameron Lamb, the 26-year-old Black man DeValkenaere killed, had long feared Parson would free the former police detective.

Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker said she's faced threats and criticism for her decisions over the years — especially over the prosecution of ex-KCPD officer Eric DeValkenaere. She spoke with KCUR's Up To Date about her 13 years as the county’s top prosecutor, and the consequences the job had on her and her family.

Johnson, a Democrat, beat Tracey Chappell, a Republican, in the heavily Democratic county. The race was heated in its last days as the two candidates debated how to handle a spike in property crimes.

Judge Margene Burnett convicted Brian Favela, 23, and Joel Olivas, 24, of several felony charges, but dismissed other weapons counts due to Missouri’s self-defense laws. Prosecutors said the two men were gang members.

As the Kansas City Irish Fest begins today, the Irish community is in mourning after the killing of chef and festival organizer Shaun Brady during a possible car burglary. Outgoing Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker says she's seeing a trend of rising property crimes that end in tragedy.

Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker says her office charges about 80% of the cases it receives from the Kansas City Police Department, including property crimes. But she told KCUR's Up To Date it will take more than prosecution to solve the greater issue of crime in Kansas City.

Brady & Fox chef Shaun Brady was a key organizer in Kansas City's Irish Fest, which is scheduled to go on this weekend. His killing comes amidst community outcry about the rising number of property crimes in Kansas City, many of which are being committed by juveniles with guns.

Whether Johnson wins or loses in the general, Jackson County will elect its first Black female prosecutor in November — she faces Republican Tracey Chappel in November. The winner will take over for prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who did not run for reelection.

The United Way of Greater Kansas City gave $1.2 million to victims and $832,000 to 14 community groups Thursday, hoping to reach individual gunshot victims from the Kansas City Chiefs’ parade shootings and the larger community working to prevent gun violence.