St. Louis officially declared Wesley Bell Day on Dec. 6 to honor the county’s first Black prosecutor.
According to Fox 2, local leaders held a celebratory event at the St. Louis County Department of Justice as County Executive Sam Page made the declaration.
“To me, it is a testament to the men and women of the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office who wake up every day with the idea of public safety,
with the idea of treating our victims with the dignity and respect that they deserve, and keeping this region safe,” said Bell, who has held the role since 2019. “In that way, it’s a big honor.”Bell took over as the St. Louis County’s prosecuting attorney after beating long-time Democratic incumbent Bob McCulloch in the primary.
Following McCulloch’s controversial decision not to prosecute the officer who fatally shot Black teen Michael Brown in 2014, Bell ran a campaign that prioritized criminal justice reform. His platform included community-based policing and progressive policies regarding marijuana, the latter enacted shortly after he took office.
During his tenure, Bell established the Diversion Committee and the Incident Review Unit, which allows people who believe they have been wrongfully convicted to petition for the prosecuting attorney to review their case. Bell considers the measure, the first to be created in the country, a stride for criminal justice reform.
However, Bell will now serve his St. Louis on a national scale. He was recently elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, serving Missouri’s first district.
“This job as well as my soon-to-be job is about the work,” he added. “It’s about representing the interests of my constituents. The people right here in this region.”
The race to appoint Bell’s successor, a battle between Page and Missouri Governor Mike Parson, wages on. Page has already announced his pick for the next prosecuting attorney, but the GOP leader has his own plans to make the appointment.
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