__News Archives

Some receive Compassion for drug arrests, but many do not — national commentary by addiction medical doctor (Jul. 2026)

RFK Jr. Received Compassion When He Was Arrested for Heroin, but My Patients Do Not https://share.google/JnqRoLjQcpJdDjlry
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“Everybody deserves kindness.”

Not a news story about the law; but touches on one component of what those facing criminal charges deserve: kindness. https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/column/tony-messenger/article_4fe125f0-9dc8-4d90-94d8-c46db78ab08b.html
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The Missouri Bar assesses state of legal services in rural communities (From MOBAR, Jul. 2026)

https://news.mobar.org/presidents-page-the-missouri-bar-assesses-state-of-legal-services-in-rural-communities/
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Business dispute in tiny Rosebud leads to arrest, free-speech issues, St. Louis Post Dispatch (Jul. 2026)

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/column/tony-messenger/article_d4b3817d-b797-40d2-bbaf-4f94388b28e7.html?gift=1&gift_token=abc9a4bf-7343-480b-a310-82a82c0f4a3f
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Pennsylvania Public Defender allegedly threatened crime victim regarding immigration status (Jul. 2026)

https://triblive.com/local/das-office-accuses-public-defender-of-threatening-alleged-victims-immigration-status/
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Missouri governor to sign porn site age verification bill • Missouri Independent (Jul. 2026)

Missouri governor to sign porn site age verification bill • Missouri Independent https://share.google/7NxaG6wcy1yNJCjig
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook > An American Marriage – Tayari Jones (Jul. 2025)

Very good novel that includes sub-theme of a wrongful conviction. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/3785073
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Women’s prison population, correctional costs projected to grow through 2035 • Missouri Independent (Jun. 2026)

Women’s prison population, correctional costs projected to grow through 2035 • Missouri Independent https://share.google/kKDAonhhu8tFAxxdm
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Police use of artificial intelligence grows as rules lag behind • Missouri Independent (Jun. 2026)

Police use of artificial intelligence grows as rules lag behind • Missouri Independent https://share.google/mMkuUpZG56JFluWdS
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Supreme Court Narrows Law Banning Drug Users From Owning Guns, NY Times (Jun. 2026)

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/18/us/politics/supreme-court-drugs-guns.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xFA.C0Ga.hCgmjrmBAYx1&smid=nytcore-android-share
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In prisons and jails, a lack of sleep may harm health and safety • Missouri Independent (Jun. 2026)

In prisons and jails, a lack of sleep may harm health and safety • Missouri Independent https://share.google/04jSuCBujvdQqVrgR
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DWR (Driving While Reading – Audiobook) Judge Stone – James Patterson, Viola Davis (Jun. 2026)

Enjoyed this legal novel very much. Read by co-author Viola Davis. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/12403834
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook > The Fury – Alex Michaelides

Another psychological crime mystery from same author as The Silent Patient. Very good. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9703494
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Preliminary FBI data shows a sharp drop in violent crime • Missouri Independent (May 2026)

Preliminary FBI data shows a sharp drop in violent crime • Missouri Independent https://share.google/hfMfTt4gNEZDRtz5F
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook >The Proving Ground – Michael Connelly (May 2026)

Lincoln Lawyer series #8 https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11666881
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook > The Silent Patient – Alex Michaelides (May 2026)

Tremendous psychological crime mystery. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/4002443
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Bill requiring automatic expungement of eligible drug offenses heads to Missouri governor • Missouri Independent (May 2026)

Bill requiring automatic expungement of eligible drug offenses heads to Missouri governor • Missouri Independent https://share.google/X2c0fsHYv44s65QSL
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Jackson County jail death investigation reveals inmate waited hours for help (May 2026)

https://www.kmbc.com/article/jackson-county-jail-death-timothy-beckmann-mental-health-waitlist-investigation/71297926
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Free prison calls expand as advocates point to family, safety and reentry benefits • Missouri Independent (May 2026)

Free prison calls expand as advocates point to family, safety and reentry benefits • Missouri Independent https://share.google/7Gjcji3l6Rc827vbE
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook > Liaten for the Lie – Amy Tintera (May 2026)

Podcaster tries to solve crime. Ok. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9820185
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A Quietly Radical Experiment in Criminal Justice; NY Times (May 2026)

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/10/opinion/hawaii-feminist-criminal-justice-system.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xFA.rUod.DvNwEzNbu48j&smid=nytcore-android-share
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook >The Broken Heart of America – Walter Johnson (May 2026)

https://share.libbyapp.com/title/5284287
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Americans’ views on crime often diverge from actual crime trends, report says • Missouri Independent (May 2026)

Americans’ views on crime often diverge from actual crime trends, report says • Missouri Independent https://share.google/RIwU5UcMhX390PiMb
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook > The Women – Kristin Hannah (May 2026)

Amazing book about Army nurses from Vietnam War. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9852641
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook > The Widow – John Grisham (Apr. 2026)

Grisham is always fun. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11732422
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Errors in Missouri crime bill force Senate to pass fix to avoid sentencing gap • Missouri Independent (Apr. 2026)

Errors in Missouri crime bill force Senate to pass fix to avoid sentencing gap • Missouri Independent https://share.google/yjE0h4QOVyNJ0TerX
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Bill clarifying sex offender registry law clears Missouri House, heads back to Senate • Missouri Independent (Apr. 2026)

Bill clarifying sex offender registry law clears Missouri House, heads back to Senate • Missouri Independent https://share.google/s2WH5wQyUQn4l6xYd
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Missouri bid to end judge-imposed death sentences faces Senate roadblock • Missouri Independent (Apr. 2026)

Missouri bid to end judge-imposed death sentences faces Senate roadblock • Missouri Independent https://share.google/9tAjhiSiHGCN1BwRL
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St. Louis NAACP wants deaths at city jail investigated as negligent homicides, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Apr. 2026)

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_4023c703-0837-47c8-b275-5f602cbd5a40.html?gift=1&gift_token=1f46ad5e-60bc-4486-a834-dfb05004db64
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I Was a Tough-on-Crime Prosecutor. This Is What I Got Wrong, NY Times (Apr. 2026)

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/14/opinion/tough-on-crime-harsh-sentencing.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xFA.192m.t3r_jUTMBFLo&smid=nytcore-android-share
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook > American Dirt – Jeanine Cummins (Apr. 2026)

Tremendous and timely novel. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/4727757
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Republican-led states push police takeovers in Democratic-run cities • Missouri Independent (Apr. 2026)

Republican-led states push police takeovers in Democratic-run cities • Missouri Independent https://share.google/m2SbjjlVNi8O7wo0H
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Missouri expands prosecutors’ role in juvenile cases, lengthens prison terms • Missouri Independent (Apr. 2026)

Missouri expands prosecutors’ role in juvenile cases, lengthens prison terms • Missouri Independent https://share.google/XSMpdZuT33C4UGp3Z
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Fatal police violence may have declined for the first time in years • Missouri Independent (Apr. 2026)

Fatal police violence may have declined for the first time in years • Missouri Independent https://share.google/mRJdYF2rbEziik68l
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New federal data reinforces nationwide drop in crime since pandemic peak • Missouri Independent (Mar. 2026)

New federal data reinforces nationwide drop in crime since pandemic peak • Missouri Independent https://share.google/p9kgjeei4IYwyPm3W
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Mandatory minimum sentencing, juvenile crime bill sent to Missouri governor • Missouri Independent (Mar. 2026)

Mandatory minimum sentencing, juvenile crime bill sent to Missouri governor • Missouri Independent https://share.google/J3qxF6poYVoB1ePHk
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook >Small Things Like These – Claire Keegan

Powerful short story. Great example of kindness. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/7782021
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New St. Louis police rules would crack down on body camera violations, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Mar. 2026)

https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/article_eb3b982e-149b-4327-9f00-5baa5956f619.html?gift=1&gift_token=c4c8c4aa-6eef-4761-a182-41e53d4f6840
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook > Race Against Time – Jerry Mitchell (Feb. 2026)

Book regarding reporter (originally from Missouri) who investigstes, reports on, and prompts legal action against civil rights era crimials. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/4815060
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook >You Have to Be Prepared to Die Before You Can Begin to Live – Paul Kix

Great book about the 1963 Birmingham (Children’s) Civil Rights Campaign. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9215489
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Missouri Senate weighs standardizing minimum prison terms, repealing conditional release • Missouri Independent (Feb. 2026)

Missouri Senate weighs standardizing minimum prison terms, repealing conditional release • Missouri Independent https://share.google/b7P0P9YnxY4J10Tzt
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook >Medgar and Myrlie – Joy-Ann Reid (Feb. 2026)

Important civil rights history and love story. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/9538514
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Missouri Senate weighs ending statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse • Missouri Independent (Feb. 2026)

Missouri Senate weighs ending statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse • Missouri Independent https://share.google/tvgkdgMzbhVhlDEu0
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‘It sure looks like a crisis’: Lawmakers confront mental health backlog in Missouri jails • Missouri Independent (Feb. 2026)

‘It sure looks like a crisis’: Lawmakers confront mental health backlog in Missouri jails • Missouri Independent https://share.google/JMCirhF70nysvfaLQ
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Tony Messenger 7 columns on the mental health crisis in Missouri jails, St. Louis Post-Dispatch (Various Dates)

https://www.stltoday.com/online/collection_c8b8a2c6-b7cb-4de5-a54f-bc3a9ee0c66a.html?gift=1&gift_token=65e46247-5038-43ff-b4fc-c72b3508b58f
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More than 500 Missourians await court-ordered mental health services, languishing in jails • Missouri Independent (Feb. 2026)

More than 500 Missourians await court-ordered mental health services, languishing in jails • Missouri Independent https://share.google/9a5IuZwQubcDSwjh7
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Court rules against Missouri man serving 40+ years on a 23-year prison sentence • Missouri Independent (Feb. 2026,)

Court rules against Missouri man serving 40+ years on a 23-year prison sentence • Missouri Independent https://share.google/wSvA6v5NZatePK8Ug
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Crime rates fell across US cities in 2025 • Missouri Independent (Jan. 2026)

Crime rates fell across US cities in 2025 • Missouri Independent https://share.google/MeqiVm58inZz0asju
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Missourians waiting in jail for court-ordered mental health care reaches all-time high • Missouri Independent (Jan. 2026)

https://missouriindependent.com/2025/01/27/missourians-waiting-in-jail-for-court-ordered-mental-health-care-reaches-all-time-high/
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook >Bone Valley – Gilbert King (Jan. 2026)

https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11401734
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Missouri prisoners report being forced to shovel snow in subzero temperatures • Missouri Independent (Jan. 2026)

Missouri prisoners report being forced to shovel snow in subzero temperatures • Missouri Independent https://share.google/QPNFUbNbFRBZ4LMiq
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Missouri lawmakers signal bipartisan support for bills to curb child sexual abuse • Missouri Independent (Jan. 2026)

Missouri lawmakers signal bipartisan support for bills to curb child sexual abuse • Missouri Independent https://share.google/jgNuRgN32mD8jYQBR
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[The Washington Post]

(Jan. 2026) https://wapo.st/4f69y89
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Missouri’s prison nursery is rare, offering a case study of motherhood behind bars • Missouri Independent (Jan. 2026)

Missouri’s prison nursery is rare, offering a case study of motherhood behind bars • Missouri Independent https://share.google/ZuyGIA0sj17XwlpnK
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How Missouri denied condemned men spiritual advisers at their deaths • Missouri Independent (Jan. 2026(

How Missouri denied condemned men spiritual advisers at their deaths • Missouri Independent https://share.google/N4gdulYm4gruXdK3V
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DWR (Driving While Reading) Audiobook >Mark Twain – Ron Chernow (Jan. 2026)

I learned so much I didn’t know. https://share.libbyapp.com/title/11153876
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Public Defenseless: 428 (Dec. 2025) | How Will New Leadership Handle Missouri Public Defender’s Low Pay and the State’s Mental Health Resource Crisis w/Matthew Crowell

Public Defenseless: 428 | How Will New Leadership Handle Missouri Public Defender’s Low Pay and the State’s Mental Health Resource Crisis w/Matthew Crowell https://share.google/7JPiNBXRCLczVRzFG
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Missouri student first in state to earn scholarship for children with parents in prison • Missouri Independent (Jan. 2026)

Missouri student first in state to earn scholarship for children with parents in prison • Missouri Independent https://share.google/s1eO0A5UBKxkVxW3o
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The Washington Post

These five cities help explain why homicide rates are down across the U.S. (Nov. 2026) https://wapo.st/4yiOcgH
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Can a Murderer Earn Redemption?
The Atlantic (Oct. 2025)

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/10/john-j-lennon-true-crime/684542/?gift=zAfvZF7THZKEZgd8OJTqkWq0zUrWxH1mLTB4KlbArrY
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How to Cut the Prison Population, Save Money and Make Us Safer, NY Times (Sept. 2025)

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/08/opinion/aging-prisoners-prison-population.html?unlocked_article_code=1.xFA.-XMG.Z7smOrVwrpKj&smid=nytcore-android-share
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Category: __News