JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A judge has appointed the prosecutor in Jackson County as the special prosecutor who will decide whether to refile an invasion-of-privacy case against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens.
St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison on Monday announced that he has appointed Jackson County prosecutor Jean Peters Baker. The ruling says Baker also can consider “other incidents involving the same victim” that occurred from March 21, 2015, to Sept. 1, 2015.
The appointment came the same day that Burlison recused St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner and her office from the case.
The Republican governor was indicted by a grand jury in February. He is accused of taking a compromising and unauthorized photo of a woman during an affair in 2015.
The charge was dismissed May 14 during jury selection after the court said it would allow Greitens’ lawyers to question Gardner under oath. Gardner said it would have been improper for her to be a witness in a trial her office was prosecuting.
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4:40 p.m.
It will be up to a special prosecutor if the invasion-of-privacy case against Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens will move forward.
St. Louis Circuit Judge Rex Burlison on Monday agreed with a request from the city circuit attorney’s office to recuse itself from the case. Susan Ryan, a spokeswoman for the circuit attorney’s office, says that means that a special prosecutor will decide if the charge would be refiled.
The Republican governor was indicted by a grand jury in February. He is accused of taking a compromising and unauthorized photo of a woman during an affair in 2015.
The charge was dismissed May 14 during jury selection after the court said it would allow Greitens’ lawyers to question Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner under oath. Gardner said it would have been improper for her to be a witness in a trial her office was prosecuting.
Greitens also faces a second charge in St. Louis accusing him of misusing a charity donor list for his gubernatorial campaign. And, the state Legislature is meeting in special session to consider impeachment.
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11:50 a.m.
A House investigatory committee has expanded its membership for a special session to determine whether to impeach Gov. Eric Greitens.
House Speaker Todd Richardson has added three members to what had been a seven-person panel consisting mostly of attorneys and former law enforcement officers.
The new members are: Rep. J. Eggleston, a Republican business owner from Maysville; Rep. Curtis Trent, a Republican attorney from Springfield; and Democratic Rep. Greg Razer of Kansas City, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill who has said Greitens should resign.
The committee is to meet Tuesday to discuss rules and procedures.
Records provided to The Associated Press show it has spent over $14,000 since starting work in March.
Greitens has been accused of sexual misconduct and misuse of charity resources for political purposes.
