Agreement possible on local gun court, mayor says

The Board of Police Commissioners got a report on the proposed gun court yesterday.

The Board of Police Commissioners got a report on the proposed gun court yesterday.

By Joe Lambe

Mayor Sly James, who has long unsuccessfully attacked state gun laws, is working with Republicans on a possible court for armed offenders.

He and Jackson County prosecutors recently testified in Jefferson City in favor of the proposal recommended by an attorney general-sponsored law enforcement task force.

James, a member of the Board of Police Commissioners, reported to them Tuesday that a bill is actually still in play.

He and other supporters are somewhat optimistic, he said, “We’re hoping.”

The idea is to enforce existing gun laws, not create new ones, and gun advocates can relate to that, James has said.

He noted Tuesday that the National Rifle Association did not come out against it, or for it either.

The proposal for a pilot-project “armed offender docket” (sounds sweeter to some than the original term gun court) would order Jackson County Circuit Court to establish a special docket to handle weapons offense cases.

That is intended to move the cases faster and get criminals off the street or under control more quickly.

But James said there is opposition from the Jackson County judges, possibly over them taking orders from another branch of government.

St. Louis officials tried to establish such a court there two years ago but their judges voted it down, 16-11.

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