Latest news with #MissouriStatePublicDefender'sOffice
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri taxpayers paying convicted felon despite objections from lawmakers
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Republican lawmakers in the Missouri House are standing by the House Budget Committee's attempt to stall the appropriations process for the Missouri State Public Defenders Office. The controversy surrounds the MSPD employment of David Spears, a felon convicted for his role in the 2007 death of 9-year-old Rowan Ford, who was raped and murdered. Authorities later found Ford's body dumped at a site near the southwestern Missouri town of Stella. Christopher Collings confessed to the crimes and was found guilty of the sex crime as well as first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death and died by lethal injection this past December. Court documents and the clemency petition, however, show Spears also implicated himself in the crimes. A transcript of Spears' statement to police, cited in the clemency petition, said Collings handed him a cord and Spears killed Rowan. 'I choked her with it. I realize she's gone. She's…she's really gone,' Spears said, according to the transcript. Meanwhile, court documents say it was Spears who led authorities to the sinkhole where the body was found. But Spears was allowed to plead to lesser charges—although it wasn't clear why. Prosecutors at the original trial didn't respond to messages seeking comment from the Associated Press. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now A review by Nexstar Missouri shows Spears pleaded guilty to just two lesser charges: endangering the welfare of a child and hindering of a prosecution. While both are felonies, Spears received 11 years for the combined charges. He would end up serving half of that sentence and was released on parole from a Missouri prison in 2015. At the contentious budget hearing last week, the Director of the Missouri State Public Defender's Office told lawmakers that Spears was never convicted of murder or rape. Mary Fox insisted to the bipartisan budget panel that Spears was hired through the appropriate process, telling lawmakers that her agency 'believes that people with criminal convictions should be able to be employed…even by the state.' On Tuesday, the GOP leadership in the House issued a statement defending the House Budget Committee's stance, which is to effectively stall the process for MSPD's budget approval. 'The continued employment of David Spears within the Missouri State Public Defender's Office is a serious lapse in judgment that undermines public trust in our institutions. While we believe in second chances, there are clear and reasonable limits—especially when it comes to those who have pled guilty to hindering the prosecution of a heinous crime like the murder of Rowan Ford,' said Republican Reps. Jon Patterson, the Speaker of the House, Alex Riley, the Majority Floor Leader, Lane Roberts, Assistant Majority Floor Leader, Hardy Billington, the Majority Whip, Bennie Cook, the Majority Caucus Chair and Ann Kelley, the Majority Caucus Secretary. 'We fully support Representative Dirk Deaton and the members of the House Budget Committee in their efforts to ensure that taxpayer dollars are used responsibly and in a way that reflects the values and expectations of Missourians. 'We stand with our colleagues in calling for the Public Defender's Office to rectify this situation immediately. If they fail to do so, we support any and all measures, including the rejection of their budget request, to hold them accountable. Justice for Rowan Ford and her family must come first.' A search of state employee salary records show taxpayers paid Spears a salary of close to $41,000 in 2024. Missouri House Republicans and Democrats will hold separate news conferences Thursday–a platform for legislative leaders to spin this week's session. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Employment of David Spears causes committee to refuse agency's budget requests
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The committee responsible for funding the Missouri State Public Defender's Office met Thursday (2/13) and after a contentious hearing — refused to hear the agency's budget requests over an employment dispute. The issue is the employment of David Spears by the Missouri Public Defender's Office. Spears, who pleaded guilty to playing a role in the rape and murder of his step-daughter Rowan Ford, first went to work for the Missouri Public Defender's office in 2016 — not long after being released from prison. He's currently employed in the agency's West Plains office. We first learned about his employment last December, while covering the execution of Christopher Collings. Collings was convicted of the rape and murder of Spears's nine-year-old step-daughter, Rowan Ford. Based on our investigation, the commission that oversees the Missouri Public Defender's Offices statewide, recently made a change to its hiring policy. Southwest Missouri Representatives, Dirk Deaton and Lane Roberts not only asked for the policy change, they demanded the Missouri Public Defender's Office fire David Spears. During Thursday's hearing (2/13), state representatives repeatedly questioned Director Mary Fox about Spears' continued employment — expressing outrage. 'You don't want to fire him, fine, just say it, which this, you know, is clearly trying to obfuscate, I think, which I found not particularly helpful, and I'll leave it at that,' said State Representative Deaton. 'We just talked about justice and stuff in the 'State of the State,' we talk about protecting children every year. We're wrong for this, and I'm not going to be culpable of it. Forty-thousand dollars a year ain't enough to go to hell over, Mr. Chairman, I'm going to stop, because I don't want to use profanities. Thank you for your time. It's a no for me,' said State Representative, Raychel Proudie. 'This is the most ridiculous presentation we've heard. It's embarrassing, actually. So, before I say something that I should not, as a member of 163 people, the sub-committee that controls this budget, a member of budget, I'm a no. I'm not interested in hearing it until this is addressed,' said State Representative, Jeff Vernetti Deaton ended the hearing by requesting the Missouri Public Defender's Office speak to the Missouri State Attorney General's office about ending Spears' employment. No action was taken on the budget request for the Missouri Public Defender's Office. We'll tell you why the House Budget Committee is tying funding for the Missouri Public Defender's Office to Spears' employment, Friday (2/14). Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
