Jefferson City, MO -Gov. Jay Nixon announced in a media release today he appointed prosecuting attorneys with decades of prosecutorial experience to fill positions in Harrison, Sullivan and Worth counties that will become vacant Jan. 1.
Vacancies for the positions in Sullivan and Worth counties would have occurred on Jan. 1 because no candidates for prosecuting attorney appeared on the ballot for the November elections in those counties. In Harrison County, the prosecuting attorney-elect will not take office after pleading guilty to federal felony charges.
In Harrison County, the Governor has appointed R. Cristine Stallings, of Bethany, as the new prosecuting attorney. Stallings, a Democrat, recently completed a term serving as the Grundy County prosecuting attorney, a position to which she was appointed in June 2013. She has been in private practice in Bethany since 1992, and has been the Bethany city attorney and prosecutor since 2003.
Stallings previously served as the prosecuting attorney for Harrison County from 1995 to 1998 and from 2007 to 2010, and as an assistant child support prosecutor for Grundy, Harrison, Linn, Macon, Mercer and Putnam counties from 2001 to 2004. Stallings received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City, and her law degree from the University of Missouri.
In Sullivan County, the Governor has appointed Brian Keedy, of Lake Ozark, as the new prosecuting attorney. Keedy, a Republican, recently completed serving six years as the Camden County prosecuting attorney, a position to which he was initially appointed in 2008. Keedy was born and raised in northern Missouri, and soon will move back to the area. He was an assistant prosecuting attorney in Camden County from 1990 to 2006, an assistant prosecuting attorney in Morgan County from 1999 to 2005 and an assistant prosecuting attorney in Laclede County from 1990 to 1992.
Keedy also served as director of the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services from 2006 to 2008. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri and his law degree from the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
In Worth County, the Governor has re-appointed David A. Baird as the prosecuting attorney. Baird, a Democrat, previously was appointed as the Worth County prosecuting attorney in December 2010 after there were no candidates for the position on the ballot in that year’s election.
In addition to his experience in Worth County, Baird served as the prosecuting attorney for Nodaway County from 1981 to 2010. He has held leadership positions with the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys. Baird is in private practice with the law firm of Strong and Strong, and also operated a private law practice in Maryville from 1981 to 2006. He has served as an adjunct instructor of business law at Northwest Missouri State University since 1982. Baird received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his law degree from the University of Missouri School of Law.
“Cristine Stallings, Brian Keedy and David Baird each have many years of proven experience in serving as a prosecutor in Missouri,” Gov. Nixon said. “I am confident in their abilities to continue in their public service for the people of Missouri as the prosecuting attorneys for Harrison, Sullivan and Worth counties, respectively.”