JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Gov. Jay Nixon says he doesn’t support ending the grand jury system in Missouri.
Nixon said before the start of the 2015 annual legislative session Wednesday that he’s against a proposal to end grand juries, a measure prompted after a grand jury failed to indict a white Ferguson police officer who fatally shot a black 18-year-old Aug. 9.
Democratic state Rep. Brandon Ellington of Kansas City filed a joint resolution to repeal that measure in the Missouri Constitution.
The resolution was one of many pieces of legislation filed to address Michael Brown’s shooting, which sparked protests nationwide.
Proposals with the best chance of passing appear to be ones that would curb the revenue cities can receive from traffic fines, which protesters say can unfairly lead to arrests of low-income residents.