Gov. Mike Parson on Thursday named Melissa Price Smith to serve as the next St. Louis County prosecutor in the latest chapter of a legal saga involving Parson and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page.
Smith joined the county in 2008 and supervises the sexual assault and child abuse team. She graduated from the University of Missouri-St. Louis and attended St. Louis University School of Law.
“We trust that Melissa will uphold these same values and work with integrity to deliver justice on behalf of the people of St. Louis County and our state,” Parson said in a statement. “We thank her for her willingness to serve and look forward to her leadership in fighting crime and safeguarding public safety in our state's largest metropolitan area."
In a statement, Smith said that she’s thankful for Parson’s appointment and that her years of experience make her a strong fit.
“I will utilize this experience and institutional knowledge to fight for justice for crime victims, hold offenders accountable, and work with law enforcement towards a safer St. Louis County,” Smith said.
The next prosecutor will take over the position once Wesley Bell leaves office. Bell was elected to represent Missouri’s 1st Congressional District and will be sworn in Jan. 3. The replacement will serve the remainder of Bell’s term, which ends Jan. 1, 2027.
Page and Parson have been at odds over who has the power to appoint the county prosecutor for weeks. Page named Cort VanOstran, a former assistant U.S. attorney and congressional candidate, to the position earlier this month.
Last month, Parson and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed suit in St. Louis Circuit Court, arguing the state’s constitution doesn’t give Page the authority to appoint Bell’s successor. A hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday.
County lawyers said Parson and Bailey are misinterpreting state law, noting that Parson didn’t object when St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann, a Republican, appointed Joseph McCulloch as prosecutor in 2023.
“The county charter clearly states that the county executive is authorized to appoint the prosecuting attorney when a vacancy occurs,” a spokesperson for Page said Thursday. “We are confident the courts will agree.”
If a judge rules in Page’s favor, the county council would still need to approve VanOstran’s appointment. The council is not expected to consider confirmation until early next year.
