A Missouri Supreme Court decision allowing State Attorney General Andrew Bailey to appeal the exoneration of Christopher Dunn sparked outrage among advocates for criminal justice reform. Dunn, who was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for 34 years, was exonerated by St. Louis Circuit Judge Jason Sengheiser. The judge determined that the evidence presented constituted a "clear and convincing case of actual innocence."

Christopher Dunn asked, “How many times will Missouri taxpayers be forced to foot the bill for the Attorney General’s senseless refusal to admit judicial mistakes?”

The Attorney General's office has consistently obstructed efforts to correct wrongful convictions. This includes blocking Sandra Hemme's release after 43 years of wrongful incarceration. Hemme is the longest wrongfully convicted woman in U.S. history. The Missouri justice system is robbing the wrongfully convicted of lost years and wasting taxpayers' dollars when it blocks the victims' right to freedom.

A spotlight was shone on the AG’s despicable practice when now-exonerated Joe Amrine appealed his case to the Missouri Supreme Court in 2003. When the court presented the overwhelming evidence towards innocence and inquired whether Amrine should still be executed, then Assistant Attorney General Frank Jung replied without hesitation, “That’s correct, your honor.” His response reverberated around the world.

According to the National Registry of Exonerations, there have been 56 people exonerated in Missouri since 1989. We believe there are hundreds more languishing in Missouri prisons who face unnecessary legal obstacles to their freedom.

This relentless pattern of delaying justice also undermines the attempts by local prosecutors and district judges to correct the grave injustices by their respective offices over the years. They work hard to present cases and rely on the Attorney General’s office to uphold their conclusions.

We, the undersigned endorsers and petitioners, agree with Chris Dunn and demand that the Missouri State Attorney General's office fulfill its obligation to pursue justice for the public, not impede justice. The office must recommit to its mission as the "People’s lawyer... fighting for openness and justice, particularly for those who lack a voice."

Cathy Sullins

David Boger

JoAnne Metzler

Terry Bergeron

Nicole Meitzen

Jane von Kaenel

Cristen Serdy

Nicole Meitzen

Simone Williams

Susan Gibson

Robert Fox

Rebecca Kroll

Armando A. Garcia

Herald Kane

Amy Harris

Sarah Felts

Kevin Chestnut

David Boger

Linda Smith

Grady Brown

Rosalind Norman

Lisa Ross

Clare Smith-Larson

Cheryl Mcrae

Marilyn Long

Tom Pitman

Margaret Phillips

Jean Calandrino

Brandon Burrell

Rochelle Kaskowitz

Dale Williams

Nancy Litz

Sister Carol Boschert

Twyla Meyer

Karen Coulson

Anne Litwin

Malaika Horne

Mark Fredericks

Heidi Moore

Zaki Baruti

Amy Hereford

Etefia Umana

Ruby Douglas

Lorraine Hartmann

Valerie Barth

Ingrid Brown

Jane Sauer

Kevin Chestnut

Deshunai Barlowe

Arthurine Harris

Madeline Buthod

Kimberly Jayne

Charmaine Lemmie

Rosy Jackson

Susan Gibson

Kalimu Endesha

Daniel Romano

Laverne Brown

Angelika Mueller

Jonathan Segers

Grace duMaine

Tamar Albrecht

Gwyn Thorpe

DAVID SHIELDS

Marcus Albrecht

Cindy Clausen

Rea Kleeman

Michelle Zignago

David Boger

Mark Scharff

Karen Paul

Charlotte White

Jeanette Glaenzor

Linda Bristol

Myisha Johnson

Denise Lieberman

Kevin Chestnut

Dani Kahn

Alex Hubbard

Elizabeth Ramsey

Jane Fisler-Hoffman

Attika Ghalem

Karl Winkler

Terri Ryan

Abbey Cutts

Aaron Mcmullin

Anna Eggemeyer

L. Simonson

Susan Castelli-Hill

Amaia Goni

E. W. Browne

Judith Crane

Paul De Marsh

Tom Pitman

Ruth Longenecker

Elv Yex

Angelica Krauer

Beatrice Parwatikar

Francisco Javier Villarreal

Mary Mitchell

Eldon Dillingham

Margarita Flener

Christine Wheeler

Vincent Sheffer

Aaron Klaus

Rebecca Breeden

Jule Cape

Patience Robbins

Jim Kemna

Maureen Doyle

Devon Hazel

Randy Thomas

CHLOEBAILEY

Larry Hildebrand

Patricia Gloriod

Patricia Barrett

Grace Hanna

Debra Traikos

Megan Beesley

Juliann Hesed

Robert Musser

Jennie Bloom

Sabine Gerani

Karen Coulson

Michelle Beasley

Emily Otto

Linda Maser

Betsy Wolf

Blythe Spindler-Richardson

Betsy Wolf

Patrick McBride

Judy Plank

Brigid Reid

Mariah Byrne Sullivan

David Billing

Jane St. John

Katharine Rotardier

Sally Iocca

Joseph Naidnur

Dany Lacio

Audrey Thompson

Ross Caravelli

Joseph Gilbert

Chris Barker

LADONNA HIGGINS

Dottie Thompson

Haydyn Williams

Patricia Thomson

Kent Partridge

Deaon Doug Myler

Margaret Kruse

Mary Sartor

Starla Wallace

Melanie Church

David Wassilak

Mildred Loddeke

Jean Schaeffer

Barbara Byrd

Cecilia La Pietra

Orio Puricelli

Dee Buttimer

Marty Koenig

Sarah Felts

Gary Johnson

Joan Filla

Trisha Cooley

Aneshka Torres

Kathleen Massanari

Dawn Wolfson

Kent Johnson

Jan-Paul Alon

Sharon Baker

Jane Fisler-Hoffman

Regina Milliner

Alison Stackman

Joan Saltzman

Jane Miller

John Gouger

Ben West

Tom Taylor

Ronald Hill

Kimberly Presley

Beth Sutton

Kelly Korenak

Mara Price

Mary Lynn Schmidt

Diana Praus

Cody Goin

John Chaplin

Mary Calvert

Jenifer Hill-Denney

Catherine Shipman

Charmaine Lemmie

Slavica Kukuric

Mike Follman

Laura Flanagan

Lori Alicie

Susan Jordan

Margaret Katranides

Paula Barr Skillicorn

Bryan Pigford

Susan Worden

Denise Curry

Gene Majewski

JACKIE Gray

Virgil Pauls

Denise Hill

Paige Spindler-Richardson

Bernadette Goessling

Karin Olson

Gary M. Schulte

Abbragale Blaine

DESPINA DIMOPOULOU

Justin Philipps

Karen Pollard

Rosa Lopez

Diane Pierce

Scott Kampas

Erin Johnson

Loretto Gettemeier

G. Dale Mathey

Frances Goff

Cornelia Teed

AJ Cho

Dogan Ozkan

Ziona Schulthess

Peter Leeftink

Linda Beardi

HELENE HAMAN

Tim Devereux

Julie Edwards

Paul Eisenberg

Eric Innes

Sophia Heath

Julie Jones

Karen McCaw

Adrian Cardwell

Bradley Breier

ELIZABETH DAVIS

Shonni Wiggins

Gerald Stookey

Bailey Barnett

Ralf-Dietmar Klatte

Monica Haddad

Betty Cooper

Mary Sander

Jeff Brotemarkle

Connie Raper

Véronique Chelveder

Steven Krieger

Alena Schoonmaker

Summer Josephson

Tim Devereux

Jiri Platovsky

Tito Galdo

Susan Gibson

Clarisse Teepe-Fryrear

Tom Pitman

Nancy Goth

Eric Harris

Cindy La

Martin Jarrett

Josea Oliveira

Terri Ryan

Michael Bechard

Daniel Higgins

Julie Whaley

Donna Walmsley

Edward Ronan

Utkarsh Nath

Kimberly Jayne

Demontay McNamee

Myisha Johnson

Juliette Jacobs

Demond McDonald

Sonya Muhammad

Rage Gray

Jordan Mcnamee

Pamela Calmese

Andrew Gunn

James Pennington

Denise Muhammad

Halisi Lester

Barbara Goodman

Torryn Gray

Percy Green II

Emile Bradford Taylor

Jalynn Echols

Riaa Noldoj

Anna Beth Peters

Tom Pitman

Twyla Meyer

Nicole Meitzen

Teresa McCaw

Emma Armbruster

Sondra Hardgrave

SHERYL ROGERS

Demond McDonald

Laverne Brown