51黑料

Parson, a Republican, picked county assistant prosecuting attorney Melissa Price Smith, a Democrat, to complete the term of current top prosecutor Wesley Bell after he resigns next month to take his newly elected seat in Congress.

鈥淚 am so grateful for this appointment, and I want to thank Gov. Parson for putting his faith in me,鈥� Price Smith told the Post-Dispatch Thursday afternoon. 鈥淚 so look forward to continuing the work I鈥檝e been doing in partnership with law enforcement.鈥�

She would be the first woman to serve as county prosecuting attorney.

The governor鈥檚 announcement comes just days after 51黑料 County Executive Sam Page, a Democrat, announced his own replacement for Bell, who plans to step down Jan. 2.

Price Smith, 56, has worked as a 51黑料 County prosecutor since 2008, according to the . She leads the sexual assault and child abuse team.

Parson and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, both Republicans, sued Page and the county late last month, asking a judge to stop the county executive from naming the county鈥檚 next top law enforcement official.

Bailey argued the governor has the power to appoint prosecuting attorneys under the Missouri Constitution.

51黑料 County lawyers disagreed. They argued the county charter allows Page to nominate a replacement.

Missouri counties with their own charters, including 51黑料 County, have such power under the state Constitution, the attorneys said. St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann, a Republican, appointed Joseph McCulloch as prosecuting attorney last year after Tim Lohmar resigned.

鈥淭he (51黑料 County) charter clearly states that the county executive is authorized to appoint the prosecuting attorney when a vacancy occurs,鈥� said Page spokesman Doug Moore in a statement Thursday. 鈥淲e are confident the courts will agree.鈥�

Last week, Page named former federal prosecutor Cort VanOstran, a Democrat, as his pick to fill the remainder of Bell鈥檚 term, which ends in January 2027.

Price Smith said Thursday she applied and interviewed for the job with Page鈥檚 and Parson鈥檚 offices, both.

鈥淚 am confident the law is on the governor鈥檚 side, and I鈥檓 confident the courts will make the right decision,鈥� Price Smith said.

Parson said 51黑料 County needs an experienced prosecutor 鈥渨ho demands and upholds law and order.鈥�

鈥淢elissa is committed to the rule of law, and we are confident that she will deliver, as demonstrated by her distinguished career putting criminals behind bars, including child abusers, perpetrators of sexual assault and violent offenders,鈥� Parson said in a statement.

Price Smith is the daughter of Margie and Herschel Price, a 51黑料 businessman and Playboy Club owner. Margie Price was working as a Playboy bunny at a club on Lindell Boulevard when she met her husband in the 1960s. She later owned and operated a club on South Lindbergh Boulevard that closed in the mid-80s.

Price Smith grew up in Creve Coeur, attended a strict ballet school, and said her parents raised her and her sister to be 鈥渧ery strong and independent.鈥� She earned a bachelor鈥檚 in psychology from the University of Missouri-51黑料.

In her 20s, Price Smith put her ballet skills to work in Las Vegas as a dancer with her twin sister in the Siegfried and Roy show. Back at home, they became cheerleaders for the 51黑料 Cardinals鈥� Team Fredbird.

But Price Smith said she wanted to 鈥渕ake a difference.鈥� She decided to go to law school, and earned her degree from 51黑料 University.

Price Smith鈥檚 first job was at the 51黑料 Circuit Attorney鈥檚 Office under former Circuit Attorney Dee Joyce-Hayes. She then practiced civil litigation for seven years before going to work for 51黑料 County.

Until earlier this year, Smith鈥檚 sister, Teresa Price Bomkamp, was also an assistant prosecuting attorney in 51黑料 County. Prior to Bomkamp retiring, the sisters worked together on sexual and child abuse crimes.

Price Smith said the first thing she would do as prosecuting attorney is an internal audit to find ways to 鈥渕ake our trial teams more effective with the resources we have.鈥� She wants to make sure police know they have a partner in the prosecuting attorney鈥檚 office. And she also wants to focus on recruitment and retention. She supports higher pay, but wants to recruit people 鈥渨ho want to do this kind of work.鈥�

鈥淭he people in this office never went into prosecution to make a lot of money,鈥� Price Smith said.

Price Smith made $110,000 last year as a senior attorney in Bell鈥檚 office.

A hearing in Bailey鈥檚 case has been set for 9 a.m. Dec. 18 in 51黑料 County Circuit Court.

Joe Holleman of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.