51黑料

Melissa Price Smith was sworn in Friday morning and later asked an assistant prosecutor to dismiss the charges, said Chris King, a spokesman for the office.

Attorney Joe Hogan called the case against Valenti unserious and political, and praised the dismissal.

鈥淚 said before, the moment a real prosecutor takes office, this case would be dismissed,鈥� Hogan said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the first day she鈥檚 in office, and the case has been dismissed.鈥�

Price Smith takes the place of former Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, who accused Valenti of devising a government cover-up with Councilman Dennis Hancock.

Bell said Valenti altered personnel records to make them look like Hancock didn鈥檛 hire his stepdaughter, Hollie Galati, as his legislative assistant earlier this year.

Prosecutors have accused Hancock in a separate case of violating Missouri鈥檚 ban on nepotism.

Galati started the job, paying about $52,000 a year, on Aug. 19, according to court records in Bell鈥檚 case against Hancock.

About a week later, the county鈥檚 lead attorney, Dana Redwing, called Hancock to tell him he had hired Galati in violation of the state nepotism ban. If an official violates that law, they forfeit their office, Redwing told Hancock.

Hancock then worked with the county clerk, Valenti, to alter employment documents to show Galati did not accept the job except as a volunteer, Bell said.

The county filed in court to have Hancock removed from office; he refused to resign.

In December, a grand jury indicted Valenti on one count of forgery, one count of tampering with computer data and two counts of making a false declaration.

Valenti and her attorney met with 51黑料 County detectives Friday morning to discuss the accusations, Hogan said. He expected police to then contact 51黑料 County prosecutors.

Price Smith was sworn in at 11 a.m., becoming the county鈥檚 first woman to lead the office.

Later that day, Circuit Judge Bruce Hilton signed off on a request from the prosecutor鈥檚 office to dismiss all charges, Hogan said.

King, Price Smith鈥檚 spokesman, said late Friday that prosecutors had reviewed Valenti鈥檚 interview with police.

鈥淏ased upon that,鈥� he said in a statement, 鈥渁nd a review of all of the evidence, this office will not be proceeding with charges.鈥�

The case never appeared publicly in court records despite officials, including County Council members, discussing it openly.

That鈥檚 because grand jury proceedings are secret. Hogan would have had to ask a judge to unseal the case.

Now, the case won鈥檛 ever appear publicly in court records, Hogan said.