Carter County prosecutor: Chris Koster is shamefully misleading the public

(From the Ed Martin for Attorney General campaign)

Liberal Democrat Chris Koster's latest ad is a disgraceful example of his political scheming. Using trumped up rhetoric, the ad states that Koster personally put Lance Shockley on death row. Koster's claim runs counter to the facts of the case.

Sergeant Carl Dewayne Graham was brutally murdered by Lance Shockley in March of 2005. After a three-and-a-half year investigation and a trial, Shockley was convicted of murder in March of 2009 - merely two months after Koster took office. A sentence followed two months later, which Koster is now taking credit for. But those involved in the case say Koster was never at the trial, and his official travel records corroborate the claim.

Carter County Prosecuting Attorney Rocky Kingree released the following statement:

"Chris Koster is shamefully misleading the public by exaggerating his involvement in the tragic case of Sergeant Dewayne Graham and twisting a State Trooper's death into political points. Koster is claiming personal credit for a criminal's sentencing that he had little to do with, and was only possible after thousands of hours of work by a dedicated team on the ground in Carter County. As an elected official and a law enforcement professional, I know prosecutions and convictions are a team effort, not to be vainly paraded around as a feather-in-the-cap. Furthermore, as someone who knew Dewayne, I am also offended that Koster's ad does not even refer to Dewayne correctly. In Carter County, he was only known as Dewayne. Anyone with the slightest involvement in the case would know that. Koster's attempt to twist this for his political gain is an atrocious example of his shameful pandering.

"Koster's ad is a disgrace to law enforcement and should be pulled immediately. Koster is misleading the public about his real involvement in this case. He is using an unfortunate situation to trump up his tough guy image, but Missourians should not be fooled. The voters are learning that Chris Koster is a shameless opportunist who will do anything it takes to stay in power, even if that means switching parties, filing meaningless briefs on important issues, or twisting a State Trooper's murder into a political play."