The Supreme Court of Missouri [official website] on Tuesday ruled [opinion, PDF] that a statute prohibiting convicted felons from possessing firearms does not violate the Missouri Constitution’s [BallotPedia backgrounder] right to bear arms.
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They ruled part of the St. Peters red-light camera ordinance unlawful because it didn’t assess driving-record points for an alleged moving violation, contrary to state law.
Crane also sent us some data suggesting that the cameras improve drivers’ behavior – and that the lesson sticks.
In the St. Louis city case, the high court upheld a circuit court judgement that the city’s red light camera ordinance is invalid.
The Missouri Supreme Court has thrown out the final appeal that sought to block the St. Louis police department from having to turn over records involving a scandal related to some officers and 2006 World Series tickets.
An attorney for the officers said her clients and the St. Louis Police Officers Association accept the ruling of the Supreme Court.
Kansas City began its red-light program in 2009 and for several years had 29 cameras at 17 of the city’s most treacherous intersections.
Charles Territo a spokesman for American Traffic Solutions, a traffic-camera company named in the St. Louis case, said in a statement that the company looks “forward to working with communities throughout Missouri to restart their safety programs in full compliance with the direction provided in the multiple opinions issued today”.
The court primarily took issue with the problematic shifting of the burden of proof onto drivers given tickets to prove they were not operating their motor vehicle, rather than placing that burden on the state.
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Drivers who paid before that were given refunds through a class action settlement.
