Melesa Johnson, who promised to combat Kansas City’s high rate of violence with aggressive prosecution and crime prevention, easily won the race for Jackson County prosecutor on Tuesday to become the first Black woman in the position.

Johnson, 35, who emphasized her roots in the city’s urban core, will replace prosecutor Jean Peters Baker, who has held the position since 2011. Johnson, an attorney who just began her career in Baker’s office, is currently Mayor Quinton Lucas’ public safety director. .

She bested Tracey Chappell, a black Republican defense attorney, who accepted in person at Johnson’s viewing party and introduced and hugged Johnson.

Johnson, dressed in suffragette white, said she was humbled by the historical significance of her victory and hoped she could be “a beacon of hope” for others.

“Today we showed that a black girl from the east side of Kansas City can become one of the highest-ranking law enforcement authorities in the entire county – that means something,” he said. “That will extend to people who want to become police officers, prosecutors, sheriffs, probation officers, people where I come from. And that’s a good thing for the system as a whole.”

The candidates focused on strategies to address crime in recent days, thanks to a rise in property crimes by armed teenagers breaking into businesses and cars in majority white, more affluent neighborhoods like Waldo and Brookside. Debate in the city centered on whether Kansas City police are responding to calls and whether Baker’s office was charging enough cases.

Public outcry came to a head in August when armed teenagers were shot to death. Popular Irish chef Shaun Brady near his Brookside restaurant. Two boys, 17 and 15 years old, have been charged with second degree murder in family court and can be charged as adults.

Carlos Moreno

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KCUR 89.3

Johnson responded by saying he would balance prosecuting those crimes with continuing his work in the city’s anti-violence effort, SAVE KCwhich focuses on street-level intelligence about the people who are most likely to commit crimes.

“I am the only candidate with a real plan to make meaningful change in our community.” Johnson told reporters.

Chappell, a defense attorney, responded with a tough-on-crime message and pointed to her previous work as a Blue Springs prosecutor. He said social justice programming should come after pursuing criminal convictions.

A subplot in the race centered on Missouri’s outright abortion ban, enacted in 2022 after the downfall of Roe v. Wade. Baker, a supporter of reproductive rights, largely ignored the law and prosecuted no one for abortions. Johnson said he would do the same, but Chappell said he would charge those involved in performing an abortion outside of emergency services as it is against state law.

On Tuesday night, Johnson said the abortion issue played a role in both his primary and general elections.

“From the top of the ballot down, women’s reproductive freedoms, women’s reproductive rights have been a critical issue throughout this entire election cycle,” she said.

Johnson defeated two other Democrats in the August primary election, easily beating Stephanie Burton, a Kansas City defense attorney, and John Gromowsky, a Jackson County deputy prosecutor. Gromowsky, who had the support of every police union in the metropolitan area and outspent Johnson three to one, came in a distant third.