ST. LOUIS _ A week after approving a controversial resolution remembering the St. Louis drug suspect fatally shot by former police officer Jason Stockley, the Board of Aldermen on Friday considered another resolution praising city police as they respond to unrest following Stockley's acquittal.
The resolution, sponsored by Aldermen Joseph Vaccaro of the 23rd Ward and John Coatar of the 7th Ward, commends "the men and women of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department for their steadfast dedication to safeguarding the well-being" of city residents.
As protesters against the Stockley verdict stood outside City Hall, the board did not vote on the measure. Instead, a motion was made quickly to refer it to a committee.
Last week, alderman approved a resolution remembering Anthony Lamar Smith, the St. Louis man shot by Stockley in 2011.
Earlier this month, Stockley, who is white, was acquitted of first-degree murder for shooting Smith, who was black. Stockley argued he did so in-self defense, following a suspected drug deal and a car chase. Prosecutors maintain Stockley carried out the premeditated murder of Smith and planted a gun to justify the killing. The verdict has led to a series of protests throughout St. Louis.
"(Smith's) death has sparked a universal cry for justice and accountability throughout the City of St. Louis," reads the initial resolution for Smith, which included the names of all city aldermen.
Alderman John Collins-Muhammad of the 21st Ward, who introduced that resolution, said the board was acting in part to help ease the grief of Smith's mother, Annie Smith.
But the move angered police, who said city officials were paying tribute to a man who tried to kill a cop, as well as some St. Louisans who felt they were wrong to honor Smith in light of his criminal record.
On Facebook, 12th Ward Alderman Larry Arnowitz responded to angry constituents, saying he had been out of town during the vote and would ask for his name to be removed from the ordinance.
Then Friday, Vaccaro introduced the resolution recognizing police for their efforts to keep the city safe during recent unrest.
"There are two sides to every story," he said on the floor of the board's chambers, clutching a photo of an officer killed in the line of duty. Explaining that he had children working in law enforcement, "I'm here on behalf of the parents, grandparents and children worried about their moms and dads."
A vote was taken to send the resolution to a public safety committee.
Vacarro told the St Louis Post-Dispatch this week that he, like Arnowitz, was looking into having his name removed from the Anthony Lamar Smith resolution, saying he was out of the room during the discussion and motion to pass the measure "en banc."
A spokeswoman for Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed said those motions affix the names of all aldermen present at the meeting to courtesy resolutions, and anyone could have objected to the motion or made a point of order if they had misgivings.
Arnowitz's name being added was a clerical error, she said, and it has since been removed.
"The way they did it was just really not right," Vaccaro maintains. "If I'd known they would have made that motion, I would have stayed in the room."
Following the backlash, other aldermen released statements explaining why they supported the measure for Smith.
Alderman Tom Oldenburg, who represents the 16th Ward, said that the resolution wasn't intended to criticize Stockley, city police or the verdict in Stockley's case.
"Paying respects after someone's death is always about seeing the good in that person," he said in a statement. "Resolution 139 does not honor Mr. Smith's prior criminal actions, nor does it seek to insult members of law enforcement.
"As a Catholic who is taught to value all life, I stand by the Board's decision to support a grieving mother who endured a very public family tragedy," Oldenburg said.
Alderwoman Carol Howard of the 14th Ward released a statement last week saying she had intended to object to the resolution but was not recognized by Reed. But upon reflection, she said, supporting the measure was in "the better interest of all," adding that she wanted to provide comfort to Anthony Lamar Smith's mother, Annie Smith, who was in the chamber that day.
"As I reflect on the past week, I know that as a community we need to come together," she said.
Many board resolutions typically are approved without dissent and therefore list the names of all aldermen. Alderman Scott Ogilvie of the 24th Ward said on Twitter that years ago he asked that his name not be included on any resolution he didn't sponsor. "Each alderman should make their own decisions on this," he tweeted.
