Prosecutor who denied charges in Kansas City firefighter's killing receives death threats

Angel Saunders
·3 min read
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As previously reported by REVOLT, last week, prosecutors declined to press charges against a Black woman who shot and killed a white off-duty firefighter. On Oct. 6, the unidentified woman was trying to break up a fight between 41-year-old Anthony Santi and her male friend Ja’Von Taylor.

Cell phone video captured by a bystander showed the woman repeatedly begging the two men to stop fighting. She informed Santi that he was killing Taylor and threatened to shoot if the firefighter did not turn the man loose. After several warnings, Santi was shot in his back. Now, the prosecutor on the case has begun receiving threats. In a news release from yesterday (Oct. 24), the Jackson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office shared that Jean Peters Baker has become the victim of phone calls with offensive, racist and sexist language.

According to the release, Michael Mansur, the director of communication at the office, said it’s uncommon for them to make statements on closed cases, however, they take the “oath and the safety of [their] employees seriously.” He added that the “phone calls also include violent threats.” Mansur noted the woman from the video was cleared of charges because she “fired a single shot in defense of the man who was being strangled.”

The release added, “Video evidence from the convenience store [supported] the defense of others provision as codified in Missouri law. Because of this, as stated, Missouri’s self-defense and defense of others law required that this case be declined.” Mansur attached one of the many voicemails the prosecutor received to the release. A caller is heard saying, “We’re going to burn your f**king house” and “We’re f**king coming for you.”

Baker faced backlash online for her decision. One Twitter user even asked their followers to harass the prosecutor: “Everybody near Kansas City needs to harass DA Jean Peters Baker until she decides to prosecute the murderers of Tony Santi. NOW! The time to stand up is now. This is such bulls**t.” Another tweet praised Baker for standing firm in her choice not to file charges: “We appreciate you for your difficult decision Jean Peters Baker. Regardless of what these disgusting masses think, you did what was right.”

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