Longtime prosecuting attorney ousted by Ferguson councilman

Credit: Jeff Roberson

Credit: Jeff Roberson

Longtime St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch’s 28-year run came to a surprising end Tuesday when newcomer Wesley Bell, a Ferguson city councilman, cinched a victory.

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Bell, 43, promised to change the criminal justice system after McCulloch’s handling of the Ferguson case.

McCulloch, 67, who had more fundraising and experience, faced his first challenger in Bell, a two-time Ferguson city councilman, since protests erupted in 2014 after the death of Michael Brown, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Previously, McCulloch had only been challenged in three other races, according to the Post-Dispatch.

"People say, 'Well you shocked the world.' No. We shocked the world," Bell told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "Out of tragedy, comes opportunity. ... I'm a product of that evolution."

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