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Illustration of the St. Louis skyline across the river, with foliage in the foreground. Simiya Sudduth

The Marshall Project — St. Louis

Exposing abuses in the criminal justice system in St. Louis and Missouri through investigative, data and community engagement journalism.

St. Louis
Judges in Missouri Can Levy Death if Juries Deadlock. Some Say the Law Is Unconstitutional.
Missouri is one of two states where a judge can hand down death when juries cannot agree unanimously on a sentence.
An illustration shows the back of a judge sitting on a chair. The head is a white, hollow silhouette. A paper stack is placed in the bottom right corner.
An illustration shows a grid of different jail cells with small or narrow windows, or no windows at all.
Analysis May 21
The Unbearable Darkness of Jail
Jails in St. Louis, Cleveland and Jackson, Mississippi, don’t provide direct access to sunlight and fresh air – even when their own policies require it.
By , and
A Black SUV with the words “Sheriff Ozark County” on the driver’s door is parked in front of a gray brick building with a sign that reads “Ozark County Law Enforcement Center.”
St. Louis May 19
Rural Missouri Jails See Windfall in Trump’s Mass Deportation Effort
As cash-strapped jails rush in for ICE contracts, one man’s death shows the complexity and risk of detaining immigrants.
By
An orange illustration shows a bird’s-eye view of a person in a prison uniform sitting on the edge of a bed, leaning their head on their hands, covered in beads of sweat. The wall is wavy as if from heat and there are cockroaches on the floor.
St. Louis May 14
These Missouri Prisons Get ‘Brutally Hot.’ In Solitary, It’s Even Worse.
A recent class action lawsuit from the MacArthur Justice Center sheds light on how extreme heat creates life-threatening conditions for those in solitary confinement.
By
A photo collage displays a jail, a brick building surrounded by wire fences, men in jail uniforms holding a burning fabric by a broken window, a demolition excavator, a badge that reads “City of St. Louis Division of Corrections” and a text clipping.
St. Louis April 21
St. Louis Jail Is a ‘Potential Powder Keg’
A facility built for progress reflects ‘decades of neglect’ and the city’s deepest struggles, from mental illness to systemic dysfunction.
By
Sandra “Sandy” Hemme, an older White woman with medium-length gray hair and glasses, wears a blue jean jacket and stands outside in front of a lake and some trees.
St. Louis April 3
Sandra Hemme’s 43-Year Fight for Innocence Reflects Pitfalls in Missouri’s Justice System
Even after a judge declared her innocent and ordered her freed, the Missouri attorney general tried to send her back.
By
An illustration shows an aerial view of a couple getting married inside a room. The couple stands in front of an officiant at a podium. Guests are seated behind the couple. Four panels at the edge of the illustration suggest a person in a blue prison uniform being body scanned, a couple holding hands, a hand getting stamped and wedding rings on a table.
Life Inside February 14
Prison Wedding Rules: No Cake, No Lace, But Lots of Love
St. Louis activist Khanika Harper found the perfect way to marry her passion for justice with the power of love: She became a prison wedding officiant.
By Khanika Harper as told to
A composite photo of, from left: Jesse Bogan, a White man with glasses; Ivy Scott, a Black woman; Katie Moore, a Korean American woman; and Will Lager, a White man with glasses.
News and Awards February 11
The Marshall Project Announces St. Louis Local News Team
This will be our third local news team; this one will produce investigative, data and engagement journalism to serve audiences across Missouri.
By The Marshall Project
The Mississippi River is visible in the foreground of a photo, with the Gateway Arch in the center. Buildings are in the background, and a blue sky with clouds is visible.
Get Involved February 11
Got a Story About the Justice System in St. Louis? We’re All Ears
Your input helps us decide what issues The Marshall Project - St. Louis should dig into next.
By
A view from above the awning of the St. Louis Police Department headquarters' entrance, where a man is standing in front of the metal doors. The man’s face is not visible.
Feature June 10, 2024
5 Takeaways From Our Series on St. Louis Homicide Investigations
The police department has struggled to solve homicides, partly due to shoddy detective work, staffing shortages and eroding community trust.
By Rachel Lippmann, St. Louis Public Radio; Tom Scheck and Jennifer Lu, APM Reports
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