Questions about ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell’s employment practices keep coming — both in the courts and on the campaign trail.
Attorneys for ºüÀêÊÓƵ County, who represent Bell’s office in a discrimination suit, lost twice Wednesday in circuit court — meaning Bell’s office will have to answer questions it had hoped to dodge; and also will have to go to court next month, instead of next year.
Meanwhile, former state legislator Maria Chappelle-Nadal is slamming Bell for employing Sam Alton as his chief of staff, resurrecting Alton’s arrest in 2011 on charges of domestic violence filed by Alton’s wife at the time.
Bell and Chappelle-Nadal are both running in the Aug. 6 Democratic primary against incumbent U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-ºüÀêÊÓƵ.
Alton did not respond to several phone calls from the Post-Dispatch.
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Chris King, a spokesman for Bell’s office, said, “We don’t intend to respond to every attack political foes throw at Wesley on Twitter.â€
But King did cite a response on social media made in 2019 by Alton’s ex-wife, after the alleged assault was discussed on Twitter by political operative Jane Dueker.
The ex-wife said “Sam Alton and I are not only co-parents ... we are close friends. We are successfully raising our two children even after our separation, creating a loving, stable home.â€
King concluded by saying that Bell shares a wish by Alton’s ex-wife that “her family stop being used for political purposes....â€
Attempts to reach Alton’s ex-wife were unsuccessful.
As to Wednesday’s court hearing, which was held behind closed doors, Circuit Judge Bruce F. Hilton ruled that a person in Bell’s office — Bell himself, according to Chappelle-Nadal — would have to answer deposition questions about sexual relations occurring between a supervisor and multiple subordinates in Bell’s office.
The genesis of Wednesday’s hearing was a deposition taken in January in a discrimination suit filed in October 2020 by longtime prosecutor Susan Petersen.
No date has been set for the new deposition hearing ordered Wednesday by Hilton, said Jerome Dobson, Petersen’s attorney.
Petersen, a white female who was 46 when she was fired, alleges that Bell let her go because of her age, race and gender.
Although court records have redacted the name of the person who refused to answer the questions, Chappelle-Nadal called out Bell on X (formerly Twitter).
“I strongly urge Wesley Bell to stop sleeping with ... subordinates in the prosecuting attorney’s office, Chappelle-Nadal said in a social media post on March 8 that included a photo of Petersen’s motion.
The county’s attorneys argued that the questions were “highly prejudicial†and did not prove anything in the case.
Petersen’s attorneys countered that the questions could illustrate the redacted party’s “attitude toward and general treatment of women in the workplace.â€
Petersen’s side further argues that the redacted party engaging in “intimate relationships with his female subordinates would make it more probable that (he) would use his power ... to treat other women in the office, including (Petersen), in a disrespectful and demeaning manner....â€
Why 2011 accusation resurfaced
As to the domestic violence issue, Chappelle-Nadal took to social media on Monday to quote from court records which showed that in 2011, a ºüÀêÊÓƵ County judge granted Alton’s wife a full protection order against Alton for adult abuse/stalking.
It's really hard to believe a word that comes out of the mouth of a man who staffs himself with wife abusers and accepts contributions from people even more violent towards their spouses.
— Maria Chappelle-Nadal (@Maria4Missouri)
Like none of these folks knew any of this. But, ok.
Chappelle-Nadal said she was spurred to publicly address the situation after seeing Bell being interviewed on local television news, speaking out on a domestic violence case.
“I guess (Bell) proves it’s possible to speak out of both sides of your mouth,†Chappelle-Nadal said in an interview.
Citing Alton and the discrimination suit, Chappelle-Nadal said, “What is the culture and environment of the prosecuting attorney’s office that creates all these problems?â€
“It’s really hard to believe a word that comes out of the mouth of a man who staffs himself with wife abusers ...,†she said Monday on X.
It's really hard to believe a word that comes out of the mouth of a man who staffs himself with wife abusers and accepts contributions from people even more violent towards their spouses.
— Maria Chappelle-Nadal (@Maria4Missouri)
Like none of these folks knew any of this. But, ok.
County court records indicate that Ladue police arrested Alton about 1 a.m. on Oct. 1, 2011, at an address in the 1700 block of South McKnight Road.
In the records, Alton’s ex-wife alleged that Alton had grabbed her out of bed, threw her to the floor multiple times and left bruises on her arms and stomach. The records indicate the alleged attack occurred in front of the couple’s children.
The court order also noted that the ex-wife alleged that Alton previously had threatened, stalked and physically assaulted her in the past.
In another matter relating to his employment with Bell’s office, Alton has come under fire from several County Council members who question the fact that he has made more money working side jobs than he has earned while working for Bell.
Since Alton joined Bell’s staff in January 2019, he has made more money in the past five full years from those side gigs, $776,500, than he has working for Bell, $674,012.
The Post-Dispatch has been trying unsuccessfully since early January to get pay records from two municipalities, Pagedale and Bellerive Acres, that employ Alton.
Bell, who got a professional boost as a private attorney while representing several North County municipalities, has consistently defended Alton’s outside employment.
Trial delay request denied
In another matter decided at the court hearing Wednesday, Hilton denied the county’s motion to delay the Petersen trial, which is set to go before a jury on April 15.
Willie T. McGarry, representing Bell’s office, told the court he wanted the delay in the trial — which likely would have been rescheduled to a date in 2025 — because he is going through a marriage separation.
Gregory Rich, Petersen’s lawyer, objected to the delay and noted that the case was filed more than 40 months ago.
Hilton agreed with Rich, saying he did not find McGarry’s personal situation to be a sufficient reason for a delay.
Petersen’s lawsuit, filed in October 2020, says she worked in the prosecutor’s office for 21 years and was fired in 2019. Her suit contends that she was one of five white prosecutors older than 40 who either were forced out or quit in Bell’s first term as county prosecutor.
Petersen now is lead counsel for the , which represents area police departments. Her suit against the county seeks at least $100,000 in damages.
The two sides already have met for a mediation conference, which was unsuccessful. No other conferences are set at this time.