St. Louis police supervisor blamed for suspect’s release

ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis’ public safety director says a police supervisor’s mistake — and not a positive test for COVID-19 — was the reason a domestic assault suspect was released from jail before being charged. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that Interim Public Safety Director Dan Isom says the release of Mac Payne on Jan. 4 “wasn’t consistent” with police department policy. Payne’s release from the downtown jail after he tested positive for COVID-19 was cited by a police union attorney as a policy change by the administration of Mayor Tishaura Jones. Isom has denied there has been a change in policy allowing the release of potentially violent offenders just because they have the virus.