New interim Moniteau County prosecutor appointed

Moniteau County has its second interim prosecutor a little more than a week after the resignation of Shayne Healea.

Presiding Circuit Judge Kenneth Hayden appointed and swore in Derek Spencer, an assistant prosecutor in neighboring Cole County, as the new interim prosecutor Thursday after ann Perry’s resignation.

Hayden on Sept. 5 appointed Perry, a California, Missouri, lawyer, as the interim prosecutor after former prosecutor Healea resigned the previous day. Healea pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor charges in connection with a drunken crash into Addison’s restaurant in downtown Columbia in October 2014.

Healea’s plea deal also required him to resign from office.

In a release announcing her resignation Perry said she was honored to be appointed to the position but the demands of her private law practice won’t allow her to serve as prosecutor. She also thanked the Moniteau County Republican Committee for suggesting her as a candidate for the position on a permanent basis.

“After much thought and consideration, I have chosen to decline that nomination, and to focus on my private practice,” Perry said.

Gov. Mike Parson will appoint a permanent replacement at some point, but it isn’t clear when that appointment will be made.

Healea also took his name off the November ballot as the only candidate for prosecuting attorney. County officials said last week they were researching whether they can get other candidates on the ballot.