While a judge weighs whether to remove St. Louis Sheriff Alfred Montgomery, the city is suing Missouri over who has the authority to appoint a new sheriff.

“The City asserts that this responsibility rests with its chief executive officer, the mayor,” wrote City Counselor Michael Garvin in the lawsuit filed Friday. “But when a vacancy occurred in the office of sheriff more than 40 years ago, it was the City’s Board of Aldermen that chose a replacement sheriff.”

Garvin writes that in order to resolve all uncertainty around the issue, a judge needs to decide who has express authority. The case was filed in Cole County, where the majority of challenges to state law are submitted.

Mayor Cara Spencer told St. Louis Public Radio last week that the situation is murky.

“It’s a complicated w

See Full Page