The Gateway
The Gateway
St. Louis Public Radio
Thursday. April 17 - Jail reform advocate is "hopeful, but focused"
11 minutes Posted Apr 17, 2025 at 10:58 am.
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Show notes
Janis Mensah is the former vice-chair of the St. Louis Detention Facilities Oversight Board, and is scheduled to go on trial next month for charges stemming from a 2023 arrest at the City Justice Center. Mensah says police beat them unconscious while waiting to see a detainee, but police say Mensah ignored orders and refused to leave.
Mensah spoke with STLPR’s Lacretia Wimbley about the need for greater transparency at the jail, where 19 detainees have died since 2020.