ST. LOUIS (AP) - U.S. Rep. William Lacy Clay on Tuesday asked the Justice Department to widen its civil rights investigation in the St. Louis area to include municipal courts.
The Justice Department began an investigation of Ferguson and St. Louis County police following the Aug. 9 shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed, black 18-year-old, by Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson, who is white. The shooting exposed an undercurrent of racial unrest in Ferguson and other nearby suburbs in mostly black communities of north St. Louis County.
Clay sent a letter to Acting Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, citing a report released from the nonprofit Better Together that he said shows many jurisdictions operate courts as a revenue source, with little oversight.
"These municipalities cannot continue to financially survive largely and disproportionately on the backs of the African-American community," Clay, a St. Louis Democrat, wrote.
Justice Department spokeswoman Dena Iverson said Clay's letter will be reviewed.
It isn't clear when the Justice Department will release findings of its investigation. A state grand jury is also considering whether Wilson should be charged.
The Better Together report recommended that cities pool money collected from traffic court while capping the amount they can keep from fines at 10 percent. Missouri law requires amounts above 30 percent to go to the state.
The report found that the average municipal court in St. Louis County takes in more than $700,000 annually, but costs less than one-third of that to operate.
Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich has also announced an inquiry into the finances of 10 municipal courts, including Ferguson and four others in St. Louis County.