ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A St. Louis City sheriff’s deputy charged with shooting and killing a suspected carjacker is set for a plea hearing Friday morning.
The hearing for James Buchanan at the St. Louis County Courthouse is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. before Judge Ellen Ribaudo in Division 18. Buchanan is facing charges of second-degree murder and armed criminal action. He was set for trial later this month, but a pre-trial hearing that was set for Thursday was canceled.
St. Louis County Police said at the time that William Burgess carjacked a 67-year-old man who was with his 10-year-old grandson in a McDonald’s parking lot on Bellefontaine Road in the Spanish Lake area of north county. We’re told that Burgess hit the man as he tried to drive away in the car that he allegedly stole.
Authorities told FOX 2 that Buchanan, who was off duty at the time and on his way to work, saw the vehicle crash nearby, and Burgess take off running. We’re told Buchanan chased Burgess and eventually shot him.
Burgess was taken to a hospital where he later died.
St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said his office’s conviction and incident review team prosecuted the case. That unit was formed to look into incidents including police use of force cases.
It’s understood that grand jurors were given the option to charge Buchanan with either second-degree murder or first-degree involuntary manslaughter. They chose the more serious second degree murder charge.
Buchanan is represented by well-known defense attorney Scott Rosenblum.