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Former ESL Police Chief Matthews Without a Lawyer

Ronald Matthews (KWMU file photo)
Ronald Matthews (KWMU file photo)

By AP/KWMU

St. Louis, Mo. – The former police chief in East St. Louis still doesn't have a lawyer.

Ronald Matthews faces trial on conspiracy charges; the judge in the case says he doesn't know why no lawyers have stepped forward to represent Mathews.

The court will appoint one, if needed.

A grand jury two weeks ago accused Matthews and two others of trying to sidetrack an investigation of a former auxiliary police officer.

Matthews resigned last week as police chief.

Specifically, he's accused of trying to sidetrack a probe into a former East St. Louis auxiliary police officer who had his gun taken away during a scuffle with other officers. The former auxiliary officer is a convicted felon, and investigators were trying to find out if he broke any laws by having the weapon.

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