KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There's been a sharp increase in domestic violence homicides this year in Kansas City, Missouri.
Police report 12 people have been killed through April, which matches the total for all of 2024.
A Kansas City municipal court program has been successful in preventing repeat incidents among first-time domestic violence offenders.
Presiding Judge Courtney Wachal of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court of Missouri - Kansas City Municipal Division, sees every person in Kansas City charged with domestic violence.
"Monday-Friday at 9 a.m., I handle domestic violence cases," Wachal said.
Wachal said the caseload increased after COVID, with about 200 domestic violence cases per day. That creates a constant stream of people moving through her courtroom.
"This is a very serious problem in our city," Wachal said.
The potential consequences for offenders in municipal court is up to six months in jail.
Wachal says prosecutors face challenges when pursuing domestic violence cases.
"Often times, domestic violence cases are dismissed because the witness does not want to prosecute," Wachal said.
But even when dismissals occur, the court found a way to potentially break the cycle of violence through domestic violence intervention programs for first-time offenders.
"A three-hour class for first-time offenders, it’s grant-funded and is separate curriculum for males and females," Wachal said.
Wachal said while Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson has promised to take on more serious domestic violence cases, the class is working for people charged in municipal court.
“The curriculum has been remarkably successful,” Wachal said. “We ordered 300 people to take the class this last year; it had a 91% attendance rate, which is unheard of.”
She says the proof is in the number of offenders who come back to her courtroom facing another domestic violence case.
Of the 300 people ordered to take the class last year, less than 6% returned to court with new charges.
Wachal shared feedback from women who completed the program.
"A weight was lifted," one victim shared with Wachal.
Others who went through the program told Wachal, "I wasn't looking forward to it, but I'm glad I attended, "I wish it was longer," and "Good to see that there are others like me, working toward getting better and doing better."
Wachal said after reading the comments of women who have taken the class, she feels "very confident" when she orders them to take part in the program.
"I say, 'trust me, you might get something out of this class.’”
KSHB 41reporter Megan Abundis spoke with Antwan Drone, who took the court's other domestic violence intervention classes.
Drone said he found it beneficial.
“It made me read people better, as far as people’s temperament and my own temperament," Drone said. "I learned a lot about myself too."
Judge Wachal remains optimistic about the program's impact.
"I'm so encouraged by the outcomes of this class,” she said. “It's frustrating when these cases don't get prosecuted. I understand. But we are creating an environment that people know that we’re trying will increase prosecution rates eventually. And even if these cases get dismissed, at least we get that piece of education for people coming.”
Wachal emphasized she and her staff are well-educated about domestic violence in Kansas City.
“I think it's important that we acknowledge that in Kansas City it's not easy to go through the court process," Wachal said. "If you want to get an order of protection, you have to go to the Jackson County Courthouse. If someone violates the order of protection, they receive the charge in the municipal courthouse. If they get charged with the felony, it's at the Jackson County Courthouse. It's just the way our system is; it creates a lot of loopholes for a victim of domestic violence to walk through if they want to prosecute. And we are aware of that and I think it's frustrating for them because they don't see that when they come to court. What they see is their intimate partner being read their rights, being told they have a presumption of innocence, being appointed a lawyer when the victim doesn't get a lawyer. So I think it's important to know that our bench and this prosecutorial staff and my probation department is very educated on the cycle of domestic violence.”