By: William C. Lhotka, of the Post-Dispatch
(reprinted from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), October 26, 2004)
Darrell Jackson, a former Webster Groves High School football standout and University of Missouri recruit, was charged Monday with molesting a child five times from August 2000 -- when she was 8 -- to April 2004. Prosecutors filed five felony counts of statutory sodomy in St. Louis County Circuit Court three hours after a judge decided that Jackson, 19, who was originally charged under the juvenile code, should stand trial as an adult. The girl was born in 1992 and lives in Webster Groves. Jackson was born in early October 1985 and lives in the 4300 block of Chouteau Avenue in St. Louis. Jackson was a friend of her brother's and a visitor in their home, the girl's family has said. He was held Monday at the St. Louis County Justice Center in lieu of $50,000 bail. His attorney, Scott Rosenblum, said efforts were being made late Monday afternoon to arrange for bail. "We were expecting the charges," Rosenblum said. "We will deal with them in court. It is not a surprise." Rosenblum and another lawyer, John Rogers, represented Jackson at Monday's certification hearing, which by law was closed to the public. Prosecutor J.B. Lasater represented the state. The hearing before Family Court Administrative Judge Tom W. DePriest Jr. lasted about 40 minutes. DePriest had to take into consideration Jackson's current age, the nature and the circumstances of the alleged crime and the fact that the allegations involved a crime against another person rather than a property crime. A report of a deputy juvenile officer says there are no programs within the juvenile court system available to provide rehabilitation for someone of Jackson's age. After prosecutors filed a petition in Family Court in August, alleging criminal misconduct, Jackson dropped out of his freshman classes at the University of Missouri at Columbia. He had been a highly recruited player, with a football scholarship. Jackson twice was named the Post-Dispatch high school football player of the year. He led Webster Groves to the Missouri Class 5 championship in 2002 and to second place last year. Mizzou coaches considered him a potential successor to quarterback Brad Smith when they recruited him last spring.
