“font-family: Verdana; font-size: 9pt;”>Today, I am honored to pay tribute to a great American – a remarkable trial attorney, prosecutor, circuit and appellate judge, my dear friend … the Honorable George W. Draper.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”> I want to commend Governor Nixon for selecting such an exceptional jurist to serve on the Missouri Supreme Court.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Judge Draper ascends to the high court after 17 years on the bench and 10 years in the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>He is only the second African American to serve on the Missouri Supreme Court, which makes this appointment truly historic.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>While serving here on the Missouri Court of Appeals, Judge Draper authored several hundred opinions.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Prior to his appointment to the appellate court, Judge Draper served first as an associate circuit judge from 1994 to 1998,
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>and then as a circuit judge from 1998 to 2000 in St. Louis County.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>While serving as a prosecutor with the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s office from 1984 to 1994, Judge Draper prosecuted numerous major felony cases and worked closely with law enforcement.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>I have been blessed to know Judge George W. Draper, his wife, Judge Judy Draper, and his wonderful family, for more than four decades.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>His dedication to the law, “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>to our state and to this community is legendary.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Let me conclude my remarks by quoting another esteemed member of the bar:
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>Missouri Public Service Commissioner Robert Kenney. When notified of Judge Draper’s appointment, he told the St. Louis American this:
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>“The psychological impact of Judge Draper’s appointment is immeasurable. It is important that African-American lawyers, and African Americans generally, “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>see living, breathing members of our community succeeding in academic and intellectual pursuits. The effect of seeing black achievement at the highest level of the legal system cannot be overestimated.”
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>I think that says it all.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>So to my dear friend Judge Draper, “font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana; mso-fareast-font-family:”>congratulations, may God bless you, and I am so proud to call you my friend.
“font-size: 9.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: Verdana;”>Edited from remarks made February 10 at the Missouri Court of Appeals in St. Louis when Judge Draper was sworn onto the Missouri Supreme Court.
