Murdered cop's family demands tragedy be left out of contentious Republican primary where Donald Trump endorsed BOTH candidates

The family of a constabulary serviceman who was killed by a repetition criminal successful Missouri recovered itself astatine nan halfway of a contentious GOP superior successful nan state.

The 2 Republican candidates for authorities lawyer wide - existent AG Andrew Bailey and Trump lawyer Will Scharf - are moving connected very akin platforms.

They besides some received beardown endorsements from erstwhile President Donald Trump, successful a unsocial feat.  

Despite almost nary daylight policy-wise betwixt Scharf and Bailey, nan title has go truthful aggravated that it is now 1 of nan astir costly down-ballot races successful nan state astatine astir $20 million.

Bailey's grounds connected crime is successful nan spotlight successful a caller advertisement and mailers being funded by a governmental action committee supporting Scharf. 

It blames Bailey for failing to support notorious repetition criminal Kenneth Simpson down bars erstwhile he was a region prosecutor. Simpson has been charged for nan execution of constabulary serviceman Mason Griffith, who was changeable and killed successful nan line of duty successful March 2023 astatine property 34. 

Now, nan widow of nan slain cop is demanding that her precocious hubby beryllium near retired of nan contentious run arsenic she raises 2 young sons.

Jennifer Griffith says nan ads person sent her family spiraling erstwhile again and is demanding they cease. 

'They're hitting this beautiful hard,' Griffith told DailyMail.com, adding that she's received 3 message ads, countless telephone calls, surveys and matter messages pinch videos exploiting her husband's death. 

'I person to explicate to my boy each clip he sees a commercialized connected TV why Kenneth Simpson's look is connected TV,' she added, referring to her husband's alleged killer. 

Alleged bull slayer Kenneth Simpson had a agelong history of run-ins pinch nan constabulary opening successful 2004. He spent nan adjacent decade successful and retired aliases prison, according to tribunal records.

The advertisement chiefly hits Bailey for his clip arsenic adjunct charismatic successful Warren County successful 2017 erstwhile he handled multiple cases involving Simpson.

Simpson was arrested, charged and released connected enslaved aggregate times successful nan autumn of 2017 for allegedly punching his begetter successful nan look and possessing brass knuckles, 2 misdemeanors.

He ended up spending 10 days successful jailhouse for unlawful possession of supplier paraphernalia nether Bailey's prosecution. 

The pro-Scharf PAC's onslaught ads and mailers spell connected nan discourtesy against Bailey, saying Simpson's short sentences allowed him to perpetrate much crimes.

'As a prosecutor, Bailey went easy connected a convulsive profession felon who erstwhile changeable up a bull car,' nan contentious advertisement states. 

'Bailey knew that, and yet charged him pinch specified misdemeanors aft he struck again, retired wrong months,' nan advertisement went on.

After his apprehension for shooting Griffith, Simpson told constabulary he was connected nan tally for respective warrants. He told them he believed he was going to dice and decided to perpetrate 'suicide by cop.' 

He is accused of sidesplitting constabulary serviceman Mason Griffith and wounding serviceman Adam Sullentrup.

Police said Simpson had six felony warrants retired of Warren County and 1 misdemeanor warrant from Franklin County.  

Bailey's squad is accusing nan pro-Scharf PAC of 'exploiting' nan calamity during nan campaign.

Scharf, arsenic a candidate, is prohibited from coordinating pinch PACs for illustration Defend Missouri connected messaging aliases strategy. 

'Will Scharf and his supporters astatine Defend Missouri PAC are exploiting this tragic decease to dispersed lies,' Bailey run spokesperson James Lawson told DailyMail.com.

'Their diplomatic ads not only disrespect Mason's representation but besides jeopardize nan prosecution of his killer.'  

Now, calls for nan advertisement to beryllium taken disconnected nan aerial person grown truthful large that moreover nan state's governor, Republican Michael Parson and nan state's fraternal bid of constabulary person joined in. 

'Sergeant Mason Griffith's wife, children and mother person had to witnesser live-action footage from nan astir unspeakable time of their lives play complete and complete again successful a governmental tv advertisement,' Parson wrote connected charismatic authorities letterhead to Defend Missouri PAC. 

'I telephone connected nan Defend Missouri PAC to region nan footage of this tragic event. NO family should beryllium forced to beryllium revictimized by nan sensationalism of nan man charged pinch shooting their loved one.' 

Jennifer Griffith, meanwhile, is asking for an apology and for nan onslaught of ads to stop. She said she's reached retired to Scharf's run and nan PAC and has not gotten a response. 

After Simpson's 2023 arrest, his neighbors told nan St. Louis Post-Dispatch they were wholly unsurprised to find retired he'd been progressive successful nan shooting. One said: 'He's ever had problems. That serviceman should not beryllium dead.' 

Angela Koepke, Jennifer Griffith's mother, has been starring nan complaint to person nan ads taken down by contacting nan campaigns, penning op-eds and letters to nan editor crossed nan state. She said she moreover plans to interaction Trump's run since he endorsed Scharf. 

Scharf said nan ads were not his doing, but stood by nan sentiment expressed successful them.  

'My run has nary power complete these independent ads,' Scharf told DailyMail.com. 

'Mason Griffith's decease was a unspeakable tragedy, and my bosom goes retired to each of those who knew and loved Mason Griffith. When prosecutors don't do their occupation and fastener up convulsive repetition offenders, tragic consequences ensue.'

'Missourians who attraction astir rule and bid should beryllium profoundly concerned that Andrew Bailey has a history of treating convulsive criminals pinch kid gloves.  

But Koepke argues Scharf could region himself from nan ads successful nationalist statements.  

'His willingness to usage a fallen serviceman and grieving family arsenic governmental pawns is simply a testament to his character,' Koepke said successful 1 letter. 'We impulse voters to cull Scharf's strategies and grant Mason's bequest by supporting those who respect nan norm of rule and nan sacrifices of rule enforcement.'