Cop’s Role Probed as Infant Murder Case Stalls

St. Louis police are investigating whether an officer's actions during a homicide investigation jeopardized murder charges against the mother of a 1-year-old whose body was found in a trash bin.

City prosecutors dropped murder and child abuse charges against Melissa Shawneece Jackson on Monday, a week before she was set to go to trial for the death of her 18-month-old son, Marquell. The infant's body was found behind their Jefferson Avenue apartment building in May 2011.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that an unidentified patrol officer was placed on administrative duty Wednesday as police conduct an internal investigation into his role.

Defense attorney Scott Rosenblum says the case collapsed after the officer testified in a deposition that he didn't alert detectives about incriminating statements made by Jackson's ex-boyfriend.