Attorney General William Barr revealed the Justice Department’s anti-crime effort, Operation Legend, has led to nearly 1,500 arrests so far, including 90 homicide arrests, while declaring his agency is “strengthening” police rather than “demonizing” them.
Barr made the announcement in Kansas City on Wednesday afternoon, a week after the arrest of the man charged with murdering 4-year-old LeGend Taliferro, for whom the nine-city Justice Department endeavor is named. Taliferro was killed the morning of June 29 while asleep in his Kansas City home, and 22-year-old Ryson Ellis was recently arrested by Missouri’s Jackson County prosecutors for second-degree murder, unlawful use of a weapon, and two counts of armed criminal action. Taliferro’s mother, Charron Powell, joined Barr at the press conference where Barr touted how federal law enforcement agencies are working in conjunction with state and local law enforcement officials to fight violent crime.
