A Kansas City Police officer who dodged charges in a 2023 triple shooting has a history of using excessive force, racking up millions in payouts to victims and surviving one prominent call for his firing.
Officer Blayne Newton, 29, shot at a minivan 16 times in the June 9, 2023, incident that killed Marcel Nelson and Kristen Fairchild, both 42, at an intersection near 31st Street and Van Brunt Boulevard. A third person, Jaden Thorns, was shot in the head but survived. The Kansas City Police Department settled a wrongful death lawsuit with the families late last year for $3.5 million.
Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson announced Wednesday that she could not “ethically or legally” file charges against Newton despite her concerns with the pattern of cases…