White resigns from state Supreme Court

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Supreme Court Judge Ronnie White, the first black judge appointed the state's highest court, said Friday he is stepping down.

White said he plans to retire July 6 and would like to continuing working in the legal field, though he has no specific plans.

White, 53, of St. Louis, was appointed to the Missouri Supreme Court in October 1995 by former Gov. Mel Carnahan and took a turn as chief justice from mid-2003 through mid-2005. He previously served on the Missouri Court of Appeals' Eastern District and as a Democratic state House member.

"I have devoted most of my life to public service, first in my home community of St. Louis, then in the state Legislature and finally as a judge in Missouri's judiciary," White said in a written statement. "My family and I are looking forward to my return to life as a private citizen."

White was twice nominated by former president Bill Clinton to serve on the federal bench. But then-Sen. John Ashcroft, R-Mo., led a Senate fight against White that ended in 1999 with the defeat of his nomination.

Ashcroft, a former Missouri governor, contended White was soft on the death penalty.

Had Ashcroft not blocked his federal judgeship, White likely never would have had the opportunity to become the state's first black chief justice. Unlike the U.S. Supreme Court, where the chief justice is appointed by the president and serves indefinitely, Missouri's chief justice rotates every two years by seniority.