Killa City: Q&A with Jackson County District Attorney Jim Kanatzar

Over the last decade, Kansas City, Missouri, has averaged 108 homicides per year; 2009 closed out at 110. That bloodshed was the subject of this week’s cover story by Justin Kendall.

Here, we speak with the man responsible for bringing justice to the families of the deceased: Jackson County Prosecutor Jim Kanatzar.

Pitch: What do you see as the biggest factors contributing to the homicide rate?

In my estimation, people commit violent crimes when they are angry, under the influence of drugs, under the influence of alcohol or often times a combo of both. Most of our murders come down to that. It’s not as complicated as a lot of people think.

In your three years as county prosecutor, how has the character or nature of violent crime changed in Kansas City?

There’s been an increase in senseless violence. All violence is senseless at the end of the day, but what I’m talking about is younger offenders who feel like they have to retaliate with extreme acts of violence for very simple conflict situations. I had a case a few years ago: There were two defendants who had literally grown up on the same street. They had a fight over a girl and it escalated into gun play. Ten years ago, that would be a very, very rare case. The worst thing that would happen is a bloody nose — nothing that would make it up to my desk.