St. Louis couple charged for pulling guns at protest
ST. LOUIS (AP) — St. Louis’ top prosecutor on Monday charged a white husband and wife with felony unlawful use of a weapon for displaying guns during a racial injustice protest outside their mansion.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey, who are both personal injury attorneys in their 60s, also face a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree assault.
Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner told The Associated Press that the McCloskeys’ actions risked creating a violent situation during an otherwise nonviolent protest.
“It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner — that is unlawful in the city of St. Louis,” Gardner said.
An attorney for the couple, Joel Schwartz, in a statement called the decision to charge “disheartening as I unequivocally believe no crime was committed.”
apnews.com/85e4f25f10b73e8926f6602b6a76bfef
Mike Parson
@mikeparson
We will not allow law-abiding citizens to be targeted for exercising their constitutional rights.
We will not allow law-abiding citizens to be targeted for exercising their constitutional rights. t.co/6t5dUxdVgp
— Mike Parson (@mikeparson) July 18, 2020
Governor Parson says he would consider a pardon in the McCloskey case
“Kim Gardner is making the situation worse — more political.”
h/t CrsCrpr