The Missouri Attorney General said Wednesday night that he's giving embattled St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner until noon Thursday to resign or face proceedings to have her removed from office. Andrew Bailey's announcement is the latest in a string of calls for Gardner to step down.

What You Need To Know

  • Missouri AG Andrew Bailey gave St. Louis Circuit Attorney until noon Thursday to resign from office or face removal

  •  “Instead of protecting victims, Circuit Attorney Gardner is creating them. My office will do everything in its power to restore order, and eliminate the chaos in St. Louis caused by Kim Gardner’s neglect of her office," said Bailey

  • Gardner is under fire for her office's handling of a case involving an armed robbery suspect who violated terms of his bond more than 50 times, and has now been accused of being behind the wheel in a car accident that left a Tennessee teenager without the use of her legs

  • Gardner's office responded with a statement Wednesday night contradicting a statement from the 22nd Circuit Court, which said Tuesday that prosecutors had never filed a motion to revoke Daniel Riley's bond

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“As Attorney General, I want to protect the people of St. Louis, and that includes protecting victims of crime and finding justice for them,” Bailey said in a news release. “Instead of protecting victims, Circuit Attorney Gardner is creating them. My office will do everything in its power to restore order, and eliminate the chaos in St. Louis caused by Kim Gardner’s neglect of her office.”

Gardner is under fire for her office's handling of a case involving an armed robbery suspect who violated terms of his bond more than 50 times, and has now been accused of being behind the wheel in a car accident that left a Tennessee teenager without the use of her legs.

Bailey's call Wednesday echoed similar sentiments from Missouri House Speaker Dean Plocher, Missouri Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe and a handful of members of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen.

Gardner's office responded with a statement Wednesday night contradicting a statement from the 22nd Circuit Court, which said Tuesday that prosecutors had never filed a motion to revoke Daniel Riley's bond.

Gardner's office said it was Circuit Court Judge Bryan Hettenbach who allowed Riley out on bond with GPS monitoring on Nov. 6, 2020, and who denied a prosecution request to have it revoked Dec. 12, 2021.

Gardner's statement did not respond to the calls for her resignation.

Janae Edmondson, 16, of Tennessee, is recovering at a hospital after losing both her legs in a Saturday night’s crash. She was in town for a volleyball tournament and was returning to her downtown hotel when she was hit. Police say Riley, 21, was speeding when he failed to yield at St. Charles and 11th Street, causing the wreck.

“She really needs to do some soul searching of whether or not she wants to continue as the Circuit Attorney because she has lost the trust of the people,”  Mayor Tishaura Jones said of Gardner Wednesday afternoon.

Jones said last weekend’s incident and other incidents have highlighted the fact that some improvements need to be made in Gardner’s office. 

The mayor also said she is working with other city leaders to look at the processes that are in place to make sure something like this doesn’t happen again.

Aldermanic Board President Megan Green echoed Jones when they appeared at a St. Louis school Wednesday afternoon.

"I firmly believe leadership should be held accountable when the systems we're in charge of fail our residents—because beyond administering those systems, we are also charged with enacting reforms that prevent tragedy and elevate our standards for justice," she said in comments she shared on social media.

"It is impossible to achieve those ends when the Circuit Attorney’s office isn’t meeting minimum standards. I stand ready to support the Circuit Attorney in any way necessary to ensure that her office can work effectively for the benefit of residents in our city," Green said.

Several members of the Board of Aldermen are calling for Gardner's resignation.

 
 

Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis Inc., released a statement Wednesday criticizing Gardner’s office and saying this tragedy may serve as a turning point in the region’s efforts to strengthen public safety.

“The ongoing failures of the Circuit Attorney’s office – with regard to the individual involved in this case as well as a litany of other cases that have not been brought to justice – are unforgiveable,” said Hall. “We need immediate action. These issues are not new, and solving them requires all of us stepping up and coming together as one metro to develop a regional strategy to reduce crime and strengthen public safety.”

Efforts are underway in the state capitol to pass a broad public safety bill (HB301) that would allow for a special prosecutor to handle cases involving certain violent crimes. It passed the House and awaits action in the Senate. Several lawmakers are citing the bill while calling for Gardner’s resignation.

Missouri State Senate President Caleb Rowden, R-Boone County, tweeted Gardner “should resign or I will systematically and aggressively work with my colleagues in the #MOLEG to ensure her incompetence isn’t putting more lives in danger.”

St. Rep. Raychel Proudie, D-Ferguson, also mentioned the bill, which passed despite broad Democratic opposition in the GOP controlled House. Proudie said this latest controversy would have been a vote changer had it been taken this week. 

St. Rep. Chris Lonsdale, R-Liberty, called for Gardner’s resignation and also tweeted that HB 301 needs to be a senate priority.

The calls for Gardner to resign now stretch to Washington, D.C. with U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner tweeting Gardner is “unfit to serve.”

At the time of the crash, Riley was out on bond for a 2020 robbery charge. A court spokesperson says Riley was on house arrest and had 51 GPS violations since being released from jail in August 2022. 

Joel Currier, the Chief Communications Officer for the 22nd Judicial Circuit, explained that when a GPS violation occurs, the assigned prosecutor and defense attorney on record receive an email notification and it is their responsibility to bring relevant matters to the Court’s attention.

Tuesday night, the Circuit Attorney’s Office released this statement:

"A young girl’s life was tragically changed because of the inexcusable behavior of a young man. Our hearts go out to the victim and her family for this unspeakable tragedy that will undoubtedly have a lasting impact not only on her, but her family and loved ones.  It’s unfortunate that there are those who choose to twist the facts to take advantage of this situation for their own selfish motives. This is not the time for finger pointing, it’s time to support this family, and ensure that justice is served."

Support for Janae is pouring in from across the country. Her volleyball club posted on Facebook asking for prayers. They also thanked local authorities for their help during this time. A GoFundMe set up to help with medical expenses has reached nearly $294,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.