ST. LOUIS–Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner on Thursday called the move by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to have her removed from office earlier today a "political stunt."

What You Need To Know

  • Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner called the move by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey to have her removed from office a "political stunt" saying she was going to focus on the people that elected her

  • Her office is under fire for the handling of a robbery case where the suspect violated his terms of his bond more than 50 times and is accused of causing a crash that led to a teenager volleyball player losing the use of her legs

  • Gardner doubled down on a timeline of events she said reflected her office's concerns with Riley's bond violations. The attorney general alleges there are inconsistencies in Gardner’s claims that her office sought bond revocation

  • The court released transcripts from two hearings where prosecutors were on record agreeing with defense counsel to allow Riley to be on home arrest with standard GPS monitoring

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Gardner is under fire for her office's handling of a case involving the accused driver, Daniel Riley. He is 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 Janae Edmondson, a Tennessee teenager, without the use of her legs.

Gardner started an afternoon news conference outside her office by offering thoughts and prayers for Edmondson.

She doubled down on a timeline of events that she said reflected her office's concern with Riley's bond violations. She acknowledged that her office could have done more but she decried those who said it did nothing, accusing those calling for resignation of engaging in "willful ignorance".

“I’m going to focus on the people who elected me,” she said.

Bailey says there are inconsistencies in Gardner’s claims that her office sought bond revocation, which do not show up in CaseNet, the court’s online filing system. Gardner said those motions were made orally in court.

Late Thursday afternoon, a spokesman for the 22nd circuit court released transcripts from two hearings from September 8, 2020 and August 10, 2022, where prosecutors were on record agreeing with defense counsel to allow Riley to be on home arrest with standard GPS monitoring.

The Associated Press reported Riley's former attorney agrees with Gardner. In a blog post, attorney Terence Niehoff wrote that an assistant prosecutor “did bring to the Court's attention Riley's numerous bond violations,” but judges allowed him to remain free.

Earlier Thursday, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey confirmed a quo warranto filing to seek the removal of Kim Gardner as St. Louis Circuit Attorney. Bailey had given Gardner a noon deadline to resign or face the procedure. Bailey told reporters he filed the petition at 12:01.

Bailey's filing alleges Garder has failed to prosecute cases, has failed to confer with an inform victims of crimes and has failed to charge new cases referred by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson added his voice to the calls seeking the resignation of St Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner Thursday, saying she is “not doing what she needs to be doing.”

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 has faced criticism over her office’s handling of cases involving violent crime and what’s seen as a combative relationship with St. Louis Metropolitan Police since coming into office in 2017.

At a joint news conference Thursday to announce the state’s role in a lawsuit against the Biden administration over water rules, Bailey said he was still hopeful that Gardner would resign but that if not, his office was ready to establish that she had neglected her office.

 

Bailey said the quo warranto process would begin with a court filing in the city of St. Louis’ 22nd circuit. It’s unclear how long the process would actually take.

If Gardner were removed, it would be up to Parson to appoint an interim Circuit Attorney.