What You Need to Know

• St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner stepped down immediately Tuesday, more than two weeks earlier than previously expected


• Gov. Mike Parson said his office is interviewing candidates Wednesday and hopes to make an announcement by Friday


• St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Wesley Bell was seen at Gardner's office today, but his exact role or authority is unclear
  
  
• St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and Gov. Parson met at City Hall earlier Tuesday where they mayor's office says she "re-emphasized (sic) that the appointment should serve as a caretaker for the office who can make much-needed changes without the distraction of re-election politics in 2024." 

Gov. Parson's office has appointed the attorney general's office to assist the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's office in the interim starting Wednesday. Attorney General Andrew Bailey said in a statement, "I am sending Deputy Attorney General, Judge Bill Corrigan, and his team today to immediately receive referrals from police and start the process of clearing the backlog of cases until the Governor appoints the newest Circuit Attorney."

Bailey has been calling for Gardner to resign immediately since she first said she would step down earlier this month. 

"The Circuit Attorney has finally heeded my call to resign after undermining the rule of law for years," said Bailey in a statement.

St. Louis County Circuit Attorney Wesley Bell, who had been in contact with Gardner's office in recent days to assist with the transition, was at the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office Tuesday, but his exact role or authority is not clear. 

“Her unexpected resignation has put us in kind of a gray area,” Bell’s spokesman, Chris King, said during a Tuesday afternoon press conference. King explained Bell was waiting to hear from the St. Louis presiding judge or Gov. Mike Parson on how to proceed.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones and Gov. Parson met at City Hall earlier Tuesday to discuss the needs of the circuit attorney's office. 

Jones' office says the mayor "re-emphasized (sic) that the appointment should serve as a caretaker for the office who can make much-needed changes without the distraction of re-election politics in 2024." 

Gardner's office releaesd a statement this afternoon saying "effective immediately, Kimberly M. Garder will end her service as City of St. Louis Circuit Attorney."

It also explained Gardner's office has worked with St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell to ensure a transition plan is in place to handle cases that prioritizes public safety. 

In an afternoon court hearing over the February petition Bailey filed trying to remove Gardner from office, a judge set a conference for next week, hoping there would be more clarity on who is in charge of the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office.

Gov. Parson will appoint someone to the circuit attorney’s job for the rest of the term, which is up in 2024. Eighteen candidates turned in applications for the position.

Gardner sent Gov. Parson a resignation letter on May 4, stating she would resign in part because of the proposed public safety bill that would have given Parson the ability to appoint a special prosecutor for violent crime. 

In her resignation letter, Gardner said that the proposed legislation would "strip" voter's rights from electing a circuit attorney and that she "cannot be the final circuit attorney ever to be elected in St. Louis." 

Gardner also faces contempt charges involving former assistant attorney Chris Desilets after he did not appear in court on April 10 for what was supposed to be the start of a trial.