Gardner isn’t the lone prosecutor under GOP scrutiny. Critics questioned why Riley was free despite so many bond violations. The driver, 21-year-old Daniel Riley, was out on bond on a robbery charge despite nearly 100 bond violations that included letting his GPS monitor die and breaking the terms of his house arrest. But even some of her supporters flipped as the backlog of criminal cases began to mount.Ī pivotal turning point came in February after 17-year-old Janae Edmondson, a volleyball standout from Tennessee, was struck by a speeding car after a tournament game in downtown St. “Since day one of my tenure as Circuit Attorney, I have experienced attacks on my reforms, on my judgment, on my integrity, on my prosecutorial discretion, on my responsibility to direct the limited resources of this office and more,” Gardner said in her resignation letter, adding that the attacks were “at the expense of public safety.”ĭespite her critics, Gardner easily won reelection in 2020. She was among several big-city Democratic prosecutors across the country who have faced criticism and ouster efforts in recent months. Gardner, who has been at odds with Republicans for most of her six-and-a-half years in office, announced Thursday that she would resign effective June 1. Republicans cite a need to crack down on crime and work more cohesively with police. Louis, Missouri’s governor is getting plenty of advice about the qualifications Gardner’s replacement should bring to the table.Īctivists and Democrats want someone who will continue her progressive policies, even if many concede that Gardner’s replacement must restore confidence in the St. LOUIS (AP) - Now that Kim Gardner is stepping down as the chief prosecutor in St.
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