St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner steps down early
- Calls for her resignation came after a crash involving a driver on parole
- Gardner was accused of incompetence and negligence
- She initially agreed to resign effective June 1
FILE – St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner sits behind her attorneys in a courtroom, April 18, 2023, in St. Louis during the first hearing of a lawsuit by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey seeking to remove Gardner from office. Gardner announced Thursday, May 4, that she will resign effective June 1 amid calls from Republican leaders for her ouster. (David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, Pool, File)
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(NewsNation) — St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner is leaving office early after having announced she would be retiring effective June 1.
Gardner came under fire after a car accident that cost a teenager both of her legs. The driver at fault was out on bond, but had multiple parole violations. Gardner claimed her office had requested the driver’s bond be revoked, but a judge denied the motion.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey demanded Gardner’s resignation in response to the crash, but she initially refused, stating voters could replace her at the ballot box if they desired. Bailey filed a petition to remove Gardner from her role, citing incompetence and negligence as reasons for her removal.
In the wake of the controversy, prosecutors for the office resigned and Gardner failed to show for court on at least two occasions.
Gardner eventually announced her decision to resign if Bailey’s office would drop the demand for a special prosecutor to handle felony cases in her jurisdiction.
In her absence, Gardner’s office has suggested cases be handled by the St. Louis County prosecutor’s office, a decision which requires the approval of the governor and attorney general.
