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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSt. Louis couple who aimed guns at protesters charged with felony weapons count
The St. Louis couple who emerged from their mansion in a gated community and aimed weapons at protesters marching past them last month, were each charged Monday with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon.
Lawyers Mark McCloskey, 61, and Patricia McCloskey, 63, have said they were merely defending their home, on a private street in an upscale neighborhood, from a crowd that was marching to Mayor Lyda Krewsons house to protest racial injustice. Video and photographs showing Mark McCloskey wielding a rifle and Patricia McCloskey aiming a pistol at the marchers created a firestorm of controversy between those who felt the couple was legally defending their home and those who felt they were menacing peaceful protesters.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, who filed the charges against the McCloskeys, did not order the couple to surrender or be arrested. Instead, as part of Gardners reformist approach to reducing incarceration for low-level crimes, she issued them summonses and said she would consider them for a diversion program, which would enable the charge to be dismissed if a counseling or other remedial course were completed. The charge carries a possible penalty of probation up to four years in prison.
The McCloskeys attorney Joel J. Schwartz called the charges disheartening, as I unequivocally believe no crime was committed. Schwartz said the McCloskeys support the First Amendment right of every citizen to have their voice and opinion heard. This right, however, must be balanced with the Second Amendment and Missouri law, which entitle each of us to protect our home and family from potential threats.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/st-louis-couple-who-aimed-guns-at-protesters-charged-with-felony-weapons-count/ar-BB16Yx5A?li=BBnb7Kz
Didn't Missouri's dumbass governor threaten to pardon these people?
PTWB
(4,131 posts)It is good to see that charges were finally filed even if theyre quite light.
procon
(15,805 posts)MyOwnPeace
(16,949 posts)that if they are found guilty he would expect to pardon them.
No big surprise there - that governor is in the running to be next in line to kiss BunkerBoy's big fat a$$, but he's still behind Florida's, Georgia's, and Texas' governors, and they don't like to share!
crickets
(25,989 posts)Even better would be taking their guns away, but we all know how likely that is.