MO AG Bailey files amended petition for the removal of St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner
ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KMOV) - Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey released an amended petition to his Writ of Quo Warranto against St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner on Tuesday.
In the amended petition, Bailey calls Gardner a “failed circuit attorney,” citing more than 2,700 cases that have been forced to be dismissed because of Gardner’s “inexplicable failure to provide defendants with discovery and a speedy trial.” He also stated that Gardner’s office had dismissed more than 9,000 cases, frequently on the cusp of trial.
Bailey also claims that Gardner has lost the people’s trust and left victims in the dark.
In the new petition, Bailey lists these reasons as why Gardner should be removed from office:
- Respondent has failed to prosecute criminal cases.
- Respondent has failed to review and charge cases submitted by law enforcement.
- Respondent has failed to review reports of officer-involved shootings.
- Respondent has failed to comply with discovery obligations.
- Respondent has failed to timely dispose of evidence in criminal cases, creating a danger to law enforcement personnel left “drowning in drugs” seized from crime scenes.
- Respondent has failed to hire, train, and supervise her staff to carry out the work of her office.
- Respondent has failed to comply with public records requests under the Missouri Sunshine Law.
- Respondent has mismanaged her office finances and burdened the city with hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees.
- Respondent has violated the constitutional rights of victims by failing to inform and confer with them about pending cases.
- Respondent has failed to timely dispose of criminal cases, violating the rights of victims and defendants alike.
In response to this petition, A representative for Gardner’s office told News 4 that their office is reviewing the petition.
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