As of Thursday, the Missouri attorney general has initiated the process to have Gardner removed from office.
State Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit against St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner on Thursday, claiming that Gardner’s recklessness warrants her removal from office. At the press conference, one individual in the crowd cried that Gardner had experienced “racist harassment,” which caused a commotion.
To justify her handling of the bond-jumping case involving 21-year-old Daniel Riley, Gardner held a press conference. Riley attacked young volleyball player Janae Edmondson, who was in St. Louis on Saturday with her family for a competition. The authorities say that Edmondson’s lengthy hospital stay after the accident that left her bedridden is the result of Riley’s irresponsible driving (she was traveling too fast, she failed to yield, and a collision happened).
Did you feel helpless when confronted with racist threats and abuse? Unfortunately, we can’t rely on federal support, and because we have no allies in Jefferson City, we’ll have to find the money somewhere. A few seconds after Gardner had formally introduced everyone, someone spoke up. Jefferson City is home to the state’s highest law enforcement agencies.
The moderator cut in at last, adding “Don’t sweat it; fire away with questions. There is no requirement to deliver the speech. A small number of inquiries can be answered at this time, unfortunately.
Moderator: “We’re in this right now if you guys can be kind and respectful,” despite complaints from several reporters there.
Gardner, after a short pause, stated “It seems like a challenging subject to me. St. Louis voters, please hear my message. That’s why we should all do our parts fairly and equally. Workplace initiatives have been plentiful. I find that there is a lot of deliberate resistance to my government.
Saying, “That is no justification. Of course, we know that this is not the case and that there are aspects of the system over which we do have some say. The only thing we can control is how aggressively we pursue justice despite the deliberate manipulation of legal institutions to guarantee our office fails. Paraphrasing Gardner’s words:
Another reporter cast doubt on Gardner’s claim that her office had repeatedly asked a judge to revoke the bail of the individual who had been released on bail after being found guilty of the accident that left a little child in critical condition. Before Gardner could begin speaking, there was an audible kerfuffle between the media and the audience.
Bail can be legally revoked in several ways, including with an oral request to do so. This is a standard practice in the area, and it can be communicated verbally or in writing. Her reassurance arrived promptly which was both welcome and expected.
Since Judge Hittenbock issued the bond that ultimately freed the young man who injured the young lady, the situation escalated further when someone asked, “How is it that the media organizations that are responsible for researching these cases before they get on the news and spewing facts got this so wrong?”
The evidence is irrefutable, which is something we should all know by now. While it may be easy to assign blame, one young woman and her loved ones are currently experiencing the consequences of the criminal justice system. Janae Edmonson, Miss is her whole name. So, these individuals must accept complete responsibility for their actions. Thus, I will not assign guilt. Here is an excerpt from Gardner’s work:
Because of this, my division has exhausted all available options. Do you have any ideas for what else we may be up to? Moreover, we are capable of doing it as well, if not better. Do we seem to have reached a dead end? But not in the way you’re thinking. She continued to ramble on and on.
When asked about comments recently made by St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones in which she implied that the public had lost trust in her, the crowd applauded Gardner.
The comment, “We are here to support her and stand with her 100%,” was met with loud applause and fervent cheering from the audience.
Finally, Gardner shared his thoughts, saying, “Nothing matters more to me than doing the will of the people who voted for me, and if they change their minds they can always use the democratic system to get rid of me. It’s a vote. I will not reply to the mayor’s statements because I do not think it is proper for one person to speak on behalf of the whole people.
It’s just more of the same voting suppression we’ve seen around the country and in Missouri, Gardner said, adding that “the attorney general, as others exploit this horrific situation and tragic occurrence to this young woman as a political stunt of an unelected politician.” Bailey sued to have Gardner fired from her position.
Governor Mike Parsons of Missouri appointed Bailey to replace the seat left vacant after Attorney General Eric Schmitt was elected to the Senate in November 2022.
A large portion of the audience applauded after Gardner’s press conference ended, and a few people even shouted, “We’ve got your support!” There was an upsurge in chants of “No justice, no peace” from the audience.