Contempt charges against former St.
Louis prosecutor Kim Gardner and her former assistant prosecutor have been dismissed following a motion filed by the special prosecutor assigned to the case.
The charges stemmed from a 2020 shooting, in which the attorney failed to appear for a trial.
The case was dropped on April 10th after Gardner’s unexpected resignation.
With thousands of pending cases, the focus now shifts to the interim circuit attorney, Evan Rodriguez, who was sworn in as the General Counsel.
Governor Mike Parson’s office aims to accurately determine the number of pending cases, which Gardner estimates to be around 3,000, while the police claim it to be 4,000.
Additionally, the office plans to assess the remaining staff members and their roles.
Despite the change in leadership, the governor retains the authority to appoint a permanent replacement.
Legal experts predict that rebuilding the circuit attorney’s office may take a minimum of six months.
Meanwhile, Rodriguez will receive support from Bailey’s office and Judge Bill Corrigan until a permanent replacement is appointed.
The attorney general has emphasized his intention to hold Gardner accountable, regardless of the outcome of the quo warranto process.
