Misdemeanor expunged for couple who confronted racial justice marchers. St. Louis needs to ‘cough up my guns,’ man says. (2024)

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People are also reading… Essential reading on the McCloskeys, the St. Louis couple who used guns to confront protesters on a private street Grand jury indicts McCloskeys on gun, tampering charges Watch now: Mark McCloskey says he and wife are being 'persecuted' for protecting themselves St. Louis officials won't prosecute trespassing cases St. Louis police cite 9 for trespassing in June protest outside Portland Place mansion Cori Bush responds to the McCloskeys, who called her a ‘Marxist liberal activist’ at the GOP convention The McCloskeys defend show of weapons in Republican National Convention speech Kim Gardner seeks to stop Missouri attorney general from meddling in McCloskey gun case Messenger: St. Louis prosecutor charges the new GOP mascots with a gun crime. Cue the meltdown. Missouri attorney general defends intervention in McCloskey prosecution McCloskeys charged with felonies for waving guns during protests Column: McCloskey gun-wielding case deserves to be heard in court Column: McCloskeys' lack of weapons discipline underscores a gun-rights problem Gov. says he would probably pardon the McCloskeys, if they're convicted Hawley asks feds to investigate St. Louis circuit attorney over McCloskey matter Gov. Mike Parson discusses the McCloskeys and a phone call with the president Gov. Parson says the McCloskeys ‘had every right’ to wave guns and shout at protesters Portland Place couple who confronted protesters have a long history of not backing down Attorney for Portland Place couple turns handgun over to police Watch now: A closer look at the Portland Place confrontation Protesters returned to the neighborhood later that week Messenger: This wasn’t the first time the McCloskeys pulled a gun to protect property, lawsuit says ‘I’d do it all again,’ says armed lawyer who confronted St. Louis protesters St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters saw threat by ‘bad actors,’ lawyer says; protester says he feared ‘bloodbath’ Portland Place, where couple pointed guns at protesters, has long been a private street Couple points guns at protesters marching to St. Louis mayor’s home to demand resignation The couple plead not guilty to the charges McCloskeys sue UPI, photographer over iconic image confronting protesters UPI looks at photo copyright issues with McCloskeys' greeting cards Judge disqualifies Gardner, her office from prosecuting McCloskey case City prosecuting attorney removed from case Special prosecutor appointed Gardner petitions Missouri high court after special prosecutor's appointment Charges against Patricia McCloskey adjusted: misdemeanor harassment added, evidence tampering dismissed Mark McCloskey announces candidacy for U.S. Senate seat Couple plead guilty to misdemeanor charges Governor pardons Mark and Patricia McCloskey Mark McCloskey sues to reclaim guns and money Governor pardons the McCloskeys McCloskeys' law licenses could be suspended Patricia McCloskey sues to recover fine Court tells couple to volunteer to help needy Missourians, not Project Veritas Missouri high court places McCloskeys on probation as lawyers McCloskey loses bid for Senate Be the first to know References

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  • Katie KullSt. Louis Post-Dispatch
  • 0

  • Lee Enterprises wire

Republican Mark McCloskey, a candidate for the U.S. Senate in Missouri, was the center of attention for some demonstrators and members of the media outside the Kenosha County courthouse Tuesday, as jurors inside continued deliberations in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial. Warning: This unedited vi…

ST. LOUIS — A St. Louis judge on Wednesday expunged the misdemeanor convictions of a local lawyer and his wife after they were pardoned for pointing guns at racial justice protesters outside their Central West End mansion in 2020.

Immediately after his conviction was cleared, Mark McCloskey demanded the city return the two guns that were seized as part of his guilty plea to misdemeanor assault, he said in an interview Thursday.

“It’s time for the city to cough up my guns,” he said.

If it doesn’t, he said, he’ll file another lawsuit.

The expungements, which came over objections from city prosecutors and police, marked the latest development in a four-year saga that began in the summer of 2020 when McCloskey and his wife, Patricia, emerged from their home on Portland Place and waved guns at people walking by during a protest of the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer.

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The McCloskeys, who said they were protecting their property from protesters trespassing on the private street, were charged by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner with multiple felonies. Gardner was later disqualified from prosecuting them after mentioning their case in campaign emails.

Misdemeanor expunged for couple who confronted racial justice marchers. St. Louis needs to ‘cough up my guns,’ man says. (1)

A special prosecutor took over and indicted the McCloskeys on felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering. They later reached an agreement in which Mark McCloskey pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault and his wife, Patricia McCloskey, pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment, both misdemeanors.

As part of that agreement, the McCloskeys surrendered the Colt AR-15 rifle and a Bryco .380-caliber pistol they were holding during the confrontation on Portland Place and paid a fine of $872.50.

Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, later pardoned the couple, and McCloskey sued in 2021 to get his guns back. Judges denied that request and a subsequent appeal.

Meanwhile, McCloskey launched an unsuccessful campaign for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate. He has also gotten involved with a controversial statewide push to adopt a GOP candidate vetting protocol to stamp out candidates who aren’t “true Republicans.”

Then, in January 2024, the McCloskeys petitioned to expunge the couple’s misdemeanor convictions. They testified at a hearing in March and argued they have been upstanding citizens since their guilty pleas. Mark McCloskey said he has continued to work as a lawyer, fighting for his clients.

Attorneys for the city’s public safety department, however, asked protesters to testify about how the McCloskeys’ actions affected them. They also quizzed the couple on advertisem*nts for Mark McCloskey’s subsequent political campaign that featured footage from the incident.

The city and St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore’s Office argued that the couple represents a continued threat to public safety and has shown no remorse for the impact of their actions.

But Judge Joseph P. Whyte wrote in an order that the testimony of the protesters showed a threat to public safety on June 28, 2020 — not in the time since.

The purpose of an expungement, he wrote, is to give people who have rehabilitated themselves a second chance. McCloskey’s campaign rhetoric is protected by the First Amendment and not evidence of a continued threat, Whyte said.

“It seems the parties have attempted to make political arguments in this proceeding,” Whyte wrote. “This court, however, is required to look only at the relevant language in the statute.”

Essential reading on the McCloskeys, the St. Louis couple who used guns to confront protesters on a private street

On June 28, Mark and Patricia McCloskey say they felt threatened by a group of protesters who entered Portland Place, a private street in the Central West End.

Patricia used a handgun, and her husband used a long-barreled gun to confront the protesters. Their actions drew condemnation, but also support from the governor and the president.

Madison News

Watch now: Mark McCloskey says he and wife are being 'persecuted' for protecting themselves

  • By Colter PetersonSt. Louis Post-Dispatch
  • Updated
  • 0

Mark McCloskey and his attorney Joel Schwartz speak to the press outside the Carnahan Courthouse after a court appearance on Tuesday, Oct. 6, …

Madison News

Gov. Mike Parson discusses the McCloskeys and a phone call with the president

  • Updated
  • 0

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson says that the city's prosecutor is attempting to take the McCloskey's rights away, and that he has spoken with Presi…

Local News

Watch now: A closer look at the Portland Place confrontation

  • Updated
  • 0

A closer look at the confrontation on June 28, 2020 between Mark and Patricia McCloskey and protesters in front of their house. Video by Jerem…

Madison News

  • Updated

A Missouri appellate court denied the circuit attorney's appeal of her and her office's disqualification from Mark McCloskey's criminal case. …

Madison News

  • Updated

A St. Louis judge Wednesday appointed a former U.S. attorney as special prosecutor in the case. Circuit Judge Steven Ohmer picked Richard Callahan.

  • Updated

“They’re thrilled,” the couple’s attorney, Joel Schwartz, said Tuesday. “They want to put this episode of their lives behind them and focus on…

Katie Kull – 314-340-8087

kkull@post-dispatch.com

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Misdemeanor expunged for couple who confronted racial justice marchers. St. Louis needs to ‘cough up my guns,’ man says. (2024)

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