St. Louis Circuit Attorney resigns

Embattled St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, the city’s first Black prosecutor and a Democrat, announced that she will resign, following allegations of negligence and calls for her ouster by Republican leaders.

In a letter to Republican Gov. Mike Parson released by Gardner’s office, she said she will step aside effective June 1. Parson in a statement said he will immediately begin looking for a replacement and that he is “committed to finding a candidate who represents the community, values public safety, and can help restore faith in the City’s criminal justice system.”

Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey took legal steps to remove Gardner from office in February.

Bailey said too many cases, including homicides, have gone unpunished under Gardner’s watch, that victims and their families are left uninformed, and that the prosecutor’s office is too slow to take on cases brought by police.