On Thursday, Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner addressed the barrage of media and political criticism regarding her handling of a recent criminal case. At issue was an accident this past weekend caused by a criminal defendant. Daniel Riley, a 21-year-old man accused of robbery, who was still free on bond despite multiple violations, caused a crash in downtown St. Louis. Because of his actions, an out-of-town volleyball player, Janae Edmondson, of Tennessee, was pinned between two cars which resulted in the amputation of both her legs.
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Wednesday gave Gardner the ultimatum to resign by noon Thursday or face removal. In addition, St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones, an ally of Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, said she has “lost the trust of the people.”
After expressing her condolences to Edmondson and her family, Gardner launched into media inaccuracies involving her office.
“My office cannot force a judge to evoke a bond for a defendant,” Gardner said before describing her office’s attempts to have Mr. Riley’s bond revoked.
“On three separate occasions, and as recently as last month, my office requested that the defendant’s bond be revoked. The courts have denied or ignored each of these requests,” Gardner insisted. She added that a judge denied her Dec. 12, 2021, request that Riley be taken into custody. Again, on Aug. 10, 2022, after Riley “was taken into custody and released again on his own personal recognizance against the state’s wishes” Gardner said the court refused to modify his bond. Lastly, she added, her office requested a hearing to adjust Riley’s bond because of “numerous violations.” To date, Gardner summarized, “the courts have yet to respond to that request or schedule any hearings.”
While acknowledging that her office could have done more, Gardner described some political accusations that her office did nothing regarding Riley as “not only disingenuous, but willfully ignorant of the reality of our court system.”
Gardner said that the political and media attacks against her are from people who “have an agenda to make sure that my office does not succeed.”
Gardner’s press conference was held in the mezzanine of the Carnahan Courts Building. It was packed with a group of loud supporters who clapped thunderously as she defended the actions of her office.
