St. Louis Circuit Attorney Gabe Gore was sworn in as St. Louis Circuit Attorney on Tuesday, and one of the first members of his new team was a key member of the Kim Gardner’s former team.
Gore announced he has hired Marvin Teer Jr. who served about two years as Gardner’s chief trial assistant before he resigned in March 2023.
“Marvin is a huge asset to this office, and he’s already on the job ready to get cases moving and start clearing the backlog,” Gore said.
“I am excited to have Marvin join us in the hard work that we have ahead of us. I know he will work tirelessly to help make St. Louis a safer place to live.”
Among Teer’s highest profile cases while serving in the CAO was the July 2022 trial of Stephan Cannon. Cannon, who was found guilty, was charged with murder in the killing former police officer David Dorn in 2020 as Dorn tried to stop looting that occurred following the murder of George Floyd.Â
Teer brings more than 30 years of experience in state and local prosecutors’ offices. He has also served as a judge in the City of St. Louis. Gore and Teer served together on the Ferguson Commission.
Gore said “failure is not an option,” after he was sworn in by Missouri Supreme Court Judge Robin Ransom at the Mel Carnahan Courthouse in downtown St. Louis.
“I seek a high level of public safety for every citizen in the St. Louis region. That is what is necessary for our region to prosper and thrive,” he said.
Gov. Mike Parson appointed Gore to replace the departed Gardner on May 19. Gardner had announced her resignation and was scheduled to leave office June 1. Instead, she abruptly quit on May 16.
 “I know we have a lot of hard work to do, but I am encouraged by all the partners who have reached out to help, from the region’s other prosecutors, to police, the Mayor and County Executive, clergy, and the many social services agencies,” Gore said.
“We will get there together, and I look forward to the task of winning the public’s trust,” said Gore.”
Among those attending the swearing-in ceremony were Mayor Tishaura O. Jones. St. Louis County Executive Dr. Sam page, County Prosecutor Wesley Bell, and former Gov. Jay Nixon, who worked with Gore at Dowd Bennett.
Gore said bridging the divide between his office and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department is a priority. He said Chief Robert Tracy and he had shared several conversations since his appointment.
“We’re always going to have some differences, especially between the judicial, the prosecutors and the police,” Tracy told St. Louis Public Radio.
“But we’re always working them out. And I like to work out some of those things behind closed doors.”
During his remarks, Gore said “”We have a violent crime crisis here in St. Louis.”
“We are losing far too many young promising lives to violence. In order to reduce that violence, it’s going to take all of us working together.”
Beginning with Teer’s hiring, Gore is taking on the rebuilding of the office’s depleted staff.
“Given the current staffing levels of the office, attorneys are carrying caseloads that are not workable,” he said.
“Getting re-staffed is essential.”
Four of the five senior staff positions remain vacant
“My top priority is first to put in place a senior staff that will lead the office’s resurgence, and, along with me, restart the office to a level where we can meet the demands of the public.”
Gore said he appreciates assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office.
“In the short term, we absolutely are ready to send some folks down [to help the St. Louis Circuit Attorney],” said Bell. “We had internally anticipated this for a while.”
Gore again did not rule out running for the office in 2024.
“I’m still in the period where 100% of my focus is on getting the office stabilized,” he said. “Literally, that’s all I think about all day. Since I’ve been appointed, that’s all I’ve been thinking about.”
