ST. LOUIS — One week ago, 22nd Judicial Circuit Judge Michael Noble described the St. Louis circuit attorney’s office as a rudderless ship of chaos – now, he may soon be appointed as its captain, according to multiple sources familiar with the negotiations.
Those sources also say criminal defense attorney Raphael Morris is being considered for the governor’s appointment. Morris was in court earlier this month when a judge had to call St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner’s Office to find out if a prosecutor was going to show up for trial.
On Thursday, Gardner announced she was resigning effective June 1.
In a letter addressed “to the people,” Gardner wrote that she is resigning in order to stop a bill from moving ahead in the Missouri legislature that would give the governor authority to appoint a special prosecutor to oversee cases in St. Louis.
About Judge Michael Noble
Noble is a St. Louis University School of Law and West Point graduate. He obtained a patent law license degree from St. Louis University.
He also served as a public defender and a drug court commissioner. He was added to the bench in 2013 by then-Missouri Governor Jay Nixon.
A “Beat Navy” sign sits next to Noble’s nameplate on his bench, and a picture of the Navy’s football team about to score against the Army adorns the wall behind him.
He also graduated from St. Louis University High School.
On Thursday, Noble ordered indirect criminal contempt proceedings to move ahead against Gardner and former Assistant Circuit Attorney Chris Desilets after Desilets missed an April 10 trial and a subsequent hearing on the matter.
"Ms. Gardner is the circuit attorney and it is her duty is to manage the caseload of each staff member,” Noble said during the hearing. “Mr. Desilets has approximately 104 felony cases. Any prudent practitioner would expect such a caseload to create countless irreconcilable conflicts. It does not appear she has made any reasonable efforts to prevent the resulting chaos. It appears that Ms. Gardner has complete indifference and a conscious disregard for the judicial process.”
A special prosecutor to oversee the indirect criminal contempt case was appointed Wednesday. The contempt hearing remains scheduled for May 30 at 9:30 a.m.
About Raphael Morris
Morris is also a St. Louis native, having attended and graduated from Normandy Senior High School in 1996. Morris continued his education in St. Louis attending the University of Missouri – St. Louis, receiving his bachelor’s degree in 2000, according to his online profile.
He calls Thurgood Marshall and Johnnie Cochran his legal inspirations and earned his law degree from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston Texas in 2003.
He’s been working as an attorney for the St. Louis law firm of Smith & Associates, LLC, where he has represented individuals and businesses in many different areas of law.
He founded his own firm in 2005 focused on criminal defense and personal injury.
His firm also represents individuals, municipalities, businesses, and not-for-profit agencies. Morris also serves as a municipal judge in the Cities of Velda City and Northwoods in St. Louis County, according to his profile.