ST. LOUIS — Two St. Louis area lawyers who pleaded guilty and were eventually pardoned after waving guns at social justice demonstrators will not get back their guns or the fines they paid, a judge ruled Wednesday.
In 2021, Mark McCloskey filed a lawsuit arguing that the pardon he and his wife, Patricia, received from Gov. Mike Parson nullified all judgments and orders in the case.
St. Louis Circuit Court Judge Joan Moriarty on Wednesday ruled that the pardon had "no bearing whatsoever on any of the terms of the negotiated plea agreement."
On June 28, 2020, the McCloskeys were seen in videos and photos pointing guns at protesters who were marching to the home of then-St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's house to call for her resignation.
No shots were fired and no one was hurt, and special prosecutor Richard Callahan later determined the protesters were peaceful.
In October 2020, the McCloskeys were indicted by a grand jury for unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution.
In June 2021, the husband and wife agreed to a plea deal that reduced the charges to one count each of misdemeanor fourth-degree assault.
Under that plea agreement, the McCloskeys were ordered to hand over the guns used in the initial incident, a Colt AR-15 rifle and Bryco pistol, and ordered to pay a $750 fine to cover court costs.
The government seized the guns and on June 21, the McClokeys paid their fine. Less than a month later, they were pardoned by Parson.
An after-hours email sent to McCloskey requesting comment was not immediately returned.
