Missouri Governor Mike Parson said he would consider forgiving the couple.
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed reports in support of a St. Louis couple accused of brandishing their weapons against civil rights protesters outside their mansion last month, citing self-defense.
The St. Louis chief prosecutor Monday charged Mark and Patricia McCloskey with illegal use of a weapon for allegedly displaying their weapons in a threatening manner, but Schmitt said he is trying to have those charges dropped.
“Enough is enough,” Schmitt said in a video statement shortly after the charges were filed. “A political prosecution like this would have a chilling effect on the people of Missouri who exercise the right to self-defense.”
Schmitt said the couple, both 60-year-old white attorneys, have the right to keep and bear arms under state law and it is a right they plan to protect, according to the statement.
“And yet, in the wake of radical calls to fire the police, and with violent crime rates skyrocketing every day,” said Schmitt, “the St. Louis circuit attorney filed a lawsuit against a couple of St Louis who, according to published reports, were doing just that: defending the safety of his family and property. “
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner announced charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey on Monday and said they could face a fourth-degree misdemeanor assault.
“It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner, that is illegal in the city of St. Louis,” Gardner said in a statement.
Gardner, St. Louis’ first black circuit attorney, is recommending a diversion program like community service instead of jail if the McCloskeys are convicted.
The couple made national headlines in June when they became famous for waving their weapons against protesters in a now viral video.
The McCloskeys said they came out after hearing the commotion caused by hundreds of nearby protesters marching against police brutality against blacks.
The couple said they pulled out their firearms, a pistol and a long-barreled gun, after seeing people walk through a door with “No Trespassing” and “Private Street” signs.
Their stories sparked debate on both sides of the political spectrum with some saying they had every right to defend private property and others accusing them of racism.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson, a Republican, said last week that he would consider forgiving the couple if they were charged. He called the criminal charges against them “outrageous” in a tweet on Monday, noting that the city had a “backlog” of homicide cases to focus on.
“Kim Gardner’s action towards the McCloskeys is outrageous,” said Parson. “Even worse, the Circuit Attorney’s office has admitted that there is an accumulation of cases and dozens of homicides that have not been prosecuted, but she has expedited this case.”
“We must prioritize laws that keep our citizens safe from political motivations. Kim Gardner owes every family who has had a loved one killed an explanation of why they have acted in the McCloskey case instead of their own,” he added. .
McCloskeys attorney Albert Watkins said they have been longtime civil rights advocates and support the message of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Watkins called the charges “discouraging” and maintained that no crime had been committed. Both will receive a subpoena to appear in court at a later date.
ABC News Josh Hoyos contributed to this report.
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