Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt said Monday he is seeking to drop the felony charges against St. Louis armed homeowners, calling it “a impeachment” brought by the city’s chief prosecutor.
In an interview on “Fox News @ Night” with host Shannon Bream, Schmitt argued that the right to self-defense is “deeply rooted” in the constitution, saying that the state has a broad “castle doctrine” that “grants broad authority for people to protect their lives, the lives of their family members, their homes and their property. “
“At a time when there are calls to remove the police, at a time when violent crime rates are soaring, even here in Missouri and in St. Louis, we have a prosecutor who now attacks people for exercising their fundamental rights on the second amendment, “said Schmitt.
MISSOURI AG MOVES TO RELEASE CHARGES AGAINST COUPLE WHO POINTED WEAPONS IN THE CROWD
St. Louis Circuit Prosecutor Kim Gardner, the city’s chief prosecutor, said Mark and Patricia McCloskey, both personal injury attorneys in their 60s, will be charged with illegal use of a weapon after the incident. June 28th.
“It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner, that is illegal in the city of St. Louis,” Gardner said in a statement.
The McCloskeys have said they were fighting back, with high tensions in St. Louis amid police protests across the country sparked by the death of George Floyd from police custody. The McCloskeys said the crowd of protesters broke an iron gate marked with “No Trespassing” and “Private Street” signs and that some violently threatened them.
Armed homeowners standing outside their home along Portland Place confront protesters as they march to Mayor Lyda Krewson’s home on Sunday, June 28, 2020, in west central St. Louis. (Laurie Skrivan / St. Louis Post-Dispatch / Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
The husband and wife argued that they were protecting their home. St. Louis police confiscated the rifle from the home in accordance with a search warrant. They were not fired, but the incident quickly went viral and fueled the debate over homeowners’ rights when faced with perceived threats.
S T. LOUIS ‘MAIN PROSECUTOR SAYS THAT HE IS THE CARGO COUPLE WHO FLASHED WEAPONS IN THE CROWD MARCHING THE MAYOR’S HOUSE
Schmitt noted Monday what the incident was like on a private street and said he has the right to “defend his castle” under Missouri law.
“This is a politically motivated prosecution by a prosecutor who is not interesting in prosecuting violent crimes,” he added.
Schmitt added that he is seeking to have the case dismissed “not only by the McCloskeys, but by every Missourian whose rights are threatened by a dishonest prosecutor seeking to punish people for exercising their fundamental right to self-defense.”
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Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, said last Friday that he would consider forgiving the couple if they were criminally charged.
Fox News’s Bradford Betz and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
