St. Louis couple indicted on new charges after waving guns at protesters
Patricia and Mark McCloskey, the St. Louis couple who gained notoriety — and an invite to speak at the RNC — after waving guns at a group of protesters during an incident in June, were indicted on several new charges Tuesday.
The pair both received two charges each of exhibiting a weapon and tampering with evidence in connection with their confrontation with marchers outside their mansion. Mark McCloskey, 63, was photographed holding an AR-15 rifle. Patricia McCloskey, 61, was photographed holding a semiautomatic handgun.
At the hearing, Mark McCloskey complained about the grand jury’s indictments.
“They broke down our gate, they trespassed on our property. Not a single one of those people are now charged with anything,” he said. “We’re charged with felonies that could cost us four years of our lives and our law license.”
“The government chooses to persecute us for doing no more than exercising our right to defend ourselves, our home, our property and our family and now we’re getting drug here time after time after time and for what?” Mark McCloskey added. “We didn’t fire a shot. People were violently protesting in front of our house and screaming death threats and threats of rape and threats of arson. Nobody gets charged but we get charged.”
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner previously charged the couple with unlawful use of a weapon in July following the June 29 incident where the couple stood guard outside their home as protesters made their way to theMissouri governor’s mansion.
Joel Schwartz, the couple’s attorney, said he plans to request a transcript of the grand jury proceedings.
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