Kim Gardner Resigns Amid Legal Battles and Criticism.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner, the city’s first African American chief prosecutor, has announced her resignation effective June 1. Gardner cited the Missouri Legislature’s efforts to take over both the circuit attorney’s office and turn control of the city’s police force back over to the state as a reason for her resignation. Gardner’s six-year tenure as the city’s top prosecutor has been wracked by controversies, including legal battles with Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and indirect criminal contempt cases, and a dwindling roster of prosecutors in her office due to resignations.