Missouri governor pardons St. Louis couple who pointed guns at protesters

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson (R) has pardoned the St. Louis couple who faced charges after pointing guns at Black Lives Matter protesters outside their home last year.

Patricia and Mark McCloskey were included in a list of 12 pardons announced Tuesday, more than a month after they pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges.

The charges stemmed from an incident in June 2020 when Black Lives Matter demonstrators went into a gated community to protest police brutality. 

The protesters argued they did not know it was a private community and they protested peacefully.

The couple went outside with guns as the protesters walked by, claiming the protesters damaged a gate and violated a no-trespassing sign in the area. 

The McCloskeys were charged for their actions and pleaded guilty to misdemeanors in June.

Patricia McCloskey pleaded guilty to second-degree harassment with a $2,000 fine, and Mark McCloskey pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault with a $750 fine.

After the McCloskeys were charged in 2020, Parson said he would pardon them if they were found guilty. 

The couple initially faced felony charges of unlawful use of a weapon by St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner before pleading guilty to the misdemeanors. 

The 2020 incident put the couple in the national spotlight, with the pair later addressing the Republican National Convention. Mark McCloskey has also launched a Senate bid for 2022.