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A26 u.s. news
Diabierna 18 Juni 2021

St. Louis gun-waving couple pleads guilty to misdemeanors

(AP) — A St. Louis cou- Under that alternative, the
ple who gained notoriety “But I think that their con- evidence tampering count
for pointing guns at so- duct was a little unreason- would be dropped.
cial justice demonstrators able in the end,” he said. “I
last year pleaded guilty don’t think people should An investigation by St. Louis
Thursday to misdemeanor view this case as some type Circuit Attorney Kim Gard-
charges and agreed to give of betrayal or assault on the ner’s office led to the initial
up the weapons they used Second Amendment. We still indictments — and harsh
during the confrontation. have the Second Amendment backlash from several Repub-
rights. It’s just that the Sec- lican leaders. Then-President
Patricia McCloskey plead- ond Amendment does not Donald Trump spoke out in
ed guilty to misdemeanor permit unreasonable con- defense of the couple, whose
harassment and was fined duct.” newfound celebrity earned
$2,000. Her husband, Mark them an appearance via video
McCloskey, pleaded guilty to The June 28, 2020, protests at the Republican National
misdemeanor fourth-degree came weeks after George Convention.
assault and was fined $750. replied, “I sure did your hon- after the hearing the couple Floyd’s death under a Min-
or.” had hoped to raise money by neapolis police officer’s knee. Republican Missouri Gov.
When several hundred dem- donating Mark’s rifle to char- Mark McCloskey emerged Mike Parson has said that
onstrators marched past Mark McCloskey, who an- ity, but acknowledged that it with an AR-15-style rifle, and if the McCloskeys are con-
their home in June of 2020, nounced in May that he was was an unusual request. Patricia McCloskey waved a victed, he’d pardon them.
the couple waved weapons running for a U.S. Senate semiautomatic pistol, accord- A spokeswoman for Parson
at them. They claimed the seat in Missouri, was unapol- Because the charges are mis- ing to the indictment. Cell- didn’t immediately respond
protesters were trespassing ogetic after the hearing. demeanors, the McCloskeys phone video captured the to a request for comment af-
and that they feared for their do not face the possibility of confrontation. No shots were ter the hearing.
safety. “I’d do it again,” he said losing their law licenses and fired and no one was hurt.
from the courthouse steps can continue to own fire- Callahan, a longtime judge
The McCloskeys, both of in downtown St. Louis. “Any arms. The McCloskeys were in- and former U.S. attorney, was
them lawyers in their 60s, time the mob approaches me, dicted by a grand jury in appointed special prosecutor
wore blue blazers and spoke I’ll do what I can to put them On the courthouse steps af- October on felony charges after a judge in December
calmly in answering ques- in imminent threat of physi- ter the hearing, special pros- of unlawful use of a weapon ruled that Gardner created an
tions from Judge David Ma- cal injury because that’s what ecutor Richard Callahan said and evidence tampering. appearance of impropriety by
son during Thursday’s hear- kept them from destroying the misdemeanor plea was Callahan later amended the mentioning the McCloskey
ing. Mason asked Mark Mc- my house and my family.” reasonable noting the Mc- charges to give jurors the al- case in fundraising emails be-
Closkey if he acknowledged Closkeys called the police, no ternative of convictions of fore the August Democratic
that his actions put people The McCloskeys’ defense shots were fired and no one misdemeanor harassment in- primary. Gardner went on to
at risk of personal injury. He lawyer, Joel Schwartz, said was hurt. stead of the weapons charge. win reelection.

'You stabbed me,' boy tells father at double-murder trial

(AP) — Acting as his own ecutors would prove Oneal and testified Wednesday by mouth: ‘My daddy killed my
lawyer, a double-mur- wounded Barron with a shot- remote video that he saw “You stabbed me,” his son re- mommy,’” Harmon told ju-
der defendant opened gun, then beat her to death. his father kill his sister with plied. He also described how rors.
his death penalty trial Harmon also said Oneal used the hatchet and recalled his his father set fire to the house
by shouting at jurors a hatchet to kill his 9-year-old mother being shot. using gasoline. Jurors also heard a 911 call
that he did not attack his daughter — who had cerebral from Barron in which she
girlfriend and disabled palsy and could not speak — During cross-examination, Investigators say the wound- desperately sought help as
daughter. Now he’s cross- and wounded his son, then 8, Oneal asked his son “Did I ed boy came out of the burn- Oneal yelled in the back-
examined his son, forcing with a knife. hurt you that night?” The ing house and described what ground.
the 11-year-old to describe boy responded, “Yes.” had happened.
exactly how he hurt him. Investigators say Oneal also “OK, Ronnie, I’m sorry,” she
set the house on fire after “How did I hurt you?” Oneal “The first words that came says on the recording. “I’m so
Ronnie Oneal III claimed in the attacks. The son survived asked. out of this brave boy’s sorry. Help me. I can’t move
a dramatic opening statement my arm. My arm is shot up,
that the evidence would re- Ronnie. Please.”
veal “some of the most vi-
cious, lying, fabricating, fic- Oneal contended that inves-
titious government you ever tigators fabricated evidence
seen.” to implicate him and that his
son was coached on what to
Gesturing and pacing, Oneal say.
shouted at one point during
Monday’s opening: “I look “The evidence is going to
alone. But I am backed by a show that I love my chil-
mighty God.” dren,” Oneal told jurors.
“The evidence will not show
He claimed the girlfriend, you that my son witnessed
Kenyatta Barron, attacked me beat his mom to death,
their two children and that nor did he witness me shoot
he killed her in self-defense. his mom. In fact, he didn’t
The killings happened March witness much at all.”
18, 2018, in their home in
Tampa’s Riverview area. The trial is expected to last
through the end of next
Assistant State Attorney Scott week. Oneal could get the
Harmon countered that pros- death penalty if convicted.