St. Louis District Attorney Kim Gardner has been criticized by Missouri Judge Michael Noble for her office’s disorganization, unprofessionalism, and disarray. The judge’s criticism was delivered after several court dates passed with prosecutors being no-shows, including Assistant Circuit Attorney Chris Desilets who refused to appear in court at the appointed time.
Judge Noble had some strong words for Gardner and her office, calling it a “rudderless ship of chaos.” He criticized the ongoing negligence of her office and was particularly irked when Gardner was a no-show in court on Thursday. Instead, an assistant circuit attorney named Rob Huq was sent, but he was completely unable to answer any of the judge’s questions about the case against suspect Steven Vincent Jr. Vincent was arrested and accused of firing a gun indiscriminately in a St. Louis apartment building, striking an 11-year-old girl who was sitting in her own bedroom.
Fox News said, “It appears that Ms. Gardner has complete indifference and a conscious disregard for the judicial process. There is sufficient evidence of disdain and disrespect for the judicial process to determine that both Ms. Gardner and Mr. Desilets’ conduct support a finding of indirect criminal contempt. Furthermore, any attorney’s violation of a court’s order constitutes an intentional disobedience and shows a clear intent to disregard the power and authority of the judicial system process.”
This case had already missed two court dates, one on April 10 and another on April 24, when Assistant Circuit Attorney Chris Desilets failed to appear in court. The judge’s frustration is understandable, given the seriousness of the case and the victim’s age.
Unfortunately, the Vincent criminal case is not the only one that Gardner’s office has mishandled. Her office’s lack of attention and disarray is increasingly becoming a problem as cases go un-prosecuted. In fact, her office is now dancing closer to contempt of court charges. The judge’s criticism should serve as a warning to Gardner and her office to get their act together and start paying attention to the serious criminal cases they are responsible for.
It’s worth noting that Gardner was backed for her election by anti-American billionaire George Soros. This fact has led to some criticism of her office’s handling of cases, with some accusing her of having a left-wing bias. However, it’s important to note that the judge’s criticism was not politically motivated. Rather, it was based on the simple fact that Gardner’s office is not doing its job properly.
