果酱视频

ST. LOUIS 鈥� Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the 果酱视频 couple indicted this month after they brandished guns at protesters outside their Portland Place mansion in June, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to the charges.

The couple waived formal arraignment in an indictment filed last week charging them with unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering. Charges filed in July said Mark McCloskey, 63, pointed an AR-15 rifle at protesters and Patricia McCloskey, 61, wielded a semiautomatic handgun, placing protesters in fear of injury.

The grand jury indictment added the count of evidence tampering, alleging the couple altered the pistol Patricia McCloskey was holding on June 28. The couple鈥檚 lawyer said the gun was inoperable when she wielded it outside the couple鈥檚 Central West End mansion. The protesters were passing the home on the way to a demonstration outside Mayor Lyda Krewson鈥檚 residence.

Associate Circuit Judge Michael Colona set the couple鈥檚 next hearing for 2 p.m. on Oct. 28. Mark McCloskey鈥檚 case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Thom Clark; Patricia McCloskey鈥檚 case will go before Circuit Judge Michael Stelzer.

The McCloskeys declined comment after Wednesday鈥檚 hearing. Their lawyer Joel Schwartz called the case 鈥渁 political prosecution,鈥� noting Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner鈥檚 campaign advertisements that mentioned the case before the Democratic primary in August. Gardner defeated her challenger Mary Pat Carl in the primary.

Prosecuting the McCloskeys, Schwartz said, is a waste of resources at a time when 果酱视频 is grappling with more than 200 homicides so far this year.

鈥淭he fact that Kim Gardner and the Circuit Attorney鈥檚 Office have chosen to use their judicial resources to prosecute the McCloskeys, who are clearly innocent of any crime, committed no crime whatsoever, is sort of a travesty,鈥� he said.

The McCloskeys are not considering Gardner鈥檚 offer of pretrial diversion in lieu of trial, Schwartz said.

He also said the McCloskeys have spoken to President Donald Trump and that Trump 鈥渃ontacts them semi-frequently鈥� but he did not elaborate on the nature of those conversations.

The McCloskeys have sought to have Gardner disqualified from the case over the political emails. Gardner has responded in court filings that she did not tie the case to her reelection efforts and that the McCloskeys should stop turning their gun case into 鈥減olitical theater.鈥�

Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt sought to intervene in the case by filing a brief supporting its dismissal. Gov. Mike Parson has said he would pardon the McCloskeys if they are convicted.