ST. LOUIS — The Missouri Supreme Court publicly reprimanded St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner, ending an ethics case over her office’s handling of a 2018 criminal case against former Gov. Eric Greitens.
The state’s high court’s ruling was expected based on a three-person disciplinary panel’s recommendation of a reprimand following a hearing in April.
At that hearing, Missouri’s chief disciplinary counsel announced a “joint stipulation†with Gardner. Gardner’s agreement with Alan Pratzel’s office acknowledged errors in her office’s prosecution of Greitens, sparing possibly more severe discipline such as suspension of her law license, probation or disbarment.
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In a prepared statement, Gardner said in part that she’s “pleased that our state’s highest court and disciplinary counsel has recognized that the ethics process should not be weaponized for political gain.†A statement attributed to Gardner’s lawyer, Michael Downey, said she “has learned from this process and has improved her office’s operations based upon what occurred.â€
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“I’m pleased that our state’s highest court & disciplinary counsel has recognized that the ethics disciplinary process should not be weaponized for political gain. I look forward to continuing the critical work of creating a safer, fairer, & just St. Louis.†Kimberly M. Gardner
— Circuit Attorney (@stlcao)
Gardner’s joint stipulation said her office “failed to maintain a comprehensive approach to collecting, producing and logging documents,†but that she did not intentionally fail to produce them. She also admitted “she should have been more vigilant in ensuring the prosecution’s discovery obligations†and that she should have promptly disclosed notes from interviews with key witnesses.
At issue was Gardner’s failure to disclose or omitting witness statements favorable to Greitens’ defense and allowing former FBI agent William Don Tisaby to make multiple false statements under oath. Gardner hired Tisaby, claiming the police department refused to investigate. Tisaby pleaded guilty in March to a misdemeanor count of evidence tampering.
Gardner dropped the invasion of privacy charge against Greitens on May 14, 2018, during jury selection after a judge decided she would have to testify about her office’s handling of the case. Greitens later resigned as governor as part of a deal to drop a separate criminal case related to donors to his former charity.
Greitens’ attempt at a political comeback fell short when he placed third in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate on Aug. 2.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner's attorney, Mike Downey, answers questions during a press briefing at Le Meridian hotel in Clayton on Monday, April 11, 2022. Gardner admitted to some ethics charges over her office's handling of a 2018 criminal case against former Gov. Eric Greitens. Video by Colter Peterson, cpeterson@post-dispatch.com
St. Louis circuit attorney reprimanded after Greitens investigation. Read about the case.
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner hired William Don Tisaby, and ex-FBI agent, to investigate the invasion of privacy case against then-Gov. Eric Greitens.Â
After the charge against Greitens was dropped, Tisaby's actions came under investigation. He was indicted in 2019 on six counts of perjury, and one count of evidence tampering. The state Supreme Court also reprimanded Gardner over her office's actions in the investigation.
The Missouri Supreme Court publicly reprimanded the St. Louis Circuit Attorney ending an ethics case over her office’s handling of a 2018 crim…
Gardner cut short a disciplinary hearing by admitting to some ethics charges, so she will escape more severe punishment.
He admitted concealing documents and interview notes during his invasion of privacy investigation of Gov. Eric Greitens.
Video of a deposition reveals Tisaby stumbling over basic questions and struggling to explain key evidence and witness statements.
The order also compels the city to pay "reasonable expenses," including mileage for travel.
An ethics investigation resulted in allegations of professional misconduct against Gardner. Her attorney denied the claims.
The judge wrote that the suit “can best be described as a conglomeration of unrelated claims and conclusory statements supported by very few f…
A half-dozen female prosecutors from California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts and Virginia, a self-described “sisterhood†of reform-minded…
St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner sat for a deposition Friday at the Clayton offices of the Carmody MacDonald law firm.Â
Gardner says the lawsuit is not an attempt to block Carmody’s prosecution of her former investigator, William Tisaby, who has been charged wit…
The special prosecutor in the Tisaby case argued Friday that it's illegal for prosecutors to represent a witness in a criminal case against th…
Gardner’s office will now have to turn over a series of documents and she will have to appear for a deposition on Jan. 15.
Nearly of that bill has gone to fighting the top prosecutor's counterclaims and legal challenges to shield records from the grand jury, accord…
“I think the whole office was a target, including me,â€Â Gardner said.
Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner denied any wrongdoing in her prosecution of former Gov. Eric Greitens.
The special grand jury adjourned without indicting anyone else involved with the investigation and case against the former Missouri governor.
Tisaby is “absolutely 100 percent innocent†and is the target of a racially motivated grand jury investigation, his lawyer said.
Tisaby was indicted on seven felony charges, according to an indictment.
Contracts obtained by the Post-Dispatch show lawyers defending the circuit attorney bill up to $540 an hour.
Under examination, Tisaby changed his testimony numerous times, stumbled over basic questions and seemed confused about major pieces of evidence.
A St. Louis judge appointed a special prosecutor to assist police looking into perjury claims.
It was largely Gardner’s choice of William Don Tisaby, her management of him and his missteps that would lead to the dismissal of the case.
Gov. Eric Greitens was indicted for felony invasion of privacy in February 2018. He resigned, and the charges were dropped, in May 2018.
