89 Missouri religious leaders send letter to state leaders in support of St. Louis Circuit Attorney

Kim Gardner
Photo credit St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner speaks Monday, Jan. 13, 2020, in St. Louis. Gardner on Monday filed what she called an unprecedented federal civil rights lawsuit, accusing the city, the local police union and others of a coordinated and racist conspiracy aimed at forcing her out of office. (AP Photo/Jim Salter)

ST. LOUIS (KMOX) - Nearly 90 pastors and ministers who support St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner signed a letter sent to Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Sen. Josh Hawley saying their attacks on her over her decision to charge the Central West End couple, are egregious and targeted. 

The letter reads, in part "The unwarranted attacks on her personhood and professionalism are extremely alarming in this time of heightened racial unrest." 

The letter also criticizes Schmitt for cases of two black men they say he is ignoring including one who died in a Missouri Bootheel jail.

"While there has been no hesitation to prejudge the outcome of this case, your voices fall silent when the Circuit Attorney attempts to free Lamar Johnson, a Black man who has sat in prison for 24 years wrongfully convicted of murder. And despite the overwhelming evidence of his innocence, Attorney General Schmitt has gone to extraordinary lengths to keep Johnson behind bars. Schmitt has also failed to seek justice for the death of Tory Sanders, a Black man who mysteriously died while in custody of law enforcement, whose only crime was he got lost and was Black."

You can read the full letter here: 

Final Faith Letter for Kim Gardner With Clergy Signatures by EntercomSTL on Scribd