最新杏吧原创

ST. LOUIS 鈥� The city鈥檚 top prosecutor announced Tuesday that she would resign immediately, more than two weeks earlier than expected, sending state and local officials scrambling to patch yet another hole in an office that has already lost key leaders.

The timing of Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner鈥檚 resignation 鈥� she initially said she would quit June 1 鈥� scuttled an early plan to hand off some responsibilities to 最新杏吧原创 County Prosecutor Wesley Bell. His spokesman said the office was ready to help, but Gardner鈥檚 surprise exit left the plan in limbo.

By day鈥檚 end, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said he would appoint a replacement by Friday. He tapped his general counsel, Evan Rodriguez, to fill in until the appointee can start, with help from the Attorney General鈥檚 office.

鈥淭his is a very unprecedented situation,鈥� said Bill Corrigan, a lawyer for Attorney General Andrew Bailey. 鈥淎 very volatile, very fluid situation.鈥�

In her resignation announcement Tuesday, Gardner said she was committed to serving the people of 最新杏吧原创 and had 鈥渄one all she can to ensure a smooth transition.鈥�

Gardner鈥檚 abrupt departure throws into further chaos a city courts system that鈥檚 already bending under the weight of a staffing exodus, organizational dysfunction, a leadership vacuum and a backlog of several thousand cases. Her office lost roughly a third of its attorneys in two months, and two judges filed to hold her in contempt of court after prosecutors didn鈥檛 show up for scheduled hearings or trials.

The departure comes amid months of mounting criticism of Gardner鈥檚 office. Bailey filed suit earlier this year to remove her from office, and Missouri lawmakers filed a bill seeking to strip her of most of her power. Gardner struck a deal to step down in exchange for lawmakers dropping the bill.

Bell and Gardner, both elected as progressive prosecutors who promised to reform the criminal justice system and review wrongful convictions, have been in talks since at least last week about a plan to rebuild her office. He was seen visiting her office with top aides last week and visiting again on Monday and Tuesday this week.

But it was not publicly clear until Tuesday just how closely the two had been working.

First, Gardner in her resignation called their plan 鈥渃omprehensive鈥� and directed questions about city cases to Bell鈥檚 office.

Then, in a news conference that afternoon, Bell spokesman Chris King revealed that Bell was given security access to Gardner鈥檚 office, two county attorneys were training in the city warrant office, and Bell鈥檚 office expected to begin charging cases in the city on Tuesday.

Gardner had even issued an order seeking to appoint Bell as an assistant prosecutor in the city before she resigned Tuesday morning, but that move needed approval from a judge, and no ruling was made on Tuesday, King said.

鈥淲e鈥檙e here. We鈥檙e ready to work,鈥� he said in a hall packed with reporters outside Gardner鈥檚 office. 鈥淏ut we鈥檙e not sure what our legal standing is.鈥�

After announcing the intended collaboration 鈥� without details 鈥� last week, Bell was criticized by a 最新杏吧原创 County councilman who argued Bell should have to get council approval before 鈥渦sing any county resources鈥� to help Gardner鈥檚 office.

Bailey, the attorney general, said in a statement Tuesday evening he would send Corrigan, the attorney who led the lawsuit seeking Gardner鈥檚 removal, and several others to 最新杏吧原创 to receive charging referrals from police and 鈥渟tart the process of clearing the backlog of cases.鈥�

鈥淲e need somebody in there right now,鈥� Parson said, 鈥渏ust to stabilize things and make sure we鈥檙e doing the functions of the prosecutor鈥檚 office to make sure we鈥檙e going after hardcore criminals in this city and this state.鈥�

Corrigan said the Attorney General鈥檚 Office will meet with city prosecutors on Wednesday. He anticipates state attorneys will appear in court on behalf of the city and help clear cases.

鈥淥ur expectation is we鈥檒l do whatever it takes,鈥� Corrigan said.

Rodriguez, Parson鈥檚 temporary pick for the circuit attorney鈥檚 job, joined Parson鈥檚 office in February. Then 28, he had previously worked as a legislative analyst for the Missouri House and at the Missouri Attorney General鈥檚 Office.

Area counties said Tuesday they鈥檇 help, too: Prosecutors in St. Charles, Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln, Warren and 最新杏吧原创 counties released a joint statement saying they鈥檝e pledged to help Parson鈥檚 appointee 鈥渋n any manner we can.鈥�

Restoring faith in the prosecutor鈥檚 office, 最新杏吧原创 Mayor Tishaura O. Jones said Tuesday, is 鈥渃ritical to a functional criminal justice system.鈥� She thanked Parson for 鈥渆ngaging 最新杏吧原创鈥� elected and community leaders as he makes this critical decision.鈥�

Parson said the roughly 20 applicants to replace Gardner were an 鈥渆xtremely talented pool鈥� and political party would not be a factor in his pick.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not going to be a political appointment,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about who I think will go in there and do the best job to right the ship in the City of 最新杏吧原创.鈥�