Today in Schadenfreude

Mark and Patricia McCloskey, better known as the St. Louis Ken and Karen, have been indicted on weapons and evidence tampering charges.

As you recall, they brandished firearms at Black Lives Matter protesters.

The evidence tampering may been that one of them had tampered with Ms. McCloskey's gun following the incident to claim that it was not a lethal weapon:

A St. Louis grand jury has indicted Mark and Patricia McCloskey on two counts each: exhibiting a weapon and tampering with evidence.

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The indictment means prosecutors convinced a grand jury they have enough evidence against the McCloskeys to proceed to trial.

Gov. Mike Parson has said he would pardon the McCloskeys should they be convicted.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner originally issued charges against them for unlawful use of a weapon – a felony.

The grand jury added the charge of tampering with evidence. Only prosecutors are allowed to present evidence to grand juries, and they are secret proceedings.

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Patricia McCloskey told police the handgun she used during the June 28 confrontation was inoperable because she had used it as a prop during a trial against a gun manufacturer.

Yeah, sure.

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A key component of Missouri law states that a gun must be “readily capable of lethal use” in order for someone to be charged with the crime. Hinckley signed the court document, known as the complaint, saying the weapon was capable of lethal use.

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City attorneys for St. Louis refused to charge nine protesters who were ticketed for trespassing after members of the Portland Place trustees said they did not want to press charges against them.

That's because the McCloskeys are loathed by their neighbors.  There has been a long history of disputes in the neighborhood.

That's why Portland Place trustees wanted nothing to do with the case.

I'm pretty sure that some of their neighbors are doing a happy dance over this, as am I.