Judge declines to return Mark McCloskey's guns, money despite pardon

A Missouri judge on Wednesday declined to return Mark McCloskey's firearms and paid fines despite his receipt of a pardon from Republican Gov. Mike Parson.

The St. Louis lawyer and his wife, Patricia, came into the public spotlight in 2020 when the pair pointed firearms at demonstrators who had entered their neighborhood. There were no shots fired during the incident.

As part of a July 2021 plea deal, the couple surrendered their AR-15 and .380-caliber pistol, according to The Hill.

"While the governor’s pardon does clear plaintiff’s record of the conviction, his guilt remains and the terms of an agreement that predicated said guilt also remains," said Judge Joan Moriarty. The McCloskey's therefore are "required to follow through with their end of the bargain."

McCloskey intends to appeal the decision.

The couple surged to stardom within the conservative movement after footage of their standoff went viral and the pair spoke at the Republican National Convention in 2020.