St. Louis couple McCloskeys plead not guilty to felony charges after defending home from protesters

The St. Louis couple that defended their home this summer by pointing guns at social justice protesters on their private property pleaded not guilty Wednesday to two felony charges.

Mark and Patricia McCloskey were indicted by a St.Louis grand jury last week on charges of unlawful use of a weapon and tampering with evidence. The couple, both of whom are attorneys, pleaded not guilty and will appear in court again on Oct. 28.

The couple has become well known in the conservative community and spoke at the opening night of the Republican National Convention.

Missouri GOP Gov. Mike Parson has said that he will pardon the couple if convicted.

St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner filed the charge of unlawful use of a weapon in July and the grand jury in recent days added the evidence tampering charge. 

The McCloskeys say the protesters ignored a “No Trespassing” sign and broke down an iron gate in their private community. Leaders of the protest, which included some in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, say they did not damage the gate.

“Every single human being that was in front of my house was a criminal trespasser,” Mark McCloskey recently said. “They broke down our gate. They trespassed on our property. Not a single one of those people is now charged with anything. We’re charged with felonies that could cost us four years of our lives and our law licenses.”