A Missouri couple who gained national attention for defending their property against rioters during the 2020 Black Lives Matter demonstrations has achieved their final legal victory, successfully reclaiming the firearms that were confiscated following their prosecution.
Mark and Patricia McCloskey regained possession of their weapons over the weekend, marking the end of a lengthy legal ordeal that spanned nearly five years.
The couple had been charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon after confronting protesters who entered their private property.
The incident occurred during the height of the racially motivated riots that swept across the nation in 2020.
Video footage captured the McCloskeys standing outside their home, with Mark holding an AR-15 rifle and Patricia wielding a handgun as they faced down a crowd of demonstrators.
The confrontation began when protesters forcefully broke down an exterior gate to gain access to the McCloskeys’ property.
The couple could be seen directing their weapons toward the crowd while ordering them to leave their premises.
The incident took place during a period of intense civil unrest in St. Louis, where violent rioting had occurred in preceding days.
Multiple St. Louis police officers had been shot during this tumultuous period, adding to the couple’s concerns about their safety.
Despite the circumstances surrounding the incident, former St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kimberly Gardner pursued felony charges against the McCloskeys.
Gardner later filed additional evidence tampering charges, alleging that Patricia McCloskey’s semiautomatic pistol had been altered to obstruct the prosecution’s case.
The prosecution faced significant complications when Circuit Judge Thomas Clark II removed Gardner from the case in December 2020.
The judge cited Gardner’s use of the case in campaign fundraising emails as creating an appearance of impropriety that compromised the proceedings.
Following Gardner’s removal, authorities appointed former U.S. Attorney Richard Callahan as a special prosecutor to handle the case.
The change in prosecution leadership marked a turning point in the legal proceedings against the couple, according to Trending Politics reporting.
The outlet further noted that on June 17, 2021, the McCloskeys entered guilty pleas to reduced misdemeanor charges.
Mark McCloskey was fined $750, while Patricia McCloskey received a $2,000 fine as part of their plea agreement.
The plea deal required the couple to surrender the firearms they had used during the incident, with orders that the weapons be destroyed.
This requirement became a central point of contention in the couple’s subsequent legal efforts to reclaim their property.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson intervened shortly after the conviction, issuing pardons for both McCloskeys.
Parson had previously indicated his intention to pardon the couple if they were convicted of any charges related to the incident.
The legal battle continued even after the pardons, with the couple pursuing multiple avenues to clear their records and reclaim their firearms. In June 2024, a judge granted their request to expunge their criminal records, effectively removing the convictions from their official history.
The Missouri Court of Appeals upheld the expungement decision last month, potentially opening the door for the McCloskeys to regain possession of their confiscated weapons.
This appellate court ruling proved crucial in their final push to reclaim their property.
The weekend victory represents the culmination of an extensive legal campaign that included multiple lawsuits and appeals. Mark McCloskey celebrated the achievement on social media, sharing photographs of the returned AR-15 rifle.
“It only took 3 lawsuits, 2 trips to the Court of Appeals and 1,847 days, but I got my AR15 back! We defended our home, were persecuted by the left, smeared by the press, and threatened with death, but we never backed down,” Mark posted on X alongside images of the weapon.
The couple indicated they plan to pursue the return of Patricia’s Bryco pistol in the near future.
Mark McCloskey emphasized the principle behind their persistent legal efforts despite the financial cost and time investment required.
“That gun may have only been worth $1,500 or something, and it cost me a lot of time and a lot of effort to get it back, but you have to do that. You have to let them know that you will never back down, you’ll never give up,” Mark told Fox News on Saturday night.
The post Missouri Couple Who Defended Home Against BLM Mob Finally Reclaims AR-15 After 1,847 Days of Legal Hell: ‘We Never Backed Down’ appeared first on Resist the Mainstream.
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Author: Jordyn M.
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