A Missouri court fines Mark McCloskey and his wife, Patricia, for pointing an assault rifle and handgun at Black Lives Matter protesters last year.
Two wealthy American lawyers who gained notoriety by pointing guns at Black Lives Matter (BLM) activists parading outside their mansion have pleaded guilty to felony charges, a court official said.
Mark McCloskey, who ran on his lawn and threatened protesters with an assault rifle in last year’s incident, was fined $ 750 on Thursday for fourth degree assault, said Tom Gross, spokesperson for the 22nd Circuit Court in St. Louis, Missouri.
His wife Patricia McCloskey was fined $ 2,000 for criminal harassment after wielding a handgun at protesters.
Both were originally charged with the misuse of weapons offense after being seen in video footage and photographs barefoot on their lawns outside their lavish home, brandishing their guns and shouting as the peaceful protest march against police abuse and racism took place on June 28. , 2020.
There was no evidence that either was threatened by the protesters.
The couple have become a symbol of the rift between conservative white Americans and blacks seeking justice.
But state Tories have defended their actions and state Governor Mike Parson has said he will forgive them if they are convicted.
The couple became Republican heroes in last year’s hotly contested presidential election, warning Democrats would take gun rights away from Americans.
“Make no mistake about it: No matter where you live, your family will not be safe in the America of radical Democrats,” Patricia McCloskey said in a video the two made for the August Republican National Convention which appointed Donald Trump for a second term as president. .
In May, Mark McCloskey announced he was running for one of Missouri’s seats in the United States Senate.
In a campaign video, he highlighted the incident, while exaggerating the threat the couple faced.
“When the angry mob came to destroy my house and kill my family, I took a stand against them,” he said. “I will never back down. “
