From Courtroom to Clinic: Ex-Prosecutor's New Role in California
A former Missouri prosecutor, who left office under a cloud of controversy, has embarked on a surprising new career path as a nursing fellow in California. Kimberly Gardner, 50, the ex-St. Louis Circuit Attorney, is now listed as a 2025-26 Primary Care Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellow at UC Davis Health.
Clinical Focus on Mental Health and Equity
Her fellowship biography reveals that Gardner is dual-certified as a family nurse practitioner and a psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner. Her clinical placement is with the UC Davis Health Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in Sacramento.
'She integrates her clinical training with a background in law to address the complex intersection of health disparities, structural inequalities and the criminal legal system,' the biography states. 'Her work focuses on improving access to equitable mental health care for underserved communities.'
Controversial Tenure as St. Louis Prosecutor
Gardner's transition follows a tumultuous period as St. Louis's top prosecutor. She resigned in 2023 amid mounting criticism over her office's lax enforcement policies, which critics argued allowed criminals to roam free as crime rates soared in the Midwest city.
Under her leadership, St. Louis experienced a 50-year high in murders, with felony prosecutions declining sharply. The attorney's office was severely understaffed, dwindling from 60 attorneys when she took office to around 30 when she departed.
Pending Disbarment and Ethical Questions
Gardner currently faces a pending disbarment case in Missouri. State disciplinary lawyers allege she violated professional conduct rules by directing employees to reimburse her $5,004.33 for a $750 Supreme Court reprimand fee.
That reprimand stemmed from her controversial indictment of former Governor Eric Greitens, which was eventually dropped. An investigator she hired later pleaded guilty to concealing documents in the case.
Audit Reveals Time Management Issues
In early 2025, Missouri Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick found that Gardner had attended classes at St. Louis University or completed clinical work on 40 separate occasions over a two-year period while serving as circuit attorney. This raised questions about her time management during a period of escalating crime.
Notable Cases and Policy Decisions
Gardner's tenure was marked by several high-profile decisions:
- She charged Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the couple who brandished guns at Black Lives Matter protesters
- She implemented an 'exclusion list' barring about 75 St. Louis police officers from bringing cases to her office
- She declined to press charges in a Cinco de Mayo shooting despite surveillance images of a suspect with a gun
- She emphasized crime prevention through diversion programs for low-level offenses
Calls for Resignation and Political Backing
Pressure mounted on Gardner after a horrific incident in February 2023, when a high school volleyball player lost both legs in a crash caused by a driver who was free on bond despite nearly 90 bail violations. Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit seeking her removal, which she called politically motivated.
Gardner, who received substantial backing from billionaire George Soros and his affiliated organizations, won her seat in 2016 and was re-elected in 2020 before her eventual resignation.
The Daily Mail has contacted both UC Davis and Gardner for comment on her new role and the ongoing disbarment proceedings.
