A St. Louis area prosecutor is facing criticism for pursuing an assault charge against an 85-year-old stroke survivor who attorneys say cannot recall the alleged incident.
Stephanie Karr, the Prosecuting Attorney for the City of Creve Coeur, has brought charges against Norman Fishel, a retired research scientist who is semi-paralyzed and can barely walk. Fishel is accused of grabbing and kicking a nurse in November 2025 at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. His attorneys state that Fishel was suffering from extreme delirium following a hemorrhagic stroke, which left the left side of his body paralyzed.
"We all want to protect nurses and there has been a big push to protect nurses since Covid, but this case is insane," said Javad Khazaeli, Fishel's attorney, in comments to the Daily Mail. Khazaeli added that Fishel was in such a confused state that he has no memory of the alleged assault and that the charges are degrading for him and his family.
Fishel's defense team argued that the charge of "assault in the fourth degree" does not exist under the municipality's code and that the accusation lacked sufficient detail. During a trial hearing on Thursday, Karr's office filed for a "nolle prosequi," a dismissal of the case, before a judge could rule on the defense's objections. Attorneys for Fishel stated this allows Karr to refile the charges with a stronger case.
Khazaeli, who has previously sued Karr over other cases he believes should not have been prosecuted, expressed concern over the prosecutor's approach. He cited past cases involving Black Lives Matter protesters and a father whose children urinated behind a bush in a park, both of which were dismissed by the court. Fishel, who has been married for 60 years and has no prior history with law enforcement, used a wheelchair in court and has reportedly incurred significant expenses for private medical transportation to attend hearings.
Local reports have also highlighted other cases involving Karr's office, including one where a man who defended himself against a carjacker was charged with property damage. Additionally, a 2015 Department of Justice report examining Ferguson Police Department practices mentioned instances from 2013 where Karr, then the Ferguson prosecuting attorney, was involved in the dismissal of a red-light camera ticket for a municipal judge and a speeding ticket for a relative of a police supervisor.
Karr's office has not yet commented on the case. Fishel has managed limited steps in physical therapy since his stroke. He described the court ordeal as "exhausting."