Justice Department Clears Darren Wilson in Brown Death
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Millions of cop haters will be pulling out their hair, because once again an investigating agency found that Darren Wilson did no wrong when he shot and killed Ferguson lawbreaker Michael Brown.
(Newser) Former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson won’t face federal charges in the shooting death of Michael Brown, the Department of Justice announced today, ending what the New York Times calls a “lengthy investigation” since the teen’s death in August with an expected outcome. In so doing, federal investigators rejected the theory that Brown had his hands up and was surrendering to Wilson. “There is no evidence upon which prosecutors can rely to disprove Wilson’s stated subjective belief that he feared for his safety,” reads the report. “Some of those accounts are inaccurate because they are inconsistent with the physical and forensic evidence; some of those accounts are materially inconsistent with that witnesses’ own prior statements with no explanation.”
The report pulled no punches, however, in what the AP calls its “scathing” assessment of the city’s police force and theracial bias rampant within it. “It is time for Ferguson’s leaders to take immediate, wholesale and structural corrective action,” says outgoing AG Eric Holder in a statement, per theTimes. He’s expected to speak this afternoon. While Wilson won’t be charged—which was unlikely given the high legal threshold for civil rights violations, notes the AP—pressure is on the police force to make changes or face a DoJ lawsuit. “It’s quite evident that change is coming down the pike. This is encouraging,” a St. Louis community activist tells the AP. “It’s so unfortunate that Michael Brown had to be killed. But in spite of that, I feel justice is coming.”
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Mike, you and I will always see these things differently. I saw the video where the officers in the car came driving up withing 10 – 15 feet of the 12 year old who was suspected of being the person with a gun. If you, as a supervisor, can tell me that was proper police procedure, and that gave the officers sufficient opportunity to assess the situation, then I know we will never be on the same page. The video was the only information I used, not the words of the media. I realize that the police department has cleared these two officers and during this day and time nothing surprises me anymore. I realize as well as you that there is a thin line to be drawn when “Monday Morning Quarterbacking” police actions. When I used to teach at the police academy I always stressed that the safety procedures being taught to police were meant to give the officers the best chance to get home safely at the end of the shift. If I had used the practices that police used today I guess I would have justifiably killed at least 4 people while I served as police officer. I just did not see the job that way. The last thing I ever wanted to do was to take another persons life.
Bill unless you know something I don’t the officers haven’t been cleared, nor has the case been presented to a Grand Jury, so that’s still up in the air. As to procedure, I wouldn’t have pulled up right next to the suspect, as tactically, that’s a good way to get oneself shot. That being said they are guilty of poor judgment, nothing else to this point. The sad thing about this case is the dispatcher knew that the weapon may have been a toy as he was told so by the complaining party, but failed to pass it along to responding officers. According to them when they pulled up they confronted a young man who looked more like 20 than 12 who reached for the gun, which was stuck in his belt, despite being told to put up his hands. Given his young age it would have been impossible to interpret such an action as one that was other than threatening. If they had sought cover they would have had the opportunity to survey the situation first but they didn’t do that and the rest of the story is history.
Mike, you have to ask? Any situation where officers are dispatched to a “man with a gun” they do not drive right up to the suspect. Not only if that bad procedure, it is down right stupid. If that kid had a real gun and was wanting to really harm someone at least one, if not both of those officers would be dead. They pulled so fast and close they never had a chance to assess the situation. Now I really don’t give damn how many years experience you may have but your lack of objectivity in these cases puts your judgment into question. Unlike you I have testified for and against police officers in court. There are good decisions, mistakes in judgment, bad decisions, and then the very rare criminally wrong decisions by police. Unfortunately, you have no objectivity. You cannot see the forest for the trees. When someone makes a mistake in judgment or a bad decision they have to be called on it. Of the kid in Cleveland has been a white, middle class kid with that same air pistol it would have been handled differently and you know it. If those officers had handled it the same way, their Butt’s would been gone and probably on trial. I think it was a mistake in judgment. I think the officers thought it was exactly what was until they got too close and then the gun looked too real and they freaked at the lsst moment
Bill writes: “Unlike you I have testified for and against police officers in court.” There you go again old friend, making assumptions that are not in evidence. Did you forget those many years I spent in Internal Affairs? I submit that you are the one that lacks objectivity. Your dislike for the police is, like an indiscreet lady’s slip worn in days gone by, showing itself for all to see. In your world the police are always wrong, and the experience, training, or education of those who oppose your position has no value in the debate. As you said you don’t give a damn about that, leaving the reader or casual observer to infer that you are always right.
You have already judged the officers involved in this shooting and you have done so with information that you have gleaned only from a biased media. At least I am here, in the thick, and my information comes from local sources, not just the media. Why don’t we wait until all the evidence is in Bill before we start indicting the police and calling them racists, all of which you did in your response. All I asked was that you tell me how they violated procedure. That’s all. I never said who was right or wrong, because I don’t know for certain. After all I haven’t seen all the evidence. Peace out. Tomorrow is another day 🙂
Charges being dropped shouldn’t surprise anyone. Police almost never indicted for killing those they protect and serve. If you ever find yourself in a situation where a cop “fears for his safety”, fear for yours.
When cops shoot without cause they are indicted just like anyone else, and, as a career law enforcement officer I can tell you I would have shot Michael Brown as well, given the circumstances surrounding the incident.
I am actually shocked by your comment loser82. I had no idea you were a cop hater.
Really Mike. What about the 12 year old in Cleveland. They violated about every procedure in the book, unless of course you are filming a western on television where you always riding in with guns a blazing.
What procedures Bill? Tell me. What procedures did they violate? Be specific now because I’m just a few miles outside of Cleveland and no one around here, newscasters, pundits and such can figure that out. I’ll be anxiously awaiting your response.
Hopefully, former officer Wilson can recover from this in other ways. Mark Furman recovered by writing books. I think a well written account of this, or what he went through, would be well received by the public.
Insofar as Michael Brown is concerned, he is dead. Try to remember that he was someone’s son and his mother will grieve a long time over this. It is easy to brush it off by saying she should have taught him better and perhaps she should. But every time we execute someone, or someone is killed by the police, there is a family that had no part of it that will suffer. I have stood beside 5 young men as they have been sentenced to death. Three of them have now been executed by the State of Alabama and one had his sentence commuted to life without parole. Most do not get to see the pain in a mother’s eyes when that sentence is pronounced. In situations like this there are no real winners, just people whose lives are forever changed.
I also agree. I knew from the minute I heard what happened that Wilson acted in accordance with his training. Unfortunately, and as mentioned, that won’t help him find a new life.
I have to agree with Tim. This officer’s career is in shambles just because he did his job and killed a worthless thug. He did the local community a favor. One less predator.
Justice is finally served at the expense of an heroic police officer, who can no longer pursue his avocation.