Friday, August 15, 2014

Did Office Darren Wilson Shoot 18-Year-old Michael Brown Over A $48.99 Box of Cigars or Were Shots Fired In Self Defense?


Police are to serve and protect.  Citizens deserve respect, but so do police officers. So, when is force by an officer become unreasonable?  It may be like pornography, the Court knows it when it sees it. However, hindsight is always 20/20.  Unfortunately the real world sometimes requires split second reactions and the line between a good decision and a bad one may become blurred in the heat of the moment. If nothing else comes out of the protests in Missouri, the message that officer education and training is critical to preserve the delicate balance of preserving freedom and keeping order.

Unfortunately, that is of little consolation to the family of 18-year-old Michael Brown who was shot by officer Darren Wilson on Aug. 9. Wilson's suburban St. Louis police chief, Thomas Jackson, has now released documents alleging the teen was killed after an alleged robbery in which he was suspected of stealing a box of cigars. The cigars retailed for $48.99.
Officer Wilson may have been paroling when a 911 dispatch that allegedly reported a "strong-arm" robbery just before noon.The dispatcher supposedly gave a description that may match Brown.  Wilson, a six-year veteran of the police department, apparently confronted Brown before back up arrived. It is not clear at this point if Wilson suspected Brown of being involved in the store altercation. Early reports are that the store incident and the shooting may not be related. Attorney, Benjamin Crump, represents Brown's parents. He stated, "It's bad enough they assassinated him, and now they're trying to assassinate his character."   (Crump also represented the family of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager fatally shot by Zimmerman.)
 Supposedly the August 9, 2014 store video reveals a man wearing a ball cap, shorts and white T-shirt grabbing a much shorter man by his shirt near the store's door.(Video photo's above.) A police report alleges that Brown grabbed a man who had come from behind the store counter by his shirt and "forcefully pushed him back" into a display rack. Johnson, Brown's friend, acknowledged that he and Brown were in the store.  Little else is clear from comments released in the press. Furthermore, it is not been confirmed who is shown on the above photos. Some say the video photos are not of Brown.  Nevertheless, the officer is expected to claim that Brown was shot after he encountered Brown and another man on the street during his patrol. It is expected that the officer will claim that one of the men pushed him into his squad car and a struggled occurred over the officer's weapon. At least one shot was fired inside the car before the struggle spilled onto the street,  Brown is believed to  have been shot more than once. Officer Wilson may not have suspected Brown to have been related to the store incident.
Dorian Johnson has told the media that a police officer ordered him and Brown onto the sidewalk, then grabbed his friend's neck and tried to pull him into the car before brandishing his weapon and firing. He said Brown started to run and the officer pursued him, firing multiple times.

Tiffany Mitchell allegedly witnessed the incident. She said on CNN Tonight that Brown was trying to pull away from the officers, and then the officer was pulling him into the car when a shot was fired from inside the car. Mitchell said that Brown broke free and started running and then "the kid's body jerked as if he was hit from behind and he turned around and he puts his hands up like this, and the cop continued to fire, until he just dropped down to the ground and his face smacked the concrete."  According to Mitchell, the officer fired five or six shots.

Some question whether Brown was even a legitimate suspect to be stopped, detained or questioned. Photos of Brown don't really match up with the store surveillance photos. Dorian Johnson, Brown's friend, has stated that the officer told him and Brown to get out of the street and that Brown had his hands up when he was shot. If Brown's hands were up, why was it necessary to shoot him in the face?  That appears to be the question protesters want answered. Legal Pub shares the desire for such answers but asks that the answers be obtained through peaceful lawful means.
The State Highway Patrol seems to have matters now under control as they walk side-by-side with thousands of peaceful protesters.  Police in riot gear and armored tanks the nights before had only added fury to the fire.Now it appears things are on track for calmer heads to prevail until all the facts are known.

Darren Wilson, who has been on administrative leave since he shot Michael Brown. All suspects are to be presumed innocent and all allegations are to be considered untrue unless otherwise proven in a court of law.

Update 11-24-2014:  A grand jury decided not to indict officer Darren Wilson for any alleged crimes associated with the death of 18 year-old Michael Brown.  Prosecutor Robert McCulloch gave a news conference expressing his sympathies to the Brown family.  


28 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a mess!

Scoop said...

The autopsy proves that Michael Brown was shot at least six times!
An autopsy was conducted by pathologist Michael Baden. Baden was an expert in O.J. Simpson, Phil Spector and Drew Peterson trials.

New York Times Reader said...

The New York Times, reported the autopsy showed two of the bullets struck Brown in the head. The other four struck him in the right arm.

New York Times Reader said...

The New York Times, reported the autopsy showed two of the bullets struck Brown in the head. The other four struck him in the right arm.

For The Defense said...

Let's be fair! The same autopsy report discounts the police report that he was shot while running away.
Specifically, all six shots were fired into Brown while he was facing the cop.

Everyone Calm Down said...

Brown was no angel. The officer "was hit" and the "side of his face was swollen" according to reports. If true, this is consistent with a struggle.

For The Defense said...

It appears the officer was provoked and in fear for his life. There is no rule that a cop needs to see a gun to be able to shoot and stop a threat. Look at the earlier video, can you honestly say Brown wasn't a threat?

Anonymous said...

If the cop did not know he was in a gang or that he had just shoplifted, then there was no reason to shoot him. And if his hands were up surrendering, then it is murder.

Anonymous said...

If the cop did not know he was in a gang or that he had just shoplifted, then there was no reason to shoot him. And if his hands were up surrendering, then it is murder.

Inquisitive Mind said...

How is being a Blood gang member or even a thief give a cop a right to kill someone for jaywalking?

Every One Calm Down said...

Wait for all of the facts! When we have all the facts, let justice be done in the form of conviction or exoneration. The color of Brown's skin should be irrelevant.

For The Defense said...

100% of gangbangers are criminals. Brown may not be a gangbanger but from store video he looks like a thug. There has yet to be any video evidence that backs up the witnesses stories and the autopsy showing all shots from the front confirm he was not running away when shot!

Anonymous said...

There are pictures of Brown making gang signs. (Bloods) He robbed and intimidated a little store clerk. He was walking in the middle of street and refused the cops request to get out of the street. Brown may have been scared of being caught for robbing the store but he should have not disobeyed the cop.

New York Times Reader said...

6'3" 300 pounds and the cop tried to pull Brown into his car? I doubt it...

Anonymous said...

Internet photos don't necessarily show "gang" signs. Both white and black kids flash these in photos without being affiliated with a gang. Check your racist attitudes at the door people.

For The Defense said...

A head shot is consistent with a lunging action. The officer's record appears clean. From the store video Brown seems agitated. I suspect the agitation continued when confronted by the cop as he probably thought he was getting busted.

Anonymous said...

It matters who or what he robbed. He didn't deserved to be gunned down in broad daylight.

Anonymous said...

Send in the National Guard and protect the law abiding people who live in that community. w

Legal Pub said...

People and their political agendas interfere with the search for truth

Anonymous said...

Early witnesses say the cop put his cruiser in reverse and pulled up so close that when he opened the door, it bumped Johnson and Brown. Then, “through the window of his cruiser, he grabs Big Mike by the throat... Big Mike tries to move away. The officer grabs his shirt.”

For The Defense said...

But Johnson said he saw the officer pull out a gun. “He shoots Big Mike somewhere in the chest or arm,” Johnson took off running and hid behind a car. “Big Mike runs by him. He says to Dorian, ‘Keep running,’ ” Bosley said. “The officer chases Big Mike. He fires a shot and hits Big Mike in the back. Big Mike turns around. [Brown] puts his hands up. The officer shoots him five or six more times.”

Per the autopsy report, Brown being hit in the back is wrong.

Anonymous said...

How can any rational person make a hero/martyr out of someone who shoves a little old man clerk around and robs a store then waltz down the street like it’s all in a days work?

Anonymous said...

Funeral today... street marching tomorrow.

Chuckles said...

While U marching, a grand jury is listening. The cop has raised 350,000 for his defense. Officer Wilson himself has been hiding from public view.

Anonymous said...

Just let the system judge the man. It ain't rocket science y'all.

Anonymous said...

This is all crazy to me I mean cum on all these officer �� getting away with cold bloody murders this should. End now he need to be inedited locked �� n throw away the key ��. This don't make no since and it don't add up �� but RIP Micheal brown your voice may not b herd but Sunday he gn regret wat he did to u

Anonymous said...

A grand jury consisting of one black man, two black women and nine whites decided not to indict officer Wilson.

Anonymous said...

Hey y'all. The defendant actually testified. That's almost unheard of in grand jury's. I think the guy was innocent.