No Charges for Darren Wilson, Grand Jury Evidence May Not Be Released

Ferguson , MO — After many weeks of reviewing evidence, a grand jury has finally come to a decision of whether or not to charge Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the shooting of unarmed teenager Micheal Brown.

After seeing all the evidence the 12-member grand jury has decided not to bring charges against Wilson. Apparently the jurors felt that the evidence was not sufficient enough to bring even the lowest charge Wilson was facing, second-degree involuntary manslaughter.

Prior to the grand jury decision being announced on air, an article by USA Today, stated that there would be no indictment.

A St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict officer Darren Wilson, 28, for firing six shots in an August confrontation that killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, said Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the family. The decision had been long awaited and followed rioting that resembled war-zone news footage in this predominantly black suburb of St. Louis.

“The jury was not inclined to indict on any charges,” Crump said after being informed of the decision by authorities. Prosecutors scheduled an news conference to announce the decision.

Back in September the public was told by prosecutor Bob McCulloch, that the evidence in the trial would be made public.

If there is not an indictment returned in any case, then the case is closed and the records are closed. Unless the judge orders that they be opened. So in this case, we have asked the judge if there is no indictment returned, and no charge on anything, we have asked the judge, and she has agreed, that the records will be made public,” McCulloch said.

However, as of Nov. 23 the St. Louis County Director of Judicial Administration, Paul Fox, released a statement saying that St. Louis Judge Whittington has entered no such order, or made no such agreement.

The statement says if the Grand Jury records are released, the court would have to analyze them, “The Court had done no such analysis.”

 

This decision to withhold the evidence is salt on the wounds of those with personal ties to this case.

If justice was truly served then transparency in this matter is at the precipice of this decision.

Monday afternoon McCulloch said that he will attempt to release the evidence even without the approval of the judge.

Activist groups have pledged street protests if officer Darren Wilson is not indicted, while the state has been planning a massive police presence. However, the most outspoken of protesters have pledged to remain peaceful.

Awaiting the grand jury’s decision, shop owners have boarded up store fronts, and students in one area school district began an extended early Thanksgiving break on Monday.

There will likely be those who exploit this civil disobedience for their own unethical self-interests; this includes both civilians and police. However, as we’ve previously reported the peaceful protesters have stood in solidarity against such senseless acts of theft and destruction.

Police on the other hand have proven that they are willing and able to escalate otherwise peaceful situations into catastrophic war zone scenarios. 

It is up to the protesters now to prove the naysayers wrong and maintain the civil portion of this historical act of civil disobedience. The world is now watching.

The family of Michael Brown is calling for people to observe 4.5 minutes of silence on behalf of his death immediately after the announcement is made.

The Free Thought Project has two journalists on the ground in Ferguson. You can watch the live stream by clicking on this link. 




Source Article from http://thefreethoughtproject.com/no-charges-officer-shot-unarmed-teen/

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