Ferguson Grand Jury...

[fm93]

the police were brought in in both San Francisco riots after both world series wins, so I'm not really sure what point you're trying to prove.

That riotous behavior doesn't/wouldn't justify the possibility of racial targeting from the police.

[Sparko]

You said in the previous post "These people wonder why the police target them. They act like animals." The pronoun "they" sure doesn't seem to be referring to anyone but African-American folks, as white folks aren't the ones believing that the police tend to target them.

Additionally, the most common slogans I'm hearing are "No justice, no peace" and "Black lives matter." Their motive apparently isn't to "teach" the authorities about justice so much as demand it.


No. I don't support the looting or burning of buildings and police cars. But it's important to keep in mind that many (most) protesters weren't doing either. They shouldn't be conflated.

You are right most were NOT looting and rioting. Because they are law-abiding citizens. Yet what happened? Many of them were targeted by their own neighbors, businesses burned down, property destroyed, etc. It is stupid. It's like the US sinking their own ships to teach ISIS a lesson.

The rioters and looters probably were not looking for justice. They were looking for an excuse to riot and loot, get free stuff, and be on TV. I am betting if the decision came out to take Wilson to trial, these same people would have rioted and looted in celebration of "winning"

[Cow Poke]

That riotous behavior doesn't/wouldn't justify the possibility of racial targeting from the police.

Neither would a 300 lb man rushing at a police officer, striking him in the face, and trying to grab his gun. He isn't going to think, "oh, this is a white guy, I should just sit here and take it".

[Sparko]

[Bill the Cat]

Is this normal police work? No photos or forensic examination of the police officer at the scene?

After the shooting, the supervisor turns up and sends Wilson back to the police station where he washes the blood off.

Because leaving him there with an angry crowd who was yelling "kill the police" is a SMART thing to do for an understaffed police department...

[Darth Executor]

In their defense, stealing to honor Michael Brown does seem appropriate.

[rogue06]

You are right most were NOT looting and rioting. Because they are law-abiding citizens. Yet what happened? Many of them were targeted by their own neighbors, businesses burned down, property destroyed, etc. It is stupid. It's like the US sinking their own ships to teach ISIS a lesson.

The rioters and looters probably were not looking for justice. They were looking for an excuse to riot and loot, get free stuff, and be on TV. I am betting if the decision came out to take Wilson to trial, these same people would have rioted and looted in celebration of "winning"

I believe that is called cutting off your nose to spite your face.

[Mountain Man]

The Brown family church in Ferguson was burned to the ground. Do you suppose it had anything to do with the riots taking place just a few blocks away? Nah, man, the pastor says it was totally done by white supremacists.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-protests.html

[Cow Poke]

The Brown family church in Ferguson was burned to the ground. Do you suppose it had anything to do with the riots taking place just a few blocks away? Nah, man, the pastor says it was totally done by white supremacists.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-protests.html

When you play with fire....

[Cow Poke]

I'm still seeing those who disagree with the Grand Jury decision say things like, "but there were all kinds of inconsistencies"... well, YEAH, but not like they thought...

And a certain Twebber who kept insisting that "all the witnesses agree", and used that as PROOF that Wilson was guilty... well....

Source: BigStory.AP.com

Grand jury documents rife with inconsistenciessource

© Copyright Original Source

[pancreasman]

I'm still seeing those who disagree with the Grand Jury decision say things like, "but there were all kinds of inconsistencies"... well, YEAH, but not like they thought...

And a certain Twebber who kept insisting that "all the witnesses agree", and used that as PROOF that Wilson was guilty... well....

Source: BigStory.AP.com

Grand jury documents rife with inconsistencies

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Some witnesses said Michael Brown had been shot in the back. Another said he was lying face-down when Officer Darren Wilson finished him off. Still others acknowledged changing their stories to fit published details about the autopsy, or admitted that they didn't see the shooting at all.

An Associated Press review of thousands of pages of grand jury documents reveals numerous examples of statements made during the shooting investigation that were inconsistent, fabricated or provably wrong. Prosecutors exposed these inconsistencies before the jurors, which likely influenced their decision not to indict Wilson in Brown's death.

Bob McCulloch, the St. Louis County prosecutor, said the grand jury had to weigh testimony that conflicted with physical evidence and conflicting statements by witnesses as it decided whether Wilson should face charges.

"Many witnesses to the shooting of Michael Brown made statements inconsistent with other statements they made and also conflicting with the physical evidence. Some were completely refuted by the physical evidence," McCulloch said. source

© Copyright Original Source

This whole thing has got so muddy with politics and cultural racism which may or may not exist and may or may not have effected the shooting and its aftermath.

I grieve for the young man and his family. In a better world he should not have died. I grieve for the policeman who felt compelled to defend himself with deadly force. I grieve for the good people of Ferguson whose grief has been kidnapped by greedy opportunists. I grieve for your country where so many people have their lives cut short by gun violence. This is a problem so vast that I can't find any way to address it myself. I can't find any meaning in it and I can't see any way forward.

[Cow Poke]

This whole thing has got so muddy with politics and cultural racism which may or may not exist and may or may not have effected the shooting and its aftermath.

But it doesn't have to.

If you go back to the actual facts, not the hype, you can not escape the fact that...

Brown had just committed a strong robbery -- there's video showing that.
Wilson had initially just warned Brown and his buddy to quit walking in the middle of the highway.
911 recording shows Wilson being informed of the strong arm robbery, and he backs up to re-address Brown.
A struggle ensues in which Brown punches and tries to take the duty weapon from Wilson.
A shot is fired inside the vehicle, wounding Brown in the hand or thumb.
At this point, Brown has already committed two separate crimes.

Let's start with that much -- are any of those facts at odds with the evidence?

[whag]

But it doesn't have to.

If you go back to the actual facts, not the hype, you can not escape the fact that...

Brown had just committed a strong robbery -- there's video showing that.
Wilson had initially just warned Brown and his buddy to quit walking in the middle of the highway.
911 recording shows Wilson being informed of the strong arm robbery, and he backs up to re-address Brown.
A struggle ensues in which Brown punches and tries to take the duty weapon from Wilson.
A shot is fired inside the vehicle, wounding Brown in the hand or thumb.
At this point, Brown has already committed two separate crimes.

Let's start with that much -- are any of those facts at odds with the evidence?

I believe that any person who makes another innocent person fear for his/her life (as in the case of Brown's robbery) should expect to be dispatched in some way, whether or not that person is, in general, seen as a good Christian or gentle soul. It's that grave an offense. That says nothing about the way the cop handled it. He isn't perfect.

This is basically a warning to parents to pay more attention to their children and budding cops to carefully consider whether they have the temprement and intelligence to de-escalate a situation. I don't think this cop had the temprement and intelliegence to de-escalate a complicated situation, and because of that, we're dealing with a huge mess.

[Cow Poke]

I believe that any person who makes another innocent person fear for his/her life (as in the case of Brown's robbery) should expect to be dispatched in some way, whether or not that person is, in general, seen as a good Christian or gentle soul. It's that grave an offense. That says nothing about the way the cop handled it. He isn't perfect.

OK, so far....

This is basically a warning to parents to pay more attention to their children

He had a dad, then a step-dad, and we saw how crazy the step dad was. We also watched his mom screaming profanities at the police. Sure, she was grief-stricken, but she raised this boy.

and budding cops to carefully consider whether they have the temprement and intelligence to de-escalate a situation. I don't think this cop had the temprement and intelliegence to de-escalate a complicated situation, and because of that, we're dealing with a huge mess.

How do you "de-escalate" a situation where somebody punches you in the face and tries to grab your gun? What makes you think he didn't have the temprement [sic] or intelliegence [sic] to handle the situation?

[whag]

OK, so far....



He had a dad, then a step-dad, and we saw how crazy the step dad was. We also watched his mom screaming profanities at the police. Sure, she was grief-stricken, but she raised this boy.

She raised him wrongly (bad step dad is a key indicator of her bad judgment, also lame references to church going) OR he had a psychotic defect that made him think strong arming people is normal human interaction.

How do you "de-escalate" a situation where somebody punches you in the face and tries to grab your gun? What makes you think he didn't have the temprement [sic] or intelliegence [sic] to handle the situation?

If I have to tell you how to avoid death in that situation, this likely won't be a fruitful discussion. Obviously, more dangerous situations have been defused by better cops.