Missouri Police Planning For Possible Riots If Cop Who Killed Michael Brown Is Not Charged
Missouri authorities are seeking intelligence from U.S. police departments on out-of-state agitators in case rioting could erupt if a grand jury does not indict Darren Wilson, the white officer who fatally shot unarmed teenager Michael Brown.
[su_center_ad]Meetings are held two to three times a week with the FBI also involved in the discussions.
Reuters reports:
The grand jury is expected to decide next month whether to bring criminal charges against police officer Darren Wilson, who shot dead Michael Brown, 18, on Aug. 9 in Ferguson, Missouri.
In differing accounts, police have said Brown struggled with Wilson before the fatal shots were fired. But some witnesses say Brown held up his hands and was surrendering when he was shot multiple times in the head and chest.
If charges are not brought against Wilson, police fear an outbreak of violence not just in the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, but across the greater metropolitan area and even in other U.S. cities, according to St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar and others involved in the planning meetings.
James Knowles, the Ferguson mayor who has been attending the meetings, told Reuters the fear is that if violence is triggered by the grand jury decision, “the unrest is going to be far beyond the city of Ferguson.”
Brown’s killing sparked days of protests in Ferguson in August and looting that caused millions of dollars of property damage. Police were sharply criticized for what was seen as a heavy handed response to the protests, firing tear gas and arresting hundreds of people.
Protestors and civil rights groups say Brown’s death is part of a national epidemic in which a disproportionately high number of unarmed black men are fatally shot by white police officers, an allegation police deny.
Missouri law enforcement officials have been in contact with police chiefs in Los Angeles, New York, Florida and Cincinnati, Ohio as they prepare for the grand jury decision, Belmar said.
Attending the meetings were representatives of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, St. Louis County Police, St. Louis city police and Ferguson police. The top FBI official in St Louis, Agent William Woods, attended a strategy meeting last week, according to St Louis FBI spokeswoman Rebecca Wu.
Authorities are discussing how to handle the possibility of riots, after a public backlash in how they dealt with protesters since the teenager’s shooting death by a police officer.
And then there’s this: A federal judge has ruled that police in Ferguson violated the Constitution when they told protesters that they had to keep walking and that they couldn’t stand still.
The police in the small city immediately utilized military-style tactics on protesters, an issue which is a growing concern in other smaller cities in the U.S. On Thursday, a possible leak from a pro-Darren Wilson juror was revealed, adding even more fuel to the fire. [su_csky_ad]
Image: Gizmodo
KABoink_after_wingnut_hacker October 7th, 2014 at 6:40 pm
Or authorities could simply press charges against the man who shot the kid and investigate without spending millions of dollars and risking more lives.
The path forward for justice is actually pretty simple when you’re not a racist wingnut and just follow standard legal practice.
mea_mark October 7th, 2014 at 6:49 pm
A trial would be far cheaper and at the very least would send a message to law enforcement officers that they can’t just gun people down. There are consequences and they are not immune.
Skydog2 October 7th, 2014 at 10:21 pm
Fair point but once the prosecutor sent the case to the grand jury it may be too late to press charges without an indictment …. well at least that’s how it works on Law & Order TV.
Tommy6860 October 7th, 2014 at 7:01 pm
I wonder if things get testy, if the ” immunity from the law”- law enforcers, get another pass on civil rights violations?
Anomaly 100 October 7th, 2014 at 7:18 pm
Tom, I missed you!
Tommy6860 October 7th, 2014 at 7:23 pm
Aww, thank you so much, I miss you guys too and love you all so very much <3! I am just swamped at work as it's that time of the year when processing really ramps up. Also, people are leaving, so those who remain have more work to do. It will get more hectic as more people find other jobs.
Anomaly 100 October 7th, 2014 at 7:40 pm
I knew it had to do with work. I’m just used to seeing you on the Internetz. I’m spoiled like that.
uzza October 7th, 2014 at 7:09 pm
“Missouri authorities are seeking … out-of-state agitators in case rioting could erupt”
Gotta get those agent provocateurs ready.
StoneyCurtisll October 7th, 2014 at 7:12 pm
A federal judge has ruled that police in Ferguson violated the
Constitution when they told protesters that they had to keep walking and
that they couldn’t stand still.
As if we didn’t already know their civil rights had been violated.
Skydog2 October 7th, 2014 at 10:07 pm
Does the ruling relate to the actions taken Ron Johnson’s Missouri State Highway Patrol or the local Ferguson police? I believe it’s the former but haven’t been able to find confirmation.
NW10 October 7th, 2014 at 7:28 pm
Let the rioting begin, because it’s highly unlikely that Officer Wilson will be indicted, let alone convicted. This was bungled from the moment Officer Wilson started shooting at Michael Brown and killed him, leaving his dead body in the street for hours. From the release of the convenience store video, to the racist tweets/FB posts from Ferguson police officers, to the baseless lies from Chuck C. Johnson and Jim Hoft, to the Darren Wilson bracelets, to the grand jury being investigated, to the nonsense at the St. Louis baseball game, this has reeked of getting a white police officer off the hook for killing a black kid.
StoneyCurtisll October 7th, 2014 at 8:04 pm
I got a bad feelin….
You are right.
I live in Missouri and know what a “red state” it is…
Thankfully I live of the west side of the state, greater Metro Kansas City area..
We have a black Mayor and Police Chief…
The racial animosity they have in the St. Louis area is not nearly as prevalent here as it is there.
Tammy Minton Haley October 8th, 2014 at 12:50 am
there’s a bunch of stuff going on in ferguson this weekend…i thought the protest at the symphony was actually quite beautiful…just lovely, really…
fergusonoctober.com
Skydog2 October 7th, 2014 at 10:12 pm
Much of what you mentioned has no bearing on the grand jury’s decision:
– leaving his dead body in the street for hours
– release of the convenience store video
– racist tweets/FB posts
– lies from Chuck C. Johnson and Jim Hoft
– Darren Wilson bracelets
NW10 October 7th, 2014 at 10:19 pm
The “grand jury” is a sham. There’s a reason why they are being investigated for misconduct.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/ferguson-grand-jury-misconduct-investigaiton
They’re not going to indict Wilson on anything, and everything I listed is why.
Skydog2 October 7th, 2014 at 10:22 pm
I understand your point now.
Robert M. Snyder October 8th, 2014 at 12:55 am
“leaving his dead body in the street for hours”
It is my understanding that several hours are typically required in order for investigators to photograph and document the condition and orientation of the body at the scene. This also includes searching for evidence such as shell casings and documenting their locations and orientations. It also involves finding and documenting blood spatter, etc. If you immediately remove the body, you risk disturbing the other evidence lying nearby. If the body had been promptly removed, before a thorough investigation had been performed, many people would have accused the police of rushing the investigation (i.e. a cover-up).
greenfloyd October 8th, 2014 at 2:26 am
Hog wash! It does not disturb any evidence to cover the body, show at least a modicum of respect, if not for Brown, the community. Certainly no one is going to accuse these cops or the local DA of “rushing the investigation.” My paranoid suspicion is they are waiting for a cold-snap, for conditions not favorable to protests, before they drop this bomb.
Skydog2 October 8th, 2014 at 2:55 am
“several hours are typically required in order for ……”
That’s also my understanding. In most cases the body is not in the middle of the street or in public view so most people don’t know what is typical.
fahvel October 8th, 2014 at 3:15 am
way too much television fella. There’s a real world outside of csi crap.
Robert M. Snyder October 8th, 2014 at 3:21 am
http://nij.gov/topics/law-enforcement/investigations/crime-scene/guides/death-investigation/Pages/evaluate.aspx
Skydog2 October 7th, 2014 at 10:14 pm
Possible riots? The Brown family deserves justice ….. a complete and thorough review of the facts. Justice does not mean a decision you or I agree with.
greenfloyd October 7th, 2014 at 11:19 pm
I agree, however, the problem with the Grand Jury system in cases like this, LE kills someone, there’s no public advocate in the jury room to check, challenge and/or add to the DA’s findings and prevent lies of omission. Most Grand Juries are instructed they can only consider the DA’s information and must igonre the press or any private opinon on the matter. In my mind that creates something of a Seperation of Powers problem. It would be very interesting to learn exaclty what was presented in this case.
uzza October 7th, 2014 at 11:24 pm
Who’s on this Grand Jury? Am I cynical to assume it’s a gang of the DA’s golfing buddies?
fancypants October 8th, 2014 at 12:05 am
if a grand jury doesn’t understand 3 autopsy reports and witness testimonies ? We are all screwed in general
Skydog2 October 8th, 2014 at 2:50 am
Do you know if this problem unique to Ferguson or is it typical throughout the country?
greenfloyd October 8th, 2014 at 3:24 am
I think it’s pretty standard practice, modeled after the Federal Grand Jury Handbook
Skydog2 October 8th, 2014 at 3:03 am
“seeking intelligence from U.S. police departments on out-of-state agitators”
There may be a large influx of out of town protestors. A Michael Brown advocacy website encourages local residents to open their doors / couches for out-of town protestors and operates a forum to make it easier for people to contact, make arrangements.
fahvel October 8th, 2014 at 3:10 am
was anyone from the community invited to be a part of the discussion about white racist paranoia? Seems these cops who kill retain their insulation to the detriment of the public.
Obewon October 8th, 2014 at 3:25 am
Anybody blowing away an unarmed jaywalker with an 11 shot summary judgement as the Ferguson Police Chief admits deserves indictment, trial, conviction and imprisonment! Klansman Darren Wilson didn’t even file a police report as is required and then made up a bullshit story he was attacked with 00.00% evidence supporting his fantasy! It’s obvious why Ku Klux Klan fund-raised for this POS. Wilson is far less a person than any other pile of crap.