To all: What should the police do when they see a citizen breaking the law (say, hanging out in the middle of a four lane street, impeding traffic) tell them to stop, and the person refuses to do so? Just let them continue? Any classroom teacher can tell you what will happen once the population gets used to the idea that you can "just say no"....
Racism is the root of a misery that has been suffered in the South and inner cities for centuries. Anyone who thinks that racism is off the books is complicit in the very denial that breaks out in death. Ignorance, in this day and age, is inexcusable. Racism, eagerness to 'play with' weaponry and the romanticism of lethal force by police departments; Underlying all is the cowardice of the bully, whose paranoia expresses the chasm between the perpetrators and victims, the haves and have nots and the power structure and the 'usual suspects' that have become the bread and butter of police depts. and prison systems that are run by those who are almost exclusively white. How can this possibly be considered just? Why has this department been enabled by the state and by the federal governemtn in its racism? Where is the oversight? And how can anyone think that there is not a reason behind such a decision to ignore such hard cold facts of discrimination that will and do result in violence, injustice and violation of human dignity?
Such multi tiered complicity has and will wreak violence until the greater issue is corrected. Racism is the ultimate ignorance. It is illegal and this whole department should be called to account and many should be fired. Until there is consequence nothing will change. There will be more Michael Browns. More Fergusons.
How many?
Hey, Lindsey Lohan isn't 6 ft 3 in and doesnt weigh 300 lbs. Big difference pal. In case you didn't notice. I'd like to see what you would do if someone punched you in the eye, hard enough to break the eye socket and tries to take your gun. Reason with him? Yeah sure you would. Your would have reasonable fear for your life. Say you wouldn't and I will call you a liar. Question for you. What if the shop owner, the victim of the strong armed robbery, a felony btw, had a gun and shot the robber Brown?
He clearly threatened him in the video. Would he be justified? I think ultimately that big Mike Brown tried to bully one to many people that day and his luck ran out.
It could have gone really bad for Officer Wilson. Nice kids "headed for college" sometimes kill officers attempting to take them into custody. Countless police officers have been murdered during routine contact under similar circumstances. It appears that Mr. Brown was very adroit at "taking more from a table than he brought" and may very well have been just that kind of guy.
False equivalence. Lindsay Lohan (or any other girl, her size) slapping you is a nuisance. A 6'4" 292 lb monster punching you is life threatening. Lohan "bum rushing" you would be comical. Goodey, you don't have to chase her to arrest her, she is coming to you. An NFL sized guy who had just punched your face hard enough to cause a fracture, and tried to seize your lethal weapon, bum rushing you is a life or death situation.
Which three reports about Michael brown were released?
And how did the truth, lawful findings which is what should be in a report, smear him?
If these reports were un lawful then the Brown family can sue police for false reports.
Brown was not right in the head. Who robs a convenience store then brazenly walks down the middle of the street?
While many of the facts in this case are still unknown and/or undisclosed, there is a clear and obvious answer to why Officer Wilson is not speaking or appearing publicly. He is still a member of the police force and this is an ongoing investigation, so he is not authorized to speak about this incident to the public. This is a requirement of all officers of the law so it is not an indicator of guilt or innocence. Indeed, it is also the same reason why his fellow officers, aside from the police chief (who obviously makes the decision on who can speak to the media) are not out there giving the media and public their opinions, details of evidence or other information.
Eye witnesses do not have these professional and legal restrictions and are free to speak to the media and public as they wish.
The Ferguson PD was asked not to release the video by the Justice department.
They released the video when they did because of a Freedom of Information act request.
In both cases, their hands were tied.
"blow out fracture of the eye socket". Widely reported and not disputed FACT
The family should release their autopsy photos to the media. If they don't, then only the friends and supporters of law enforcement will ever sneak a peak at what the cop did to Brown.
The prosecutor says he doesn't want to bias the jury pool by releasing his photos. There isn't going to be a jury because there isn't going to be a trial or an arrest or even an indictment.
It's just a stall until the news cycle moves on after Labor Day. Cops never go to trial for killing black men. Release the pictures of the dead man, and then let the prosecutor and his public decide what to do next.
Michael Brown's 15 minutes of fame, of justice, is ticking away...
The rest of the footage shows that Brown *paid* for the cigars.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/08/19/1323057/-Crooks-and-Liars-Brown...
People shoot sat robbery suspects who resist arrest, assault police officers and try to escape. It's accepted practice.
I don't condone violence of any type, but also don't believe that it is the goal of our government to "brutalize and terrorize" our citizens and other world citizens. The vast majority of law enforcement in our country risk their lives daily to protect our citizens, and while I don't agree with the recent war in Iraq, I do believe that the war in Afghanistan was a proper response to terrorists murdering our citizens. The argument that all we spend our money on weapons to the exclusion of doing "good" is a fallacy. The idea that our world would be as safe as it is today without our protection, is equally untrue.
That's because the US is an extremely violent country. Even after leaving aside the number of people who are in jail for small-scale drug crimes, one would see that the rate of violent crime (not only murder) and crimes involving guns are off the charts in the US.
From Wilson's account he had already been attacked by Brown. What is it not reasonable to shoot if he fears that he will be attacked again?