November 25, 2014

Ferguson Cop Darren Wilson Will Not Be Charged for Killing Michael Brown, Grand Jury Decides

    —By Mother Jones news team

Wilson at a City Council meeting in February 2014.City of Ferguson/AP

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Grand jury decides not to indict: The grand jury reviewing Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson’s case in St. Louis County announced on Monday night that Wilson will not be charged in the shooting death of Michael Brown. The decision came more than three months after Wilson shot and killed Brown, the unarmed black teenager whose death on August 9 triggered weeks of protests that included sporadic violence and looting.

Twelve jurors—nine whites and three African Americans—reviewed Wilson’s case. Their decision continues a long-running pattern of police officers involved in fatal shootings going unprosecuted.

 

Brown family issues statement: Mike Brown’s parents released a statement following the grand jury decision asking protesters keep their actions peaceful:

 

Wilson’s lawyers issue statement: Wilson’s attorneys also released a statement, saying that “Law enforcement personnel must frequently make split-second and difficult decisions”:

 

 

Restricted air space: The Federal Aviation Administration confirms to Mother Jones that it restricted air space over Ferguson at 10:15 p.m. local time “due to gunfire.” The resrtiction was in effect from the surface to 3,000 feet above sea level (about 2,500 feet off the ground), so that’s why some news feeds were still working above the area.

President Obama reacts: Shortly after 10pm Eastern time, the president spoke, urging a peaceful response to the news. “Michael Brown’s parents have lost more than anyone. We should be honoring their wishes.”

 

 

Attorney General issues statement: Attorney General Eric Holder has released the following statement, saying the federal investigation into the shooting is still ongoing. (Read more about the Department of Justice’s investigation here):

 

Photos of Wilson released: Meanwhile, St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch said Wilson suffered “some swelling and redness to his face”:

 

More reactions: Some reactions from around the Ferguson area:

Several fires pop up: Multiple reports of fires started to roll in. Here are just a couple.

Real-time footage: Watch a livestream from the streets of Ferguson captured by Bassem Masri here:

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Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

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