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Awaiting Ferguson grand jury, activists drill protest tactics

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Police around the St. Louis suburb of Ferguson, Missouri, are preparing for large protests when a grand jury decides whether to indict the white police officer who fatally shot an unarmed black teen in August, and so are activists.

A policeman executes an unarmed teenager over 100 feet from his car after at least a half-dozen eyewitnesses have the teenager raising his hands to surrender -- and none of them report the young man making any attempt to "charge" at the officer. (The young man had already been shot at least four times.)

Rather than fiiling charges against the officer and allowing him his day in court, the political entity defending the police decides to hold a secret tribunal with the goal of officially exonerating the officer. People are perfectly in the right to be upset to the point of committing acts of civil disobedience over this.

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A policeman executes an unarmed teenager over 100 feet from his car after at least a half-dozen eyewitnesses have the teenager raising his hands to surrender -- and none of them report the young man making any attempt to "charge" at the officer. (The young man had already been shot at least four times.)

If this were fact the DOJ would come down on the officer like a hammer! Obviously these are just allocations.

Rather than fiiling charges against the officer and allowing him his day in court, the political entity defending the police decides to hold a secret tribunal with the goal of officially exonerating the officer. People are perfectly in the right to be upset to the point of committing acts of civil disobedience over this.

And the "political entity" is more motivated and more powerful the Eric Holder?

The people have no right to any violent protests as we've seen several weeks ago. No right at all!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

If this were fact the DOJ would come down on the officer like a hammer! Obviously these are just allocations.

This is extreme foolishness.

Fact: Brown was unarmed. Fact: Brown was on the run and reached 100 feet from the officer's car while being shot at. Fact: Brown had been hit once at the car before he started to run, and another shot grazed him as he was running and caused him to stop and turn with his hands raised to surrender. Fact: No independent eyewitness has Brown rushing at the officer. The officer shots him down in cold blood.

And the "political entity" is more motivated and more powerful the Eric Holder?

In terms of wanting to absolve this officer for murdering an unarmed man, FAR more motivated. The U.S. Department of Justice current has no role whatsoever in the grand jury process -- the secret tribunal -- seeking to exonerate the officer.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

@yabits, Where on earth did you find the facts of the case? If this were true as you state the officer would be charged. And it wouldn't take several week to do so. To this the mysterious "political entity" will overturn the true facts is foolishness.

The DOJ may have stepped away but they will not overlook a perceived injustice of this capacity. Eric Holder is/was favoring those claimed "facts" early on. Either he realized they were fabricated or has complete confidence in the Grand Jury handling this case.

One fact is certain! Both you nor I know the facts.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Where on earth did you find the facts of the case?

Each fact I wrote is well documented. Why are you purposely blinding yourself to them? It's clear you have not studied the case. Why not try challenging even one of the facts that I wrote?

If this were true as you state the officer would be charged.

You are obviously wrong. In St. Louis County, a police officer can only be charged if the District Attorney wants to charge him. Period. They play by a completely different set of rules than ordinary citizens. The ordinary citizen doesn't receive a secret tribunal in order to determine whether or not they should be charged. All it takes for ordinary citizens is probable cause.

Nobody doubts that the officer emptied his service weapon at an unarmed teenager. Nobody doubts that the teenager was running away, and got around 100 feet from the vehicle where the altercation first began. Everyone knows that the police officer got out of his car to pursue and shoot at the unarmed teenager, who was fleeing.

Either he realized they were fabricated or has complete confidence in the Grand Jury handling this case.

This, again, is foolish. The grand jury process is a secret tribunal. There is no reason for any citizen to put faith in it, unless they believe that police executing unarmed people of color or of the underclass -- in full view of witnesses -- is an acceptable thing.

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If you're planning to attend, you better bring yourself a Flak Jacket ( WITH Plates ), a Helmet & Gas Mask with fresh filters.

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It is useful to remember what caused Officer Wilson to try to detain Brown in the first place: for walking in the center of a residential street. There would be a plethora of arrests in Japan - and in white suburban America - if the "letter of the law" were so strictly upheld.

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But Laguna, it's what you do after the officer tries to "detain" you.

In Japan, an apology and out of the street. Same for white suburban America. Inner city USA, resistance! To what extent may result in arrests or worse.

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...or worse.

Clearly.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It is useful to remember what caused Officer Wilson to try to detain Brown in the first place

Google Maps reveals that Canfield is a narrow, quiet, residential street. The office did not try to "detain" the two young, unarmed men -- Brown and his friend Dorian Johnson -- but yelled profanities at them in telling them to get out of the street. He then started to drive off and, according to Johnson and one eyewitness, soon put his vehicle in reverse and initiated a confrontation with Brown, with Johnson looking on. (There are several eyewitnesses who could see the confrontation at the vehicle.)

Johnson from the very beginning stated that Brown was shot at the vehicle -- and the physical evidence that has been made public supports this. There is not any doubt that the two young men started to run away from the car, and that the officer emerged from the car with his gun, firing away at Brown as he fled. At this very point, there is now probable cause of excessive use of force. Within 10-20 seconds, Brown -- who over a half-dozen eyewitnesses have turning slowly back towards the pursuing office with his hands raised out at his sides -- would be lying dead with gunshot wounds to the head.

None of the eyewitnesses can make any sense of why the officer kept firing. None have Brown charging the officer. More importantly, none of them have the officer yelling out any command -- just firing -- that Brown might have been able to comply with. Brown was hit several times already and was starting to go down on his hands and knees, which exposed the top of his head to the shooter.

There is now video evidence of the police officer leaving the police station two hours after the event (with his attorney), and heading for a local hospital -- which released him immediately. In the police station video, I couldn't see any signs of injury. (The pathologists who performed the autopsy reported no injuries on Brown's hands, other than the gunshot wound he sustained at the car.)

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

A policeman executes an unarmed teenager over 100 feet from his car after at least a half-dozen eyewitnesses have the teenager raising his hands to surrender -- and none of them report the young man making any attempt to "charge" at the officer. (The young man had already been shot at least four times.)

So now we are beginning to see that Wilson was probably in the right all along, now there is still a dispute as to whether Brown had his hands up or not, but it's apparent that he charged Wilson and that ultimately Brown was responsible for his own death. Now it appears before they make the ruling public, they are waiting for the temperature to get colder to avoid any possible riots and or looting, smart move.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

The ordinary citizen doesn't receive a secret tribunal (grand jury) in order to determine whether or not they should be charged.

"A grand jury is a legal body that is empowered to conduct official proceedings to investigate potential criminal conduct and to determine whether criminal charges should be brought." In the US, grand juries are conducted for all citizens suspected of committing crimes, regardless of the severity of the crimes and regardless of the citizens' standing in their community, e.g., ordinary citizens, policemen, politicians, etc., are subject to grand jury proceedings If the grand jury agrees with the charges, the district attorney is obliged to initiate trial proceedings. Otherwise, the charges are dropped. Also, it's worthy of note that testimony by witnesses on the street is usually a lot different from testimony that's given under oath. Street witnesses don't have to fear perjury charges and they are more likely to give versions of events that are palatable to members of their neighborhood.

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In the US, grand juries are conducted for all citizens suspected of committing crimes, regardless of the severity of the crimes and regardless of the citizens' standing in their community, e.g., ordinary citizens, policemen, politicians, etc., are subject to grand jury proceedings.

This was cut and pasted from some source that attempts to describe opaque theory behind the concept of grand juries. In practice, in Missouri, conducting a secret grand jury for ordinary citizens is quite rare. In the vast majority of cases, if the D.A. feels there is probable cause, charges are filed. In states where the grand jury process is more direct, they act as a rubber stamp for the D.A.

Also, it's worthy of note that testimony by witnesses on the street is usually a lot different from testimony that's given under oath.

First of all, we'd have to look at the "street" witnesses in this case. The vast majority are competent, law-abiding citizens. (For example, the construction workers who did not live in the neighborhood, and have little or nothing in common with it.)

more likely to give versions of events that are palatable to members of their neighborhood.

I question the competence of this source. The versions of events given by witnesses is in secrecy -- so "members of their neighborhood" not only can't tell if they are "palatable" or not, they don't even know if the person testified (unless the witness wants to reveal that to them). Still, this strengthens the argument for filing charges and putting the witnesses under oath. Any policeman testifying to a grand jury would not have to worry about perjury, and is far more likely to give versions of events that are palatable to members of his local precinct.

PS: On further examination of the latest video footage, no sign of injury can be found on Wilson, whatsoever.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

I question the competence of this source. The versions of events given by witnesses is in secrecy -- so "members of their neighborhood" not only can't tell if they are "palatable" or not, they don't even know if the person testified (unless the witness wants to reveal that to them). Still, this strengthens the argument for filing charges and putting the witnesses under oath. Any policeman testifying to a grand jury would not have to worry about perjury, and is far more likely to give versions of events that are palatable to members of his local precinct.

PS: On further examination of the latest video footage, no sign of injury can be found on Wilson, whatsoever.

I question the honesty and integrity of the witnesses that from what it seems exaggerated and possibly lied to the police and under oath to protect their hood and their ethical code of the streets "No snitchin'" which in this case like in majority of urban low income areas the basic rule. These people were screened, vetted, their testimonies checked, The biggest race baiter Eric Holder personally oversaw and worked with the grand jury and now it seems even he couldn't get an indictment because from the optics of what has transpired in this sad event is that Wilson was probably justified in needing to shoot Brown. Holder tried and even "he" failed from trying to distort the facts and to conflate the truth, this is why he has been silent on this issue. And because they know they won't get an indictment, Ferguson is bracing for more riots and looting. People are starting to board up their businesses again, people have been purchasing a lot of firearms just in case, the store owners are not going to take it, nor should they have to deal with thugs robbing them or burning their businesses whether because the verdict doesn't go their way or because they want to seize the opportunity to steal stuff. The Feds are totally right to wait as long as possible and to wait until it gets real cold before they announce the verdict.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

In states where the grand jury process is more direct, they act as a rubber stamp for the D.A.

I have served on a grand jury. The month-long grand jury on which I served did not rubber stamp any of the charges presented by the DA. Each charge was thoroughly evaluated. The DA won some and lost some. Perhaps the person who made the above comment served on a grand jury which knowingly brought charges against innocent people.

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The month-long grand jury on which I served did not rubber stamp any of the charges presented by the DA. Each charge was thoroughly evaluated.

Well now, aren't you just proud of yourself. Here's a few pertinent statistics for readers, who may have heard something to the effect of "over-burdened" legal systems: "During a single four-hour workday last week, a Mecklenburg County grand jury heard 276 cases and handed down 276 indictments. That means the 18 jurors heard evidence, asked questions, weighed whether the charges merit a trial, then voted on the indictments – all at the average rate of one case every 52 seconds. (source: Charlotte Observer; 2/14/2014) Nationally, the rate of indictments of grand juries is somewhere around 99%. At the federal level, the rate of non-indictment is roughly 1 in 2,000.

The DA won some and lost some.

Some? You make it sound like your rate of non-indictment was somewhere around 50/50. Care to cite the location of this grand jury? (I wouldn't think so.) Legal scholars like the ones writing in the New York University Law Review, have disagreed only on whether to call grand juries "rubber stamps," "tools," "playtoys," or "indictment mills." (The stats from Charlotte certainly bear that out.) But your month must have made you an expert on all grand juries across the country.

.. which knowingly brought charges against innocent people.

In this case, the grand jury would have to defy a D.A. who has refused to indict when faced with clear probable cause. The odds against that are extremely high. This D.A. doesn't care a whit about the lives and people of Ferguson. They aren't his social circle and the ones he has to stay in good graces with for his career. He knows that an indictment means that the officer is immediately terminated from his job, and if found guilty and sent to prison, life behind bars will likely be very perilous. The D.A. knows this, and he knows that every police organization in the state would hate his guts. The life of a young, unarmed black man is not worth all that to the whites who control the system. Give the people who take to the streets in protest the credit for seeing that exactly for what it is.

Several groups from across the United States, and even from abroad, are preparing to take to the streets in actions of nonviolent civil disobedience, particularly if the grand jury finds no criminal trial is warranted.

The justice system in the U.S. is able to produce justice as the U.S. Treasury is able to produce a surplus.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

In this case, the grand jury would have to defy a D.A. who has refused to indict when faced with clear probable cause. The odds against that are extremely high. This D.A. doesn't care a whit about the lives and people of Ferguson.

So basically, now that more than likely there might NOT be an indictment against Wilson, the D.A. Just doesn't care about the people of Furguson, but a few months ago, you were so confident that the D.A. was doing the right thing and that charges will stick and that he's a stand up individual and really cares about the people, so now because he might NOT get indicted, he's a scoundrel? So which is it, Yabits?

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

So basically, now that more than likely there might NOT be an indictment against Wilson

Basically, the odds of a grand jury defying a D.A. who isn't recommending indictment are nearly zero. It has nothing to do with the evidence at this point. Nothing gets presented to the grand jury that the D.A. doesn't completely control. There is no judge. No cross-examination. It all depends on the integrity and moral courage of the D.A. No matter how abundant the evidence, he knows how white society will treat him if they hold him responsible for the indictment of Wilson.

"but a few months ago, you were so confident that the D.A. was doing the right thing"

A few months ago, I was willing to give the D.A. the benefit of a doubt. I was never "so confident." That is yet another of your many fabrications. You were corrected on that once before, but you still persist in presenting it, which means you don't know much about integrity.

he's a scoundrel?

I never used that word. Keep digging. You simply are not able to grasp the reality of the situation, which is why you keep having to fabricate things.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

he knows how white society will treat him if they hold him responsible for the indictment of Wilson.

Good excuse.

A few months ago, I was willing to give the D.A. the benefit of a doubt.

From what it looks, you should be happy that the D.A. from what it seems is doing the right thing and instead of building a lynch mob for Eric Holder (next to Sharpton as being THE most racist AG ever in US history) to possibly push to indict what now seems to be a justified shooting.

I was never "so confident." That is yet another of your many fabrications.

No, from your constant rant, it did indeed appear so that you were very confident and now your tone is more reserved.

You were corrected on that once before, but you still persist in presenting it, which means you don't know much about integrity.

No, Yabits, it means, you just got caught. Lol But nice try.

I never used that word. Keep digging. You simply are not able to grasp the reality of the situation, which is why you keep having to fabricate things.

I never said you called him that, I did. But it seems like your anger would depict him as one. I completely grasp the situation and the reality and that is, officer Wilson MIGHT not be the so called murderer you claim him to be because the evidence from the looks of it, regardless of what YOU might say doesn't hold up and pass the smell test factually or to bring about an indictment to arrest Wilson.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

No, from your constant rant, it did indeed appear so that you were very confident and now your tone is more reserved...you just got caught.

It is rather simple for anyone to go back through my comments and never find a single trace of where it appeared I was "very confident." I have expressed a lack of trust in the grand jury system -- and especially in the one in St. Louis County from the very beginning.

Readers who do this will find that you have "just got caught" in yet another fabrication. If this grand jury -- this secret tribunal -- votes to indict, it will. be defying extremely high odds which have nothing to do with the actual evidence.

The people of Ferguson and the world know this. Well, at least the ones who aren't given to make things up.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

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