A former Missouri police chief is publicly saying that the Justice Department is actively leaking reports that it has found insufficient evidence to support federal charges against Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. There is certainly a long and controversial history of the Justice Department leaking stories to the media to pressure targets or to prepare the public in otherwise secret or confidential investigations. While threatening witnesses and others over any disclosures, the Justice Department does not hesitate to make such leaks for political purposes. The question is whether the recent uptick in leaks is such a campaign. There has been an increase in such stories coming from unnamed Justice sources and former St. Louis County Police Chief Tim Fitch says that the evidence has supported the officer on a number of points, including a struggle within the cruiser.
Fitch says that the Administration is seeking to “coordinate leaks to the media, and to start getting some of the facts out there to kind of let people down slowly” because they have concluded that charges are “probably very unlikely.”
While he is not required to appear before the grand jury and the vast majority of targets do not appear on advice of counsel, Wilson appeared for hours. The New York Times reports that he gave an account of a struggle inside of the car and a sharply different account from the statement of Michael Brown’s friend, including an autopsy that says that Brown was shot at close range consistent with the officer’s account. The Times reports that forensics tests showed Mr. Brown’s blood on the gun, as well as on the interior door panel and on Officer Wilson’s uniform. Wilson also reportedly has photos of injuries to his face and neck following the struggle.
There are many who believe that the Obama Administration is signaling that no charges will come from the investigation — with many preparing for the possible unrest and violence that may follow such an announcement.
Source: CBS
…sound very nice, does it?
Only echoing what you sounded lke Pogo, doesn’t
We need to start recognizing the contributions of low information white folks so that they no longer need racism to feel good about themselves.
Well said, Karen.
I mean, yeah, irrelevant agitators had their 15 minutes of fame by riling up mobs across America, calling for this cop’s murder. Hey, someone who didn’t get the memo still might kill him. And, yeah, he’ll be wrongfully vilified and a pariah in his community, his family’s life is totally ruined, but, heh, he’s not DEAD (yet), so what’s the problem?
THIS is what I’m talking about when people make a mess of things and then walk away whistling, failing to acknowledge the consequences of their actions.
THIS is why I wish that everyone would have the attitude of let’s watch this investigation very closely, make sure it’s done fairly, and we will discuss the results and come to a rational conclusion. If wrongdoing is uncovered, then we will have justice, not a mob lynching. If the shooting was justified, what can we learn from it to avoid similar situations? If this “gentle giant” went down the wrong path, what can we learn to save teenagers who are making bad choices?
There are a lot of moms out there with hearts broken into a million tiny pieces, visiting their sons in jail, prospects ruined, or identifying them in the morgue, killed by gang violence, drugs, etc. Perhaps a culture that vilifies all cops encourages teens to have gladiator moments with them. Perhaps glorifying money over valor encourages the thug mentality. What can we take away from this to teach our kids so they can maximize their potential in life, rather than be yet another statistic?
“‘He’s just a thug, his life didn’t matter, why should anyone consider it tragic?’”
If that’s what you think, shame on you.
If you’re suggesting that’s what I said, shame on you.
Oh, look, my repeated pleas for everyone to calm down and wait for an investigation before they called for this cop’s murder made perfect sense.
Is his life still ruined?
I have no problem with coordinated leaks to calm an obviously biased and enraged public down. But the “one way for thee, another for me” attitude of government is wrong.
That cop who was vilified after that actress made a false accusation of racism against him leaked the audio of their conversation. It proved she was a liar. And yet, he is in serious trouble for the leak. His commanding officer should have cleared this up immediately. He had the evidence that day. But he didn’t. And the freight train of public opinion was steam rolling the cop, as per usual, without a shred of evidence. Calling for him to be fired, etc. The leak saved his reputation but may have still lost him his job.
“Same bigotry in evidence here as in the homosexual bashing thread.”
I don’t think “bigot” means what you think it means. When you only have a hammer, everything looks like a nail. 🙂
JH; “Multiple witnesses say the officer grabbed mike brown by the throat with one hand, and held him up against the outside of the suv, and through the window.”
JH, You are either purposely misrepresenting the alleged witness statements, or you are woefully ignorant.
Only one witness said that Wilson grabbed Brown by the throat. That witness was Brown’s accomplice at the strong-arm robbery, Dorian Johnson. The evidence and history demonstrate that Dorian is a habitual liar.
‘He’s just a thug, his life didn’t matter, why should anyone consider it tragic?’
Same bigotry in evidence here as in the homosexual bashing thread.
Annie – I am proudly a bigot against thugs. As should you.
Multiple witnesses say the officer grabbed mike brown by the throat with one hand, and held him up against the outside of the suv, and through the window. If one of the bullets hit mike as the evidence suggests, then of course there is going to be blood on the inside of the vehicle, and the officers uniform. How could there not be. I am still on the fence about which version is truth. One thing is certain, I have been around law enforcement long enough to know they are meticulous about documenting any use of force injuries right there on scene. Even the smallest scratch is photographed, and reports written. mike browns body was left in the street for nearly four hours while the ferguson police did their investigation. I want to see all the pictures they took of officer wilson at the scene of this incident. Not the pictures they took hours later, or the next day, or day after. The ones they would, or should have taken right then, and there.
On some level, all deaths are “heartbreaking and tragic”, at least to someone.
So what?
Why did the President need to say it?
Fact is, Obama could have calmed the waters.
By choosing the words “heartbreaking and tragic”, Obama is suggesting the killing was unjust or unwarranted.
He inflamed the rioters and signalled the outside agitators to come in to cause even more riots.
Hey, The cop is not dead, and is unlikely to face charges.
Yes, It is tragic for Michael Brown’s parents regardless of the circumstances.
SWM, it’s not tragic if he’s a robber and cop assaulter who gets shot trying to kill someone.
Heartbreaking? Maybe to his mother.
Why say it?
Especially, why say it and not mention the “heartbreaking and tragic” effect on the cop’s family?
Obama did not know whether it was heartbreaking and tragic, or if he was a thief who got killed assaulting a cop.
But he chose sides, and told the rioters the DOJ had their back.
“We lost a young man, Michael Brown, in heartbreaking and tragic circumstances. He was 18 years old, and his family will never hold Michael in their arms again.” pogo That remains true no matter what the outcome is.
Pogo, Often times arsonists are firefighters.
“In fact, I’d congratulate the administration for being proactive.”
But the administration helped spread the flames in the first place.
Hardly commendable when they could have asked cooler heads to prevail and let the justice system work, from the start.
Obama said: “Of course, it’s important to remember how this started. We lost a young man, Michael Brown, in heartbreaking and tragic circumstances. He was 18 years old, and his family will never hold Michael in their arms again. And when something like this happens, the local authorities, including the police, have a responsibility to be open and transparent about how they are investigating that death and how they are protecting the people in their communities. There is never an excuse for violence against police or for those who would use this tragedy as a cover for vandalism or looting. There’s also no excuse for police to use excessive force against peaceful protests or to throw protesters in jail for lawfully exercising their First Amendment rights.”
Typical community organizer inflammatory rhetoric, when he should have been calming things down.
JaneL, This is Chicago politics 101.