Yesterday, I ran a column discussing the curious sight of rioters and looters demanding “justice” when what they are really describing is mob justice in Ferguson, Missouri. I noted that the evidence did not support the initial claims of the shooting of Michael Brown and that demonstrations are not substitutes for demonstrated evidence in a criminal case. The response, however, to the declination of charges has been precisely what President Obama and the Brown family sought to avoid in their public comments. In perhaps the most symbolic incident, Ferguson Market and Liquor, the store that Michael Brown robbed before he was killed, was looted by people demanding “justice” for Brown.
A security camera captured Brown strong arming the store owner after stealing from the store:
Regardless of how one views the evidence of the shooting, the store owner was clearly strong armed by Brown and did nothing beyond being the victim of a reported crime. However, he now has a ransacked store and is somehow blamed for the killing.
The media filmed as people carted out stolen merchandise out of the store last night:
The discussion of the resulting looting and rioting often seemed a bit too enabling and relativistic. There is no rationale connection between ransacking stores and seeking justice, a point that President Obama made eloquently last night as did the Brown family (though reportedly with the exception of Brown’s stepfather). Indeed, some “meanings” drawn from the incident extended all the way to federalism principles.
While St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch detailed the evidence including testimony from African-American witnesses who refuted accounts of Michael Brown’s friend, Dorian Johnson, and onlookers Piaget Cranshaw and Tiffany Mitchell. He was not shot in his back and was initially shot in a struggle with Wilson in (or partially in) the police vehicle. Nevertheless, the verdict was denounced by various commentators, including MSNBC contributor Michelle Bernard who called Brown the latest “casualty” of what seems to be nationwide “war on black boys.” Bernard curiously blamed federalism and state rights for part of the problem, saying that people see this case and say “we don’t want to hear about states rights.” She also calls on the Justice Department to “get involved” and “intervene.”
However, the Justice Department has intervened and reportedly also found no basis for charges in the case under civil rights provisions. If those accounts are accurate, the declination of such charges may trigger no violence by those who define justice as not a guaranteed process but a guaranteed punishment.
I see ignorance has once again raised its ugly head.
The Grand Jury plays two roles. While most people are familiar with the accusatory role (where a Grand Jury is presented limited information by the Prosecutor and asked if there is enough probable cause to indict), the alternative, investigative role, is a complete surprise.
In this case, the Prosecutor could have chosen not to charge Officer Wilson on his own. As we all know, that would not have been acceptable to many. So, the Prosecutor left it to the Grand Jury to do their own investigation. This may have satisfied more people, but it also was bound to have the same result.
The public formed an opinion based on limited evidence. For many, they didn’t see the need to examine ALL evidence or hear ALL witness testimony. Some would only be satisfied if Officer Wilson was charged. Those same people will continue to ignore everything and look for any reason to consider charges against Wilson to be proper. Strangely enough, these are the same people who wanted George Zimmerman to be charged and tried, but are unwilling to accept the jury verdict. They continue to ignore anything that justified Zimmerman’s use of force, and will continue to do so in Officer Wilson’s case.
Perhaps this is all a result of self-defense being something they cannot accept. to them, if a life is lost, somebody must pay. The more sympathy for the lost life, the more important it becomes that somebody must pay. This usually comes from the same crowd that has trouble accepting personal responsibility.
And may I point out that Professor Turley also stated that he did not think the evidence supported the initial accusations against Officer Wilson. He also pointed out the the DOJ could find no basis for charging under a civil rights violation.
This is the US.
We do not sacrifice an innocent cop because of the perceived misdeeds of others. We do not charge someone when the evidence does not warrant it.
Shall we just randomly pick a cop and send him to jail then?
And Brown was dead, so he couldn’t testify in is own behalf like Wilson did. No impropriety here at all?
Inga – the coroner speaks for the dead.
McCullogh impanels grand jury – no charges, calls jurors “co-investigators”. Wilson testifies for 4 hours. This was an abuse of process. The prosecutor convened a secret court when a preliminary hearing for probable cause was correct.
zedalis – grand juries are co-investigators.
Sorry Paul, YOU don’t get to “think” for me. My sources are across the board, written and TV. I get to tell you you are misinformed, you have the same right.
Inga – sweetie, you are horribly misinformed.
Another irony here is the “wrongful conviction” folks are seeking another wrongful conviction. Apparently their moral high ground is nothing more than a social justice prop
Inga – clearly you need to move to Ferguson and run for DA. You clearly know better than anyone. You silly goose, they wouldn’t have people on TV if they did not make outrageous statements. Who can forget Nancy Grace and the Duke lacrosse team. She backed that DA 100% During the OJ trial I remember several TV attorneys saying what a bad job of cross-examination F. Lee Bailey had done on Mark Fuhrman. However, what Bailey had done was put Fuhrman in a box he could never get out of, it was a brilliant cross-examination.
On those legal experts you are quoting you need to check to see how many have actually run a Grand Jury.
So, sweetie, you need to think for yourself, not have other people think for you.
dont know why it didnt post but the above comment is in response to :
BarkinDog at 9:22,
“Ferguson did not deserve what it got because the arsonists were not from Ferguson. Neither was Brown. Jay Nixon failed in his duty. It would not have taken much to surround the stores with troops and face down the looters and arsonists. “…
Inga: << "Some of you may think the black community will just continue to tolerate this year after year, incident after incident, guess what, no they will not."
I agree, Inga. One can already see the entrenched white-wing bigots focusing on the looting instead of the obvious abuse of power and institutionalized racism involved in this entire Ferguson process,
zedalis – it is a majority black community, how is there institutionalized racism?
Darn auto correct: “Your”
From what I’ve read, it seems that those who made inflammatory statements without waiting for the evidence to be released are still trying to claim that they could be right.
They have learned nothing. People like them contributed to these riots – all the injuries, property damage, and fire. Saying they just “know” what happened, and that it was a racist murder.
We have the GJ decision, which was overseen by the DOJ. There were 3 independent autopsies. If the DOJ, led by Liberal political hack Eric Holder, couldn’t find something to stick, no one could.
Now let’s wait for the evidence to be released, and discuss it rationally.
Or, you could go around trying to incite more rioting and injuries.
You’re call, guys.
————–
would love to hear more info/fact ie this….why in Ferguson then? Who is rioting and looting if not residents? Why no coverage on this?
Woosty’s still a Cat – the reason there is no coverage is that it does not fit the narrative of the MSM.
Excuse me: “McCulloch.”
I find it offensive when people claim that McCullogh was unqualified to handle this case because his father had been killed by a black man.
If that was the case, then he could never handle a single case involving a black defendant.
Is that reasonable? Do you want to be an attorney? Well, too bad, because someone in your family was the victim of a crime and you’ll have to recuse yourself in almost every case.
The GJ based its decision off of the evidence.
What was most damning to me, shocking, even, was the witnesses who lied just to nail a cop. Some of them might even have convinced themselves of what they saw, even though evidence proved them wrong. The lengths people will go to just to ruin a cop’s life is extraordinary and sad.
The Ferguson community’s reputation will be tainted by these riots for a while. Who would want to live there? Open a business there? Here in CA, Watts still has a horrible reputation as the city that burned itself down. The mob clearly didn’t want justice, they just wanted a night of anarchy to steal and destroy their neighbor’s businesses.
Many many legal experts KNOW full well that McCaulloch acted improperly as a PA and have said so publicly. McCulloch was NOT the defense attorney to Wilson. He has a history of improper investigations involving police incidents. Many of his family are employed by the PD. His father, a PO was killed. He should NOT have been in charge of this investigation and because he was there was a miscarriage of justice. Some of you may think the black community will just continue to tolerate this year after year, incident after incident, guess what, no they will not.
It is amazing to me that people just cannot accept the facts and refuse to see what is right in front of their own faces.
Warning: run on sentences below!
People were convinced, on zero evidence and merely repeating gossip and rumor, that Brown was an innocent gentle giant mowed down by an evil malicious premeditated racist cop while surrendering. They are now confronted with the fact that their bias was wrong, that the witnesses who supported their (false) view either out and out lied or were not there at all. They are confronted with the witnesses who (at great risk to themselves) supported the evidence and supported the several autopsy reports. That the Grand Jurors got to see all the evidence and interview witnesses themselves, is dismissed out of hand.
The truth doesn’t match their hopes and dreams that Officer Wilson murdered a poor young sainted man and that there would be a hanging.
You guys still refuse to accept that your dream wasn’t reality and are still making up stories and excuses. Calling people racists who pointed out the reality .
Cognitive dissonance indeed!!!!
Get some help.
JT, there’s more going here than just the question of whether the killing of Michael Brown was justified. The actions of the “police dept” in the aftermath of the killings were abhorrent: a fully militarized response to peaceful protests, actually pointing armed guns at those innocent protesters, taking away the right to protest, unlawful arrests of journalists, etc. What about the fact that Ferguson is virtually all black and the police dept is virtually all white? What about the fact that Ferguson residents are fined to death by the police?
I’m a long time devoted fan of yours, but I’m surprised by the naiveté you’re putting on display here. To pretend that what’s happening in Ferguson is solely about the Michael Brown case is utter nonsense.
Well, the victimization of the owner of Ferguson Market and Liquor is now complete.
>>>”If people here have a hard time believing impoverished black witnesses…”
Full Stop.