Ferguson

[silentescape]

What do you think about everything that's been going on in Ferguson for the last few months? Do you agree with the decision that Wilson should not be indicted for the murder of unarmed Michael Brown?

[lvstephanie]

I think that it was a good decision. As more came out about the incident, including some African-American witnesses that agreed with Officer Wilson's story or the medical examiner's report that stated that the entrance wounds were in the front of his body, I felt that Wilson was actually doing what he thought he needed to do to protect himself. It's unfortunate that the story got undue attention, esp. from several race-baiting public figures, that tried to make this story as proof of racism in the police and an injustice of the judicial system.

I find it sad that people are protesting this decision as though this was a failure of our legal system even though only a few weeks ago a true travesty in our court system and law enforcement came to light when two men were released from prison after 40 years for a crime they didn't commit (http://abcnews.go.com/US/men-walk-free-40-years-prison-crime-commit/story?id=27095382). In that case, there was no physical evidence linking the men to the crime and the sole witness that was a minor at the time admitted that he made the whole story up after being pressured by police. Yet very little was reported on that and no one was marching in Cleveland about the incorrect verdict that had kept these men behind bars for the majority of their lives.

[tfw6693]

  There is a lot of emotion and built up anger regarding this issue. The Grand Jury could have indicted several ways and they chose not to. We need to accept the Grand Jury decision and move on. Burning and looting benefits no one. It is what it is. 

[silentescape]

I think that it was a good decision. As more came out about the incident, including some African-American witnesses that agreed with Officer Wilson's story or the medical examiner's report that stated that the entrance wounds were in the front of his body, I felt that Wilson was actually doing what he thought he needed to do to protect himself. It's unfortunate that the story got undue attention, esp. from several race-baiting public figures, that tried to make this story as proof of racism in the police and an injustice of the judicial system.

I find it sad that people are protesting this decision as though this was a failure of our legal system even though only a few weeks ago a true travesty in our court system and law enforcement came to light when two men were released from prison after 40 years for a crime they didn't commit (http://abcnews.go.com/US/men-walk-free-40-years-prison-crime-commit/story?id=27095382). In that case, there was no physical evidence linking the men to the crime and the sole witness that was a minor at the time admitted that he made the whole story up after being pressured by police. Yet very little was reported on that and no one was marching in Cleveland about the incorrect verdict that had kept these men behind bars for the majority of their lives.

The reason a lot of people see it as a racial issue is because he killed the boy when he was never armed, left the body in the street for hours, and didn't make a report. Yes, several witnesses agree he was shot in the front of the body, but most of those witnesses say he ran away about 35 feet away, turned around, surrendered, and was still shot several times. That's exactly what the physical evidence says as well. If the cop felt threatened by someone that was unarmed, he could have used a tazer. There was absolutely no reason to kill him, and that is why people are angry. The case wasn't even handled properly, and the only reports written by the police station about the incident were by two cops that weren't even on the scene. And if you haven't noticed, the KKK has been openly supporting the police (especially Wilson) in Ferguson. It's definitely more of an issue of race than people would like to admit.

[hawkeye3210]

The reason a lot of people see it as a racial issue is because he killed the boy when he was never armed, left the body in the street for hours, and didn't make a report.

People make it a race issue because the officer was white and the young man was black. That's it. However, there is no evidence that race played any factor in the events that unfolded.

Yes, several witnesses agree he was shot in the front of the body, but most of those witnesses say he ran away about 35 feet away, turned around, surrendered, and was still shot several times. That's exactly what the physical evidence says as well.

Actually, the physical evidence, including the autopsy, support Wilson's claim that he shot Brown while Brown was charging at him with the fatal wound coming to the top of his head.

If the cop felt threatened by someone that was unarmed, he could have used a tazer. There was absolutely no reason to kill him, and that is why people are angry.

Brown could have not robbed a store, he could have gotten off the road when asked, he could have chosen not to punch a cop, he could have chosen to surrender and not run from the cop, and he could have chosen not to charge at the officer.

Officer Wilson wasn't carrying a taser, so no, he couldn't have just used a taser. Just because Brown was unarmed, doesn't mean he was not a threat. A 6'4" 300 lbs. man can do a lot of damage. This isn't the movies.

[paints]

At 6'4", 210 lbs, Wilson proved that a man of his size can do a lot of damage, too. 

[hitch0403]

We can all have an opinion on this,but judges and jurys are made up of imperfect people.Even if they all mean well and want to make a fair decision they still might get it wrong.

Those of us here were not there so we are making an opinion based on what we read in papers etc.

Its just another valid reason why man cannot govern himself successfully.

Eccl 8:9 Man has dominated himself to his own injury

[moon29]

i think that the right decision was made by the courts but i think that its horrible how people reacted by destroying business and stealing merchandise.  the calm protests are one thing but to riot that is just wrong.  i recently watched in interview with a police chief that people were complaining about because he was checking his phone during the tv conference and i think he made a great point about how people never care wither its gang violence but since it was an officer then it just horrible.

[silentescape]

The reason a lot of people see it as a racial issue is because he killed the boy when he was never armed, left the body in the street for hours, and didn't make a report.

People make it a race issue because the officer was white and the young man was black. That's it. However, there is no evidence that race played any factor in the events that unfolded.

Yes, several witnesses agree he was shot in the front of the body, but most of those witnesses say he ran away about 35 feet away, turned around, surrendered, and was still shot several times. That's exactly what the physical evidence says as well.

Actually, the physical evidence, including the autopsy, support Wilson's claim that he shot Brown while Brown was charging at him with the fatal wound coming to the top of his head.

If the cop felt threatened by someone that was unarmed, he could have used a tazer. There was absolutely no reason to kill him, and that is why people are angry.

Brown could have not robbed a store, he could have gotten off the road when asked, he could have chosen not to punch a cop, he could have chosen to surrender and not run from the cop, and he could have chosen not to charge at the officer.

Officer Wilson wasn't carrying a taser, so no, he couldn't have just used a taser. Just because Brown was unarmed, doesn't mean he was not a threat. A 6'4" 300 lbs. man can do a lot of damage. This isn't the movies.

He did, however, carry mace. That could have stopped Brown easily enough for Wilson to detain him. He had other options. There was no reason to use deadly force, because deadly force is only supposed to be used if the person is an immediate and horrible threat to the cop and the other citizens in the area. Deadly force is supposed to be used when guns are being pointed. Deadly force is supposed to be used when someone's life is being directly threatened. Deadly force is NOT supposed to be used against unarmed fleeing people. Deadly force is NOT supposed to be used when the person is falling to the ground and no longer a threat to anyone. Regardless, he continued to shoot.

Robbing a store is not a good reason to kill someone. And when Wilson stopped Brown, it was for jaywalking. He was not aware there had been a robbery at the time.

And Wilson demonized Brown. He called him a demon and referred to the boy as "it" instead of as a person. That's another reason people are making it about race.

[silentescape]

The reason a lot of people see it as a racial issue is because he killed the boy when he was never armed, left the body in the street for hours, and didn't make a report.

People make it a race issue because the officer was white and the young man was black. That's it. However, there is no evidence that race played any factor in the events that unfolded.

Yes, several witnesses agree he was shot in the front of the body, but most of those witnesses say he ran away about 35 feet away, turned around, surrendered, and was still shot several times. That's exactly what the physical evidence says as well.

Actually, the physical evidence, including the autopsy, support Wilson's claim that he shot Brown while Brown was charging at him with the fatal wound coming to the top of his head.

If the cop felt threatened by someone that was unarmed, he could have used a tazer. There was absolutely no reason to kill him, and that is why people are angry.

Brown could have not robbed a store, he could have gotten off the road when asked, he could have chosen not to punch a cop, he could have chosen to surrender and not run from the cop, and he could have chosen not to charge at the officer.

Officer Wilson wasn't carrying a taser, so no, he couldn't have just used a taser. Just because Brown was unarmed, doesn't mean he was not a threat. A 6'4" 300 lbs. man can do a lot of damage. This isn't the movies.

Also, the grand jury was presented with outdated laws. They were told it was constitutional to kill Mike Brown simply for running from Officer Wilson (can be found if you look through the Grand Jury transcripts). That, if you didn't know, would have been true if this had happened before 1985 when that law changed.

[BlackSheepNY]

What do you think about everything that's been going on in Ferguson for the last few months? Do you agree with the decision that Wilson should not be indicted for the murder of unarmed Michael Brown?

Yes, I agree with the decision, and although Brown may have been "unarmed," he used his fists as his choice of "weapon."  You know, it's a felony to assault a Police Officer, and the evidence proved that this is exactly what Brown did.  Three black witnesses testified to it.

What's happening in Ferguson is a disgrace.  All these people did was cut their own noses off to spite their own faces.  Most, if not ALL, of the businesses they burned to the ground were "minority owned."  In the end, what did burning these businesses and shooting up your own neighborhood accomplish?  Did it or will it change the outcome?  NO.  These people should be ashamed of themselves.  If they want "change," they need to look inside of themselves to find it.  Act like respectable human beings.  I was shocked and disgusted at the same time, but I sure wasn't surprised.  If you have no respect for yourself, you have no respect for anything.

[heypeg]

I feel so sorry for the ordinary citizens of Ferguson that have to put up with all this unrest. It's a shame.

[paints]

When peaceful protests, which are legal and Constitutionally protected, (yes, even for black people)are met with tear gas and military style force, people are bound to be upset.

I would be.

[hawkeye3210]

He did, however, carry mace. That could have stopped Brown easily enough for Wilson to detain him. He had other options. There was no reason to use deadly force, because deadly force is only supposed to be used if the person is an immediate and horrible threat to the cop and the other citizens in the area. Deadly force is supposed to be used when guns are being pointed. Deadly force is supposed to be used when someone's life is being directly threatened. Deadly force is NOT supposed to be used against unarmed fleeing people. Deadly force is NOT supposed to be used when the person is falling to the ground and no longer a threat to anyone. Regardless, he continued to shoot.

Robbing a store is not a good reason to kill someone. And when Wilson stopped Brown, it was for jaywalking. He was not aware there had been a robbery at the time.

And Wilson demonized Brown. He called him a demon and referred to the boy as "it" instead of as a person. That's another reason people are making it about race.

Your living in a fantasy world if you think mace could have helped. Easily detained him? Mike Brown had him in a vulnerable position in the car, as the cop was seated and Brown was standing. With that said, Officer Wilson originally went to get his mace, but couldn't reach it around his body. He also mentioned that he would have been reluctant to use it in that close proximity, because he would have been affected by it as well. This was all established in his original interview with the county prosecutor on August 10th.

Deadly force is allowed to be used when in a immediate danger, and it was. I'm not sure if it's just acting tough or naive if you think getting punched in the face by a 6'4" 300 lbs. man is not immediate danger. He lands a good couple punches, and now Brown is the one with gun. Did Wilson deserve to die? The use of deadly force was justified to any rational human being. I think people are kidding themselves if they truly believe that they would have done something differently if they were in the exact situation.

Your dealing with facts that are outdated. Brown was not fleeing when he was fatally shot., he was charging at the officer. Wilson originally passed them when he told them to get off the road, but when he saw the box of cigars in Brown's hand, he made the connection to the robbery. This has all been out there for months, but tends to get overlooked by people with an agenda.

And Wilson demonized Brown. He called him a demon and referred to the boy as "it" instead of as a person. That's another reason people are making it about race.

So, a white person can't look like a demon, only a black person? There's no racial connotation with the word demon. Nice try though. People have tried to make this about race since August, long before the grand jury testimony was released.

[hawkeye3210]

Also, the grand jury was presented with outdated laws. They were told it was constitutional to kill Mike Brown simply for running from Officer Wilson (can be found if you look through the Grand Jury transcripts). That, if you didn't know, would have been true if this had happened before 1985 when that law changed.

Brown was not fleeing when he was shot. All shots were from the front. The law had nothing to do with this situation.

It should be pointed out that grand jury was presented with the updated law after the mistake was realized.