Ferguson, MO Grand Jury’s Decision in the Shooting Death of Michael Brown … NO INDICTMENT AGAINST OFFICER DARREN WILSON, “No True Bill” Returned

BREAKING NEWS: GRAND JURY DECISION … THEY HAVE DECIDED TO NOT INDICT OFFICER DARREN WILSON.

No indictment against officer Darren Wilson.

ABC NEWS VIDEO – Ferguson Grand Jury Does Not Indict Officer Darren Wilson

At a live press conference tonight from Ferguson. MO, St. Louis County Prosecuting Atty. Bob McCulloch announced that grand jury no indictment for Officer Darren Wilson.  Bob McCulloch said,”They determined that no probable cause exists to file any charge against Officer Wilson, and returned a ‘No True Bill’ on each of the five indictments.”

Live Feed from Streets of Ferguson, Mo

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

UPDATE I: ABC News – Ferguson Grand Jury Does Not Indict Officer Darren Wilson in Death of Michael Brown

A Missouri grand jury has decided not to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson for the Aug. 9 shooting of unarmed Ferguson teenager Michael Brown, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch said tonight.

McCulloch said that the grand jurors ruled that “no probable cause exists” to indict Wilson on any of the five possible charges that they were asked to consider. He said that the jury was “presented with five indictments” ranging from “murder in the first degree to involuntary manslaughter.”

The prosecutor repeatedly stressed the physical evidence that the 12 jurors considered, saying that it “tells the accurate and tragic story of what happened.”

“All 12 jurors were present for every session and all 12 jurors examined every piece of evidence,” MuCulloch said, adding that the jurors are “the only people who have heard and examined every witness.”

UPDATE II: Reaction following the no indictment decision.

The decision set off a new wave of anger among hundreds who gathered outside the Ferguson Police Department. Police in riot gear stood in a line as demonstrators chanted and threw signs and other objects toward them as the news spread. One woman said: “The system failed us again.”

Mr. Brown’s family issued a statement expressing sadness but calling for peaceful protest and a campaign for body cameras on police officers nationwide. “We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions,” the statement said. “While we understand that many others share our pain, we ask that you channel your frustration in ways that will make a positive change. We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen.”

UPDATE III: Legal Insurrection has a very good analysis of the reasons why Officer Wilson was not indicted.

As has been widely anticipated for weeks, the Ferguson MO Grand Jury has DECLINED to indict Police Officer Darren Wilson in the shooting death of black adult Michael Brown.

This result has not been unexpected, as the overwhelming weight of both the eye witness and forensic evidence has been entirely consistent with Officer Wilson’s narrative of self-defense, including:

Wilson being attacked by Brown and his accomplice Dorian Johnson in his patrol vehicle
a struggle over Wilson’s service pistol
shots fired inside the vehicle (which forensic examination confirmed caused a contact gun shot wound to Brown’s right hand)
the temporary flight of Brown upon those initial gunshots
the return of the 292 pound Brown re-engage the much smaller officer
the firing of additional defensive rounds as necessary to halt Brown’s violence

USA Today Reporting No Indictment in Ferguson. MO Shooting Death of Michael Brown

No indictment in Ferguson case

A white police officer will not face charges for fatally shooting an unarmed black teenager in a case that set off violent protests and racial unrest throughout the nation, an attorney close to the case said Monday night.

A St. Louis County grand jury declined to indict officer Darren Wilson, 28, for firing six shots in an August confrontation that killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, said Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the family. The decision had been long awaited and followed rioting that resembled war-zone news footage in this predominantly black suburb of St. Louis.

“The jury was not inclined to indict on any charges,” Crump said after being informed of the decision by authorities. Prosecutors scheduled an news conference to announce the decision.

Live Feed From Court Room from Ferguson, MO … St. Louis County Prosecuting Atty. Bob McCulloch

Grand Jury Decision on Whether Or Not To Indict Officer Darren Wilson in Shooting Death of Michael Brown To Be Announced Monday at 8 p.m. CT (Live Feed)

The fate of officer Darren Wilson to be determined tonight …

LIVE FEED FROM STREETS IN FERGUSON

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

A decision by the grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri in the shooting death of Michael Brown has been reached. The announcement of their decision is to be announced tonight at 9 pm ET, 8 pm CT.

 While protesters chanted late Monday for an indictment in the shooting death of Michael Brown, officials called for calm as the world awaits word of the grand jury’s decision.

“No matter what is announced, people will be emotional. I want people to think with their heads and not with emotion,” said St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley. “This is not the time to turn on each other. It is a time to turn to each other.”

Protesters were gathering outside the police department in Ferguson. Darren Wilson, a white police officer with the department, shot and killed Brown, a black teenager, on August 9.

The grand jury’s decision on whether to indict Wilson will be announced at about 8 p.m. (9 p.m. ET) Monday, according to the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney of St. Louis County.

UPDATE I: Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri called for “peace, respect and restraint”

Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri called for “peace, respect and restraint” on Monday as the region nervously awaited an announcement of the grand jury’s decision on whether a white police officer should face charges in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teenager in nearby Ferguson.

Mr. Nixon said that he did not know whether the grand jury had decided to indict the officer, Darren Wilson, for the Aug. 9 shooting of the teenager, Michael Brown, but he and other officials said that peaceful protesters would be respected, and even allowed to potentially slow down traffic on streets.

“Our shared hope and expectation is that regardless of the decision, people on all sides show tolerance, mutual respect and restraint” he said.

UPDATE II: Stores Close Ahead of Announcement.

I wonder whether this is why they delayed the announcement until 9 pm tonight. Was it to make sure businesses could close and commuters could get home from work so that the police and National Guard only had to deal with potential rioters.

Employers, restaurants, retailers, libraries and other venues around the St. Louis area closed early ahead of tonight’s grand jury announcement.

Several said they will remain closed Tuesday as a precautionary measure.

Plaza Frontenac and The Galleria both closed their doors at 6 p.m. today. The Galleria usually closes at 10 p.m.; Plaza Frontenac at 9 p.m.

Customers who called the main number at the Macy’s at The Galleria Monday afternoon were greeted with this message: “Due to circumstances beyond our control, our store is currently closed.” The Galleria 6 motion picture theater also closed at 6 p.m.

QuikTrip and Best Buys are among other major retailers that decided to temporarily close some local stores.

UPDATE III: LIVE FEED FROM COURTROOM FOR DECISION

Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in Talks to Resign; as Grand Jury Decision Nears

Even if officer Darren Wilson is not indicted on any charges, he is forced to resign …

As we all wait for the the grand jury decision in the shooting death of Michael Brown by police officer Darren Wilson, CNN is reporting that Officer Wilson is in talks to resign. Wilson is supposedly in the final stages of talks to resign. Previously, Ferguson Chief of Police Tom Jackson said that Officer Wilson would be immediately returned back to active duty if he is not indicted. That seems not to be the case. Officer Wilson continues to maintains he has done nothing wrong, and the resignation talks have hinged on whether a grand jury returns an indictment against him in Brown’s death. His reason for leaving his job has more to do with easing pressure and protect his fellow officers. The sad reality is though, a police officer may not only be found not guilty of a crime, he may not even be indicted of one and still pretty much be forced to resign. That is what happens when community agitators come to town.

As a grand jury gets closer to announcing its decision, Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot Michael Brown, is in the final stages of negotiations with city officials to resign, sources close to the talks said.

The grand jury hearing evidence is preparing to meet Friday for what might be its final session. A decision on whether to charge Wilson in the death of the unarmed teen could come the same day, law enforcement officials have said.

Wilson maintains he has done nothing wrong, and the resignation talks have hinged on whether a grand jury returns an indictment against him in Brown’s death, the sources said.

While Wilson has told associates he would resign to help ease pressure and protect his fellow officers, he’s expressed concern about resigning while the grand jury was hearing evidence for fear it would appear he was admitting fault.

Wilson could announce as soon as Friday his plans to resign, the same day a St. Louis County grand jury meets to deliberate and possibly decide on an indictment.