What are your thoughts on the failure to indict the police officer in Ferguson MO

[Spafranco]

Seems as though there are many riots taking place at this time in MO. The police officer was not charged by the Grand Jury and so the community is now taking it out on the businesses in the area (their own area).
Has there been a discussion on this issue recently and if so what does everyone feel about the verdict?

[schmenke]

Well, Christmas is around the corner...

[anfield5]

Difficult to judge from so far away.

My feeling is simple - no one deserves to be shot, and it shouldn't have happened, but from what I have seen, read and heard it was not that simple. The initial story said the 'victim' had just robbed a store and beaten the store-keeper and when he was challenged by the policeman he attacked him ( if this is not what happened I unreservedly apologise) The officer possibly over-reated by drawing his pistol, but this is always going to happen in the heat of the moment when an officer has a side arm. It shouldn't be the officer who is indicted, it should be the system that arms all officers (which is what the parents of the 'victim' came out and said this morning)

[Brown, Jon Brow]

It's similar to the 2011 London riots in response to the shooting of Mark Duggan.

[donKey jote]

https://time.com/3602259/slain-12-ye...veland-police/

[Mark]

It's similar to the 2011 London riots in response to the shooting of Mark Duggan.

Possibly, but it does go deeper than that. In the divide between black and white which the US has struggled with throughout it's history.

[Koz]

So, did he or did he not rob the store?

[driveace]

I understood the story as Anfield 5 did .The big problem with the states is the majority are armed.I have been to the states many times ,even Florida and New York for over 8 weeks this year.It does worry me that so many people are armed ,including many women who I have met.My thoughts are if the Police are NOT armed ,then not many would enrol for the job .IF this guy had robbed the store and beat the store owner then surely he expects retribution ,ie being caught and punished,and probably killed .I for one would not like to be the officer who has two choices ,either turn and run and maybe get shot in the back ,or draw his gun to frighten the guy ,and adrenalin pumping it is SO easy to squeeze the trigger too !Afterthought in a calm situation is a lt different from that heat of the moment situation ! Ask questions later comes to mind

[Firstgear]

Nobody seems to know exactly what happened because of conflicting eye witness accounts. But as far as the riots are concerned, I think a few things need to be considered:

- this happened in an area with a predominately black population.
- the panel/jury making the decision whether to charge the cop or not was made up of 9 white & 3 black members.
- the panel did not have to be unanimous in its decision, only needed a majority of 9 members (and votes are kept secret).

If this panel was made up to be more representative of the population (or have to be unanimous), and the same conclusion was reached it would be difficult to call it a race issue.

As it stands, with 9 votes needed and 9 whites in the panel, it's easy to turn it into a race issue - resulting in riots.

[schmenke]

O.k., I'll chime in...

My understanding, from what I’ve read in the media, is that Michael Brown did rob the store, rough up the clerk and walk out with a box of cigars. Witnesses also confirm that he did physically accost the policeman (Wilson?) in his patrol car.

Michael Brown did not deserve to die but is certainly no model citizen. The black activists are making him seem as an innocent victim but the recent “support for Michael Brown” movements do not sit well with me personally. I will certainly support equal rights for all, but cannot support the use of the death of an individual like Michael brown in this cause. I realize this may sound insensitive, but I feel the recent violent demonstrations by black activists are backfiring and perpetuating the racial rifts in America.

Btw, two final points:
1. I have read and heard, again as reported through the media, interviews and accounts by numerous witnesses but have not yet heard anyone interview the store owner.
2. Why is this thread titled “…failure to indict the police officer…”? Why is it a failure? Many would say that the justice system performed the way it was intended and that is a success.