Last night Lawrence O’Donnell (Boston native and evidently in town this weekend) on his MSNBC show, The Last Word,
read from the grand jury transcript that the grand jury in September were given an unconstitutional (since 1985) definition
of when police can use deadly force. Then he read from I think the November 21 transcript where they were given the correct
definition but the difference was not adequately explained to them. Regardless of whether you think this was a justified
murder or not, it is clear that the presentation to the grand jury was a set up. An indictment was never going to issue.
Please share widely!
…so we can judge the differences for ourselves?
I am sorry I never have mastered links. The show is at http://www.msnbc.com the last word tv show and the documents can be found by googling Ferguson grand jury documents. They are posted on several websites.
…of this topic over at DKos:
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/28/1347938/-In-officer-Darren-Wilson-s-defense
Long story short: with prosecutors like this, Darren Wilson doesn’t need a defense attorney.
If a prosecutor really doesn’t think charges should be brought why convene a grand jury at all? It should not be done just to mollify protesters or otherwise keep up appearances.
Why it was done here. He had no intention of procuring an indictment.
“Hey, the Grand Jury decided not to indict, not me!”
It was deliberate – look for federal charges and a special prosecutor, hopefully soon.
…to distribute copies of an outdated and unconstitutional law to the grand jury? I really don’t want to believe in that much of a conspiracy, but if it is true somebody’s head needs to roll.
for McCulloch. the Saint Louis Post Dispatch reported at the beginning that more than 20,000 had signed a petition requesting a special prosecutor and cited McCulloch’s history of using Grand Jury proceedings to thwart justice.
In the 2000 death of 2 black men shot by 2 undercover police at a Jack In The Box, McCulloch stated all 13 officers at the scene testified the officers were afraid for their lives when the suspects drove towards them. Only 3 officers, (including the 2 shooters), testified to that even though the suspects vehicle was found to be in reverse through the entire incident.
There was also the 1997 “Kinkogate” case, where McCulloch obtained a Grand Jury subpoena, (without the knowledge of the Grand Jury), to identify a whistleblower who faxed information to the FBI from a Kinkos. The whistleblower was forced from their job.
I am one of those disappointed with the decision in the OJ case, but at least it was a fair and open process.
Are MO DA’s elected? Does the MO AG have the authority to commandeer the DA’s office? Is he impeachable by the MO legislature?
the voting majority in those communities want, at least subconsciously.
It wasn’t as if there weren’t objections to the DA from the very beginning — but the masses didn’t get behind appropriate alternatives, nor did the Governor or other more prominent electeds than the DA.
There’s the concept of Jury Nullification….
When the public is made aware that this DA was no good right from the start — and didn’t join with the people of Ferguson and other civil rights activists who demanded a special prosecutor — I wonder if what is really going on here is something akin to ‘electoral nullification,’ even if they aren’t conscious of it.
For all too many people, my suspicions are they got the result they wanted in this case and from their elected ‘leader’ who led it.
…which is why I also asked about non-electoral remedies from authorities a bit removed from the local community.
running unopposed.
Does it make a difference to anyone that he is a Democrat?
Democrat, Republican, whatever – he needs to lose his job.
I should really plug a keyboard into this laptop, I’ve worn the spots off the keys!
Even if he didn’t botch the case intentionally to avoid an indictment-and evidence is painting that a remote possibility-what idiot waits until nightfall to announce this decision? It’s as if he and Nixon wanted a riot. Nixon’s gotta go too. I lose any respect for a prominent Democrat-up to the President-who campaigns for him.