Protests in Ferguson,Missouri Monday Nov 24,2014

Unarmed Teenager Michael Brown Shot Dead By Cop Darren Wilson

 Unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown was shot dead by police officer Darren Wilson in the St Louis, Missouri, suburb of Ferguson, on August 09,2014

Michael Brown graduated from Normandy High School last spring and was preparing to attend Vatterott College, where he planned to study to become a heating and air conditioning technician. Friends say he eventually wanted to go into business for himself.

Relatives and friends described Brown, who grew up in a tough neighborhood, as a quiet, gentle giant who stood around 6-foot-3 and weighed nearly 300 pounds. He was unarmed on the day he was killed.

Police said later that he was a suspect in the 'strong-arm' robbery of a convenience store moments before the shooting. A family attorney said Brown may have made mistakes but did not deserve to die.

A grand jury decided not to charge Ferguson, Missouri, Police Officer Darren Wilson over the shooting death of black teen Michael Brown this past summer

 

Darren Wilson shot dead unarmed Michael Brown on August 9,2014 and evidence released after the decision shows he was pursuing the teen in connection to a convenience-store robbery

What was the grand jury deciding?

The grand jury considered whether there is enough evidence to charge Wilson with a crime and, if so, what that charge should be.

How was the grand jury different from other juries?

The grand jury can determine only whether probable cause exists to indict Wilson, not whether he is guilty. If the jury indicts him, a separate trial jury will be seated to decide whether to convict or acquit him.

How many people were on the grand jury and how were they selected?

The grand jury was composed of 12 people “selected at random from a fair cross—section of the citizens,” according to Missouri law. The jurors, whose identities were kept secret, were 75 per cent white - six white men, three white women, two African American women and one African American man. St. Louis County overall is 70 per cent white, but about two-thirds of Ferguson’s residents are African American. Brown was African American. The officer is white.

Was the grand jury appointed for this specific case?

No. It was appointed for a four-month term. The grand jury had been hearing routine cases around the time Brown was killed and then turned its attention to the shooting.

The jury’s term was due to expire Sept. 10. That same day, Judge Carolyn Whittington extended the term to Jan. 7 the longest extension allowable by state law. The investigation was always expected to go longer than the typical grand jury term.

How often did the grand jurors meet?

Their normal schedule was to meet once a week.

Brown's family said they were 'profoundly disappointed' with the decision, while calling for peaceful protests  

US President Barack Obama and the family of Michael Brown asked for calm. As Obama spoke live from the White House briefing room, television networks showed him on one side of the screen, and violent demonstrations in Ferguson on the other

Angry crowds took to the streets around the Ferguson Police headquarters after the grand jury determined there was no probable cause to charge Wilson with any crime for the shooting of 18-year-old Brown

Protesters block Interstate 580 in Oakland, California, on Monday after the announcement of the grand jury decision not to indict Wilson

Ferguson protesters turned violent throwing rocks, looting businesses and setting cars and buildings on fire
More than a dozen local businesses were set on fire including a storage center, Walgreens and pizza shop
Hundreds of live gunshots were heard, with reports suggesting police officers were being targeted by rioters

Reactions to the grand jury verdict

 

 

 

TIMELINE OF EVENTS FOLLOWING THE SHOOTING DEATH OF MICHAEL BROWN

AUGUST 9 - Brown and a companion, both black, are confronted by an officer as they walk back to Brown's home from a convenience store. Brown and the officer, who is white, are involved in a scuffle, followed by gunshots. Brown dies at the scene, and his body remains in the street for four hours in the summer heat. Neighbors later lash out at authorities, saying they mistreated the body.

AUGUST 10 - After a candlelight vigil, people protesting Brown's death smash car windows and carry away armloads of looted goods from stores. In the first of several nights of violence, looters are seen making off with bags of food, toilet paper and alcohol. Some protesters stand atop police cars and taunt officers.

AUGUST 11 - The FBI opens an investigation into Brown's death, and two men who said they saw the shooting tell reporters that Brown had his hands raised when the officer approached with his weapon and fired repeatedly. That night, police in riot gear fire tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse a crowd.

AUGUST 12 - Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson cancels plans to release the name of the officer who shot Brown, citing death threats against the police department and City Hall.

AUGUST 14 - The Missouri Highway Patrol takes control of security in Ferguson, relieving St. Louis County and local police of their law-enforcement authority following four days of violence. The shift in command comes after images from the protests show many officers equipped with military style gear, including armored vehicles, body armor and assault rifles. In scores of photographs that circulate online, officers are seen pointing their weapons at demonstrators.

AUGUST 15 - Police identify the officer who shot Brown as Darren Wilson, 28. They also release a video purporting to show Brown robbing a convenience store of almost $50 worth of cigars shortly before he was killed, a move that further inflames protesters.

AUGUST 16 - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declares a state of emergency and imposes a curfew in Ferguson.

AUGUST 17- Attorney General Eric Holder orders a federal medical examiner to perform another autopsy on Brown.

AUGUST 18 - Nixon calls the National Guard to Ferguson to help restore order and lifts the curfew.

AUGUST 19 - Nixon says he will not seek the removal of St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch from the investigation into Brown's death. Some black leaders questioned whether the prosecutor's deep family connections to police would affect his ability to be impartial. McCulloch's father was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty when McCulloch was a child, and he has many relatives who work in law enforcement.

AUGUST 20 - Holder visits Ferguson to offer assurances about the investigation into Brown's death and to meet with investigators and Brown's family. In nearby Clayton, a grand jury begins hearing evidence to determine whether Wilson should be charged.

AUGUST 21 - Nixon orders the National Guard to begin withdrawing from Ferguson.

SEPTEMBER 25- Holder announces his resignation but says he plans to remain in office until his successor is confirmed.

SEPTEMBER 25- Ferguson Chief Tom Jackson releases a videotaped apology to Brown's family and attempts to march in solidarity with protesters, a move that backfires when Ferguson officers scuffle with demonstrators and arrest one person moments after Jackson joins the group.

OCTOBER 10 - Protesters from across the country descend on the St. Louis region for 'Ferguson October,' four days of coordinated and spontaneous protests. A weekend march and rally in downtown St. Louis draws several thousand participants.

OCTOBER 13 - Amid a downpour, an interfaith group of clergy cross a police barricade on the final day of Ferguson October as part of an event dubbed 'Moral Monday'. The protests extend beyond Ferguson to sites such as the nearby headquarters of Fortune 500 company Emerson Electric and the Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis, site of a Monday Night Football game between the St. Louis Rams and the San Francisco 49ers.

OCTOBER 21 - Nixon pledges to create an independent Ferguson Commission to examine race relations, failing schools and other broader social and economic issues in the aftermath of Brown's death.

NOVEMBER 17 - The Democratic governor declares a state of emergency and activates the National Guard again ahead of a decision from a grand jury. He places the St. Louis County Police Department in charge of security in Ferguson, with orders to work as a unified command with St. Louis city police and the Missouri Highway Patrol.

NOVEMBER 18 - Nixon names 16 people to the Ferguson Commission, selecting a diverse group that includes the owner of construction-supply company, two pastors, two attorneys, a university professor, a 20-year-old community activist and a police detective. Nine of its members are black. Seven are white.

NOVEMBER 24 - St. Louis County prosecutor's office says the grand jury has reached a decision NOT to charge Wilson

Michael Brown's Family lay out Thanksgiving dinner Thursday Nov 27,2014

 

The family of Michael Brown, who set a seat at their dinner table for the slain teen on Thursday night as they solemnly ate their turkey and trimmings (main). And they weren't the only ones. An online campaign called 'Stolen Lives' saw many other families (inset) keep a chair aside for Brown in an attempt to give a voice to victims of police violence.

Ferguson protesters have clashed with police across the US after taking to the streets and occupying malls in a day of demonstrations over the shooting of unarmed teen Michael Brown. Hundreds of people interrupted holiday shopping at major retailers around the country to protest a grand jury's decision not to indict the officer who fatally shot the 18-year old- protesters dubbed the day 'Brown Friday' or 'Blackout Black Friday'. Nov 28,2014



Darren Wilson Resigns Sat Nov 29,2014

Darren Wilson has officially resigned from Ferguson police following the fatal shooting of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown.

His resignation letter states that his decision was based on his own 'free will' and claimed part of the reason was because he was a 'risk' to his colleagues and Missouri residents 

His decision to quit the force comes five days after a grand jury chose not to indict him for the killing of the 18-year-old in the Missouri city. 

The 28-year-old has been on administrative leave since August 09,2014 following the incident and hopes the community will now be able to 'heal' as a result of his departure. 

Wilson's attorney Neil Bruntrager announced that he would be stepping down and his resignation would be effective immediately.