Michael Brown Shooting in Ferguson Missouri

Jun 23, 2017:

City Attorney Apollo Carey disclosed that the parents of Michael Brown received a $1.5 million settlement.

Jun 20, 2017:

In St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber approved a settlement in the civil lawsuit brought by the parents of Michael Brown on April 23, 2015.

In the settlement, the parents, Michael Brown, Sr. and Lesley McSpadden will receive an undisclosed sum. Judge Webber chose to seal the amount and terms of the settlement because of possible adverse impact to the plaintiffs (the parents).

Feb 10, 2016:

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil lawsuit against the city of Ferguson, Missouri. The suit alleges that Ferguson continues to violate black residents' civil rights, and it continues to focus on the use of law enforcement to generate revenue.

Aug 10, 2015:

In Earth City, Missouri, protesters blocked a part of I-70 by holding hands in a line across the road.

A small group of Oath Keepers (a controversial right-wing "patriot" group) assembled on the streets of Ferguson, armed with rifles and dressed in bulletproof vests and camouflage gear.

Dozens of protesters were arrested and some threw rocks and bottles at police.

Yesterday, on the one-year anniversary of the shooting death of Michael Brown, peaceful demonstrations turned violent and an 18-year-old man, Tyrone Harris, was shot after allegedly opening fire on plainclothes officers. Harris is in the hospital in critical condition.

Today, a state of emergency was declared in Ferguson, Missouri.

Jun 30, 2015:

A draft summary report of a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into the tactics used by Ferguson, St. Louis, St. Louis County, and the Missouri Highway Patrol in the 17 days after the shooting of Michael Brown documents 45 findings with recommendations for improvement. The final report will be released in the coming weeks.

Apr 23, 2015:

Michael Brown's parents, Lesley McSpadden and Michael Brown Sr., filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the city of Ferguson, Police Chief Thomas Jackson, and former Police Officer Darren Wilson.

Apr 20, 2015:

On April 18, a memorial tree was dedicated to Michael Brown in a park in St. Louis, Missouri. On April 19 (yesterday), the tree was cut down and a plaque was stolen from the base of the tree by vandals.

Apr 7, 2015:

In a municipal election in the city of Ferguson two black members were voted into office, making the number of black and white members on the the City Council even at 3 black and 3 white.

Mar 15, 2015:

Twenty-year old Jeffrey Williams was charged with first-degree assault in the March 12, 2015 shooting of two Ferguson police officers.

Mar 12, 2015:

Two Ferguson police officers were shot and wounded at a rally/protest near the Ferguson police headquarters.

Mar 11, 2015:

City of Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson resigned, effective March 19, 2015.

Mar 10, 2015:

In Ferguson, the Ferguson City Council voted 7-0 in favor of a “mutual separation agreement" (resignation) between current City Manager John Shaw and the city of Ferguson.

Mar 9, 2015:

In Jefferson city, Missouri, the Missouri Supreme Court issued a news release entitled "Supreme Court of Missouri reassigns Ferguson municipal division cases" stating that "to help restore public trust and confidence in the Ferguson municipal court division" Judge Roy L. Richter of the Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District, will be transferred to the St. Louis County circuit court, where he will hear all of Ferguson’s pending and future municipal division cases.

The news release also stated:

The Court’s order also authorizes Richter to implement needed reforms to court policies and procedures in Ferguson to ensure that the rights of defendants are respected and to help restore the integrity of the system.

Current city of Ferguson Municipal Judge Ronald J. Brockmeyer resigned.

Mar 5, 2015:

At a news conference today, lawyers for Michael Brown's parents announced they will soon be filing a wrongful death civil lawsuit against the city of Ferguson and former Police Officer Darren Wilson.

Mar 4, 2015:

The U.S. Department of Justice released an 86-page report entitled "DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE REPORT REGARDING THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION IN TO THE SHOOTING DEATH OF MICHAEL BROWN BY FERGUSON, MISSOURI POLICE OFFICER DARREN WILSON". The report clears Officer Darren Wilson of civil rights violations in the shooting death of Micheal Brown.

The U.S. Department of Justice also released a 105-page report entitled "Investigation of the Ferguson Police Department" which concludes that:

  • The Ferguson Police Department (FPD) "engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the First, Fourth, and 14th Amendments of the Constitution".
  • Ferguson Municipal Court has a pattern or practice of "Focusing on revenue over public safety" and "Court practices exacerbating the harm of Ferguson’s unconstitutional police practices and imposing particular hardship upon Ferguson’s most vulnerable residents".
  • The Ferguson Police Department (FPD) and Ferguson Municipal Court have a "pattern or practice of racial bias".

Jan 21, 2015:

The U.S. Department of Justice will not seek civil charges against Officer Darren Wilson.

Jan 5, 2015:

A juror from the grand jury that failed to indict Officer Darren Wilson is suing St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Robert McCulloch, challenging the gag order preventing jurors from publicly discussing the case.

Dec 26, 2014:

A driver in a car ran over and destroyed a memorial which was built for Michael Brown.

Dec 1, 2014:

In the wake of the shooting of Michael Brown, President Obama is proposing increased usage of body cameras by police, expanded training for law enforcement, and additional resources for police department reform.

Nov 30, 2014:

Ferguson city officials announced that Darren Wilson will receive no pension, severance package, or benefits, following his resignation yesterday.

Nov 29, 2014:

Officer Darren Wilson resigned from the Ferguson Police Department.

Nov 26, 2014:

Darren Wilson was interviewed by George Stephanopoulos of ABC News.

Nov 25, 2014:

Today, a petition was published on the official whitehouse.gov website asking that Darren Wilson be charged with and prosecuted for first-degree murder.

View the petition and the Obama administration response here.

Nov 24, 2014:

A grand jury in Clayton, Missouri decided not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the August 9, 2014 shooting of Michael Brown.

Aug 20, 2014:

Yesterday, a petition requiring police at all levels of government across the entire United States to wear body cameras surpassed the 100,000 signatures required to force a response from the Obama administration. The petition was published on the official whitehouse.gov website on August 13, 2014.

View the petition and the Obama administration response here.

Aug 15, 2014:

Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson announced that Darren Wilson is the officer who shot Michael Brown on August 9, 2014.

The U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI are conducting separate investigations into possible discriminatory and unconstitutional actions by the Ferguson police, and whether the civil rights of Michael Brown were violated by officer Darren Wilson.

Commentary:

The grand jury (previously appointed in May, 2014) was made up of 9 whites and 3 blacks. In a racially-charged case like this, perhaps a separate grand jury consisting of an equal number of whites and blacks should have been appointed.

It appears as though the street in question is in a residential area with not much traffic. Why did Darren Wilson ask Dorian Johnson to walk on the sidewalk? Is it against the law to walk in the street or somewhere other than the sidewalk? Even if it's technically illegal to walk in the street, why ask someone to walk on the sidewalk in a low-traffic residential area?

Would Darren Wilson have asked a white person to walk on the sidewalk?

What was the tone in Darren Wilson's voice and what were his exact words when he asked Dorian Johnson to walk on the sidewalk?

Was Darren Wilson's request to walk on the sidewalk a simple man making a simple request out of concern for the safety of Dorian Johnson, or was it in fact a form of racial harassment?

Is it possible that Michael Brown already felt anger, perhaps intense anger towards whites, white police officers, or police officers in general?

Is it possible that Darren Wilson's request to Dorian Johnson to walk on the sidewalk was interpreted by Micheal Brown as a form of racial harassment, and that's what set him off?

Is it possible that Michael Brown was afraid of getting caught for allegedly stealing from a convenience store shortly before his confrontation with Darren Wilson, and did his fear contribute to his alleged aggressive behavior?

How much did Darren Wilson know about the convenience store theft, did he think that Michael Brown and Dorian Johnson were possible suspects, and how did that influence his behavior?

Was Darren Wilson in fact just doing his job and following his training, or did he provoke what happened?

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