Looting in Missouri after cops shoot 18 year old (4 Viewers)

[Courtjester]

Poor night janitor in this building about to be arrested....

 

[Courtjester]

Reporting live from the "Michael Brown Protest"

Hey!! There are no protesters....

 

[Bucky86]

Hey everyone went home--there is no story anymore. People obeyed the curfew....

Now the press is confused that the police are going to enforce the curfew as to them as well.

Yep. Reddit feed says someone was shot, but they're about as reliable as Twitter and Anon these days.

http://www.reddit.com/live/tdrph3y49ftn/

vice guy claims he heard a gunshot.

 

[Fennis]

A woman named "Josie" calls in to tell Dana Darren Williams side of the story.

"Michael grabs the gun"

"Gun goes off"

"freeze"

"bum rush[ed] him"

Suggestion he was "on something".

Final shot was in the forehead 2-3 feet in front of officer.

Toxicology report requested, standard 2-4 weeks until results come back.

That certainly is different from the account from eyewitnesses at the scene who don't know the shooter or the deceased.

Browns body was laying face down in the street ...and from the pics i see no blood on the back of his shirt...im wondering if he was in fact ever shot in the back as witnesses have stated

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_ycmmpsqmmZo/TRK-EeSRMVI/AAAAAAAAAV8/rkBZ2cJM7_M/s1600/QuincyME.jpg

 

[jplvr]

Hey everyone went home--there is no story anymore. People obeyed the curfew....

Now the press is confused that the police are going to enforce the curfew as to them as well.

Yep. Reddit feed says someone was shot, but they're about as reliable as Twitter and Anon these days.

http://www.reddit.com/live/tdrph3y49ftn/

vice guy claims he heard a gunshot.

Heard it wizz by his head. I believe he did.

 

[Courtjester]

So now all it has dissolved into is a gaggle of reporters all corralled into a circle away from the action using their smart phones and talking about how close to the ##### they were in.

Whew man, we have to go to IHOP to talk about our near death experiences. .......

I will never get this smell out of my J-Crew jacket

yeah, don't pick up the spent tear gas canisters--they could still go off.....

 

[jplvr]

1:30am here (and there). Absolutely nothing will happen near these guys tonight, but it was a little interesting for a bit when the crowd was still near them. I did hear something wizz by the VICE guy's camera/microphone. I assume it was a rubber bullet, but who knows?

 

[Courtjester]

Now, the background audio someone is saying this is a group that came into protest and cause problems--sounds like an out of town anarchy type organization taking advantage of the situation....

 

[Gary Coal Man]

Hey everyone went home--there is no story anymore. People obeyed the curfew....

Now the press is confused that the police are going to enforce the curfew as to them as well.

Yep. Reddit feed says someone was shot, but they're about as reliable as Twitter and Anon these days.

http://www.reddit.com/live/tdrph3y49ftn/

Politico confirms that a man was critically shot in Ferguson last night:

At least one male protester was critically injured in a shooting and was in the hospital fighting for his life, police said in a hastily arranged early Sunday morning press conference. (link)

There was a woman shot in the head in Ferguson on Wednesday, but it's unclear whether that shooting is related to the looters:

A woman was shot in the head in an apparent drive-by shooting early Wednesday in the Missouri town wracked by protests following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer. St. Louis County Police spokesman Brian Schellman said four to five black males apparently carried out the shooting on Highmont Drive in Ferguson, Mo., and fled in a car. The unidentified woman was transported to a hospital via EMS, but her condition was unknown just before 1:30 a.m. local time. It was not immediately clear if the shooting was in any way related to the recent unrest in Ferguson. (link)

 

[mr roboto]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

 

[johnnycakes]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

 

[mr roboto]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

What I hear there is that it used to be more diverse but many of the minority officers left for better paying jobs. It's a red herring IMO. Either the police acted properly or not. Their racial makeup has nothing to do with it. White cops killing black kids is not the violence problem in the black community.

 

[johnnycakes]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

What I hear there is that it used to be more diverse but many of the minority officers left for better paying jobs.It's a red herring IMO. Either the police acted properly or not. Their racial makeup has nothing to do with it. White cops killing black kids is not the violence problem in the black community.

What I hear is that it's not about whether the police in fact acted properly or not. It's about the community's perception.

 

[Rohn Jambo]

The looting is a way the community expresses their feelings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28827091

 

[Greggity]

The looting is a way the community expresses their feelings.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28827091

Thats racist....lol

 

[Christo]

There was no robbery. It would be a shoplifting charge. Misdemeanor theft.

Ok Christo, I suppose the DA could have trumped up a felony robbery charge, but he'd never be convicted of a felony. Not even with a Public Pretender.

I always thought shoplifting was something one did surreptitously not brazenly in front of the store owner. I thought shoplifting was sneaking items out of the store through slight of hand. In this instance the robber made no attempt to conceal the item. He took it, looked right at the store owner, shoved the man half his size aside, and when the man objected he came back towards him, threw out his chest in a challenge, and then strolled out of the store. That is a strong arm robbery. The item was taken by force. If one were to have a P.D. try to plead it down a Prosecutor might reduce it to shoplifting or misdemeanor theft with a misdemeanor battery charge as well. I emphasize might.I am going to submit that my opinion on this matter carries some weight given my profession and experience.

That's all I was really trying to get at. This case would never even go before a jury. There would have been a plea to lesser charges, the da pads his conviction rate, the kid doesn't end up w a felony on his record. Let's remember the kid is 18, and doesn't have a criminal record, nobody was hurt and it was some cigars. No way he gets a felony.

I disagree. If he gets an offer, and if he is smart enough to take the offer, then he gets off with two misdemeanors, likely involving some jail time, but not prison time. If he does not the case goes to trial and it is a slam dunk conviction and he takes a felony. In my experience lots of folks will turn down a plea agreement that involves some jail time, hoping to roll the dice and get off. I place the odd right around 50% that the average kid in his place takes the deal, does 30 days jail with maybe another 150 suspended upon no similar violations for a year.The act is clearly a felony.

I guess if I was in the kids position, with the video out there, I'm taking the plea all day long 100% of the time. He'd have to have some real bad advice from someone in his corner to not take the plea.

Good kid, first time offender, if it was just shoplifting, which was your initial position, a P.D. would likely get a deferred judgment upon completion of an anti-shoplifting course and some useful public service. I throw a few lines out there and now you are jumping to take two misdemeanor convictions with some jail time. First off I believe you have abandoned your initial position, which was wise. Obviously even you do not believe it was a simply shoplift. Second of all, if you are ever in trouble, hire an attorney.

Pretty sure my initial stance, which you quoted, was that yeah the da might trump up some robbery charges but no way the kid ends up w a felony. I never strayed from that./edit: and I'll add, imo, no way the kid gets approved for diversion.

No, your initial stance was that it wasn't a robbery.

 

[Rohn Jambo]

The looting is a way the community expresses their feelings.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28827091

Thats racist....lol

Ignorant responses like this one is why I did not post in this thread earlier.

 

[Greggity]

The looting is a way the community expresses their feelings.http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-28827091

Thats racist....lol

Ignorant responses like this one is why I did not post in this thread earlier.

Its called "joking", you outta try it sometimes, helps lighten the mood.....

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

A woman named "Josie" calls in to tell Dana Darren Williams side of the story.

"Michael grabs the gun"

"Gun goes off"

"freeze"

"bum rush[ed] him"

Suggestion he was "on something".

Final shot was in the forehead 2-3 feet in front of officer.

Toxicology report requested, standard 2-4 weeks until results come back.

That certainly is different from the account from eyewitnesses at the scene who don't know the shooter or the deceased.

Browns body was laying face down in the street ...and from the pics i see no blood on the back of his shirt...im wondering if he was in fact ever shot in the back as witnesses have stated

That's a pretty big deal I would guess. It would change the dynamic of the story.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Did it end up being Michael Brown robbing the store?

Also, the ladies story from the cops side sounds plausible, but will be easily proven, or disproven during the autopsy.

The autopsy will tell the tale here.

 

[Jim11]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

 

[Greggity]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

Well, im not that suprised really.....

 

[Henry Ford]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

What I hear there is that it used to be more diverse but many of the minority officers left for better paying jobs. It's a red herring IMO. Either the police acted properly or not. Their racial makeup has nothing to do with it. White cops killing black kids is not the violence problem in the black community.

It's a violence problem in the black community.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

Well, im not that suprised really.....

Oh, this is a match made in heaven. Lol...:straightface:

 

[Henry Ford]

Did it end up being Michael Brown robbing the store?

Also, the ladies story from the cops side sounds plausible, but will be easily proven, or disproven during the autopsy.

The autopsy will tell the tale here.

Distance of rounds that hit him and whether there's one in the back will be extremely important, for sure

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

What I hear there is that it used to be more diverse but many of the minority officers left for better paying jobs.It's a red herring IMO. Either the police acted properly or not. Their racial makeup has nothing to do with it. White cops killing black kids is not the violence problem in the black community.

I agree with the trust issue. A more diverse PD there was apparently long overdue, regardless of the facts, this kind of thing was inevitable. It applies to the city government too.

 

[Greggity]

Anyone think there would have been all this trouble with looting and rioting if a black cop had killed this guy?

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

 

[Otis]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

Yeah, that's a pretty different account than we'd heard before. Interesting.

 

[Christo]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

Yeah, that's a pretty different account than we'd heard before. Interesting.

Yes, interesting in that the kid who was with him didn't mention any of that when they trotted him out like a show pony a few days ago.

 

[Otis]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

Yeah, that's a pretty different account than we'd heard before. Interesting.

Yes, interesting in that the kid who was with him didn't mention any of that when they trotted him out like a show pony a few days ago.

 

[Gary Coal Man]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

What I hear there is that it used to be more diverse but many of the minority officers left for better paying jobs.It's a red herring IMO. Either the police acted properly or not. Their racial makeup has nothing to do with it. White cops killing black kids is not the violence problem in the black community.

I agree with the trust issue. A more diverse PD there was apparently long overdue, regardless of the facts, this kind of thing was inevitable. It applies to the city government too.

From the previously posted New Republic article it sounds like considerable effort was made to recruit minority officers, namely black officers. If black residents aren't applying to be part of the police force because they view the police force as an adversary or because they don't want to be associated with a police force that others in the community view as adversarial, then how do you ensure more black officers?If there are more white elected officials than black elected officials solely because Ferguson's white population votes at a greater rate than Ferguson's black population, then how or why correct an outcome where the opportunity for a different outcome was available? Also, do we know that Ferguson's black residents didn't vote for those white elected officials?

 

[fatness]

So no initial incident report has been released, and now various versions of "Darren Wilson's story" are coming out, none from people known to be interviewed by police, several from people who were not there ---- what a great way to try out different versions of what to include in a the initial incident report.

 

[Greggity]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

Yeah, that's a pretty different account than we'd heard before. Interesting.

Yes, interesting in that the kid who was with him didn't mention any of that when they trotted him out like a show pony a few days ago.

Go figure....lol

 

[Fennis]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

What I hear there is that it used to be more diverse but many of the minority officers left for better paying jobs.It's a red herring IMO. Either the police acted properly or not. Their racial makeup has nothing to do with it. White cops killing black kids is not the violence problem in the black community.

I agree with the trust issue. A more diverse PD there was apparently long overdue, regardless of the facts, this kind of thing was inevitable. It applies to the city government too.

From the previously posted New Republic article it sounds like considerable effort was made to recruit minority officers, namely black officers. If black residents aren't applying to be part of the police force because they view the police force as an adversary or because they don't want to be associated with a police force that others in the community view as adversarial, then how do you ensure more black officers?If there are more white elected officials than black elected officials solely because Ferguson's white population votes at a greater rate than Ferguson's black population, then how or why correct an outcome where the opportunity for a different outcome was available? Also, do we know that Ferguson's black residents didn't vote for those white elected officials?

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/08/13/how-ferguson-mo-s-power-structure-lagged-behind-racial-shift/

the last decade or so, the city’s composition has changed dramatically. It has gone from being a city that was fairly closely split between African Americans and whites – 52% and 44% of the population respectively in 2000 – to 67% African American today.

And yet, as other news outlets have noted, the city government is still overwhelmingly white – including the mayor and 5 of six city council members. What’s behind that discrepancy?

One reason may have to do with who votes in city elections. There are about 15,000 residents who are 18 or older in Ferguson, and only about 1,350 votes were cast in April’s mayoral election, in which Mayor James Knowles III was unopposed.

There were about 1,500 votes cast in the last city council race in 2013. In 2011, one city councilman won his seat with a grand total of 72 votes.

Those racial divides in the power structure extend to the police department as well, where only three of 53 officers are African American.

In many ways Ferguson is an example of how the nation’s suburbs are changing. As suburban cities diversify racial and ethnically, urban phenomena like white flight have expanded outward as well. Ferguson has seen its white population decline by about 40% since 2000.

 

[avoiding injuries]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

Yeah, that's a pretty different account than we'd heard before. Interesting.

Time to pack it up. Impressive turnaround this story has made.

 

[Henry Ford]

So no initial incident report has been released, and now various versions of "Darren Wilson's story" are coming out, none from people known to be interviewed by police, several from people who were not there ---- what a great way to try out different versions of what to include in a the initial incident report.

Boy it sure does convince people that a disinterested witness who live tweeted the incident from his living room was wrong though.

 

[fatness]

So no initial incident report has been released, and now various versions of "Darren Wilson's story" are coming out, none from people known to be interviewed by police, several from people who were not there ---- what a great way to try out different versions of what to include in a the initial incident report.

Boy it sure does convince people that a disinterested witness who live tweeted the incident from his living room was wrong though.

I guess the witness live tweeting it didn't have subtitles for one of many background conversations going on, and so is worthless.

 

[Henry Ford]

So no initial incident report has been released, and now various versions of "Darren Wilson's story" are coming out, none from people known to be interviewed by police, several from people who were not there ---- what a great way to try out different versions of what to include in a the initial incident report.

Boy it sure does convince people that a disinterested witness who live tweeted the incident from his living room was wrong though.

I guess the witness live tweeting it didn't have subtitles for one of many background conversations going on, and so is worthless.

You mean background conversations between unidentified people who may or may not be fifth in line in the telephone game?

 

[Doctor Detroit]

So is the media firing into crowds to keep the story going?

 

[Henry Ford]

So is the media firing into crowds to keep the story going?

It's actually Jim11

 

[Doctor Detroit]

So is the media firing into crowds to keep the story going?

It's actually Jim11

Jim11 is Geraldo? Things are starting to make some sense now.

 

[Lutherman2112]

So no initial incident report has been released, and now various versions of "Darren Wilson's story" are coming out, none from people known to be interviewed by police, several from people who were not there ---- what a great way to try out different versions of what to include in a the initial incident report.

Boy it sure does convince people that a disinterested witness who live tweeted the incident from his living room was wrong though.

I guess the witness live tweeting it didn't have subtitles for one of many background conversations going on, and so is worthless.

You mean background conversations between unidentified people who may or may not be fifth in line in the telephone game?

Watch the original 10:03 second video and you can he background conversations that vary. the "Independent" Journal Review selectively edits a keeps a version that remotely resembles what the shooter's friend reported.

People are agreeing with IJR version of the video because it confirms their bias.

 

[Fennis]

start the count down clock to: reefer madness

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

What I hear there is that it used to be more diverse but many of the minority officers left for better paying jobs.It's a red herring IMO. Either the police acted properly or not. Their racial makeup has nothing to do with it. White cops killing black kids is not the violence problem in the black community.

I agree with the trust issue. A more diverse PD there was apparently long overdue, regardless of the facts, this kind of thing was inevitable. It applies to the city government too.

From the previously posted New Republic article it sounds like considerable effort was made to recruit minority officers, namely black officers. If black residents aren't applying to be part of the police force because they view the police force as an adversary or because they don't want to be associated with a police force that others in the community view as adversarial, then how do you ensure more black officers?If there are more white elected officials than black elected officials solely because Ferguson's white population votes at a greater rate than Ferguson's black population, then how or why correct an outcome where the opportunity for a different outcome was available? Also, do we know that Ferguson's black residents didn't vote for those white elected officials?

Well one way is you recruit from outside the town. Or provide incentives. But my guess is it may be related to the fact that so much of the government itself is white. They may claim they have made great efforts but usually such drives come from black politicians who demand it.

On your second point, well that's a serious. Regardless of the facts I think we have a very unusual situation in Ferguson (as opposed to thsoe who say this is indicative of the country in general). Clearly the black community (for lack of a better term) in Ferguson has helped create this situation by not forcing political changes through the ballot box.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

So no initial incident report has been released, and now various versions of "Darren Wilson's story" are coming out, none from people known to be interviewed by police, several from people who were not there ---- what a great way to try out different versions of what to include in a the initial incident report.

Boy it sure does convince people that a disinterested witness who live tweeted the incident from his living room was wrong though.

I guess the witness live tweeting it didn't have subtitles for one of many background conversations going on, and so is worthless.

You mean background conversations between unidentified people who may or may not be fifth in line in the telephone game?

Watch the original 10:03 second video and you can he background conversations that vary. the "Independent" Journal Review selectively edits a keeps a version that remotely resembles what the shooter's friend reported.

People are agreeing with IJR version of the video because it confirms their bias.

The link explains this and even links to the larger video:

The original video poster appears sympathetic to the narrative that Mike Brown was shot unarmed with his hands in the air. But he unknowingly picks up conversation between a man who saw the altercation and another neighbor.

In fact the post makes clear that the larger take was intended to be sympathetic. The point is obviously to isolate and highlight a witness POV which has not been heard yet.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

I haven't read a thing in here. Why does the racial makeup of the police force really matter? I keep hearing black residents and leaders point out that a majority of the force is white. So if there were more blacks then you'd react how exactly? If I lived in a town and went to a school where a majority of the teachers were black and said I didn't trust those black teachers and therefore wasn't going to behave, I'd be a racist and crucified.

Has to do with community relations and how much the public at large trusts the police. My link.

What I hear there is that it used to be more diverse but many of the minority officers left for better paying jobs.It's a red herring IMO. Either the police acted properly or not. Their racial makeup has nothing to do with it. White cops killing black kids is not the violence problem in the black community.

I agree with the trust issue. A more diverse PD there was apparently long overdue, regardless of the facts, this kind of thing was inevitable. It applies to the city government too.

From the previously posted New Republic article it sounds like considerable effort was made to recruit minority officers, namely black officers. If black residents aren't applying to be part of the police force because they view the police force as an adversary or because they don't want to be associated with a police force that others in the community view as adversarial, then how do you ensure more black officers?If there are more white elected officials than black elected officials solely because Ferguson's white population votes at a greater rate than Ferguson's black population, then how or why correct an outcome where the opportunity for a different outcome was available? Also, do we know that Ferguson's black residents didn't vote for those white elected officials?

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/08/13/how-ferguson-mo-s-power-structure-lagged-behind-racial-shift/

the last decade or so, the city’s composition has changed dramatically. It has gone from being a city that was fairly closely split between African Americans and whites – 52% and 44% of the population respectively in 2000 – to 67% African American today.

And yet, as other news outlets have noted, the city government is still overwhelmingly white – including the mayor and 5 of six city council members. What’s behind that discrepancy?

One reason may have to do with who votes in city elections. There are about 15,000 residents who are 18 or older in Ferguson, and only about 1,350 votes were cast in April’s mayoral election, in which Mayor James Knowles III was unopposed.

There were about 1,500 votes cast in the last city council race in 2013. In 2011, one city councilman won his seat with a grand total of 72 votes.

Those racial divides in the power structure extend to the police department as well, where only three of 53 officers are African American.

In many ways Ferguson is an example of how the nation’s suburbs are changing. As suburban cities diversify racial and ethnically, urban phenomena like white flight have expanded outward as well. Ferguson has seen its white population decline by about 40% since 2000.

In 2011, one city councilman won his seat with a grand total of 72 votes.

That is absolutely insane, a council election with .0048 turnout? That kind of apathy practically guarantees bad government. Hate to say it, but people being active now does not make up for being so apathetic before. You get what you (don't) vote for.

 

[Todd Andrews]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

That is interesting. Of course, the "doubling back" could be when Brown supposedly turned and raised his hands after being shot once or twice.

 

[KCitons]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

That is interesting. Of course, the "doubling back" could be when Brown supposedly turned and raised his hands after being shot once or twice.

maybe it's the poor video. But why no blood on the back of the shirt if he was shot in the back

 

[Todd Andrews]

Video from shortly after the shooting, with audio and transcript.

http://www.ijreview.com/2014/08/168698-eyewitness-recalls-important-detail-background-video-mins-ferguson-shooting/

For anyone who's interested, this is actually pretty interesting. Witness describes in contemporaneous live description that Brown fought with the cop over the truck, ran away, cop ran after him, and then Brown "doubled back on him." About 5 shots fired, witness says he thought some had missed because Brown was "running" towards the cop.

That is interesting. Of course, the "doubling back" could be when Brown supposedly turned and raised his hands after being shot once or twice.

maybe it's the poor video. But why no blood on the back of the shirt if he was shot in the back

I cant tell.