What this looks like at this point based on a compilation of the witness accounts is a simple stop for jaywalking that was actually resolved peacefully. Then one of the two people stopped passed a comment as the police officer drove away that was loud enough that he heard it and came back. The person he confronted about the comment was abusive at that point and a couple of shots were fired at him while he struggled with the officer in the car. I doubt the firing of those two shots was unjustified at this point. All the witnesses agree that there was a struggle between a seated police officer in his car and the person leaning in his window. Then the person leaning in the window ran away and the next 4 shots appear to be problematic. The notion that somebody would run away after being shot twice and then from a distance charge the police officer again, guaranteeing he would be shot multiple times in the process is unlikely in my opinion. People don't run away from a gun and then approach it in a hostile manner again. That's suicide. What I think happened is that things got out of control after the second confrontation and the police officer likely lost it and fired a hail of bullets at a guy trying to surrender. I don't think the first two shots were unjustified. It was what happened after that which is at issue. The toxicology is the last piece of the puzzle and it hasn't been released yet. If the victim was on PCP or meth or something similar the perception could shift again. Note that all the witnesses agree that the person leaned in the window and confronted the police officer. That does not happen if the police officer has been pushed back into the vehicle. The door is still open in that situation and the person leaning in is actually not going in a window but in the door itself.
I think this is a pretty good analysis with some major questions left unanswered, the toxicology report included. Another major question is why, if untrue, would more than a dozen people corroborate the officers story if the deceased did not double back and charge at him?
So following this more and more, I cannot believe how badly the Ferugson police is handling this post shooting...Lol that dumbass cop aiming his gun 2 days ago threatening to kill protestors is just embarrassing to see if I was in the force.
The police officers state of mind at the time of the shooting will be an important factor. He apparently did not call in the shooting after it occurred and the officers responding to it were called in by witnesses instead. He had received a commendation in February for struggling with and detaining a driver who was said to be preparing a large amount of marijuana for sale. It's really unusual for a police officer to get involved in multiple physical altercations with suspects. Most people just hunker down and do what they're told. It's possible that Wilson just got unlucky and wound up with two idiots who thought fighting with a police officer was going to help them. The eyewitnesses stories are all over the place at this point. Many of the accounts supporting the officer's side of the story are actually from people close to him who could not have actually witnessed the assault. Many others are from officials in the Ferguson Police Dept who are doing their job in supporting their officer. The PD cannot back away from one of it's own under any circumstances until it is clear that there is fault involved on the officer's part. Police officers already operate under tremendous pressure in doing a very hard and unpredictable job. They can't do that job without knowing that their side of the story is going to be the official version of events unless substantial evidence piles up that contradicts them.
unless I have missed recent news, it seems unlikely that Brown was shot close range during the initial struggle and then fled considering the lack of gunpowder residue on his body. obviously it could be on his clothes exclusively, but at the close range the shots would have been fired during the struggle it would seem most likely that there would be at least trace residue on his skin, which there isn't. additionally, there would be blood on or around the cop car, and a trail of blood as he fled. so far there have been no reports of either. Based on those assumptions he would have been shot after he stopped and turned around. The question is was he shot standing still and surrendering, or shot while moving towards the officer, either with his hands raised or charging? NotSatoshiNakamoto raises an extremely relevant question, though, in regards to how many shots were fired because the cops story hinges on the defense that he did not fire again, after the initial struggle, until after Brown started charging him. Brown was hit 6 times, did the cop only fire 6 shots and hit on them all? Did he fire several more and simply miss with those? What would be the amount of shots we would expect him to have fired while being charged but missed a few? How many shots could indicate he was firing at Brown while he fled and then kept firing after he turned around? I think that could be meaningful because it could be interpreted as a cop out of control emotionally, firing wildly at Brown as he fled and then completely ignoring Brown's change of behavior and turning around in an attempt to surrender. I don't believe that would be an indictment of the officer in and of itself; I think it defies any reason or common sense to argue that a cop, after being attacked and having his gun attempted to be taken, should be able to completely recognize in a split second that Brown was trying to surrender simply because he turned around. the cop is still a human being not a computer.
You can't see this response because you have me on ignore but this is complete and utter bullshit. My older brother is a retired NYC policeman (beat cop in Chelsea, Manhattan North Narcotics, Homicide Detective in Bed Stuy) and I just called him and he said he and ALL of his brethren had MULTIPLES of multiple physical altercations with suspects/perps. All the time. And never cited for abusive conduct. My younger brother is a retired Nassau County cop and his 20th physical altercation with one of his clients resulted in him being injured on the job and retiring early with 3/4 pension, no taxes and full benefits. And never cited for abusive conduct. Suspects in bad areas RARELY hunker down when they are told what to do. You really need to stop making up bullshit to support what you think the narrative should be. Apologize if you think this retort is personal so feel free to keep me on ignore. _
There are definitely some non-credible witnesses to the confrontation, however how do you explain the two women who were on their way to work and largely corroborate Johnson's testimony while not being related to him in any obvious way?
There are a lot of questions that need to be answered and it is very possible that the police officer should be planning a PTSD/emotional breakdown type defense. Some times shit happens and you're not in control. That probably means you're not suited to be a police officer moving forward but also maybe not culpable in the way that somebody who planned to kill Brown and coolly fired off 6 shots at him would be.
They are said to have over a dozen eye witnesses corroborating the officers version, not just others recounting his story. If the initial confrontation is Brown punching the officer and attempting to grab his weapon then I don't have a problem believing he felt like he could intimidate the officer and started charging him. There is audio on the background of one of the many phone videos of the aftermath which the person talks about Brown rushing the officer before being taken down by the bullets.
It is ridiculous how so much that is actually relevant doesn't matter to some people. Change your story 3 times and be a proven liar? No problem just say this now.
it is a real shame that the vocal opinion of the black community clearly suffers a severe lack of critical thinking skills and attempt to claim that it doesn't matter if he attacked the cop, or that he was charging him and was a threat; to them all that matters is that he was unarmed, and that makes him, and them, victims. and the white media in their desperate attempt to validate their lack of racism supports and encourages that lack of critical reasoning, thus keeping the black community dumb and irrational. I hope it is just a vocal minority of the black community. but it is the thinking skills of the community and the community leaders the media is purporting and celebrating. as I said previously, the white man will always find a way to keep the black man down and in his place, stupid and angry right where he wants him, even when he thinks he is on his side and helping him.
News reports, it happens all the time, especially since those 2 women work together. The one woman was coming to pick up the other so it stands to reason they started discussing it when she got there and then the stories could have started to meld. As far as I am aware she did not come forward for over a week either, that is a long time to listen to other reports. It would have held a lot more weight had she come forward right away.
which is why the police are smart not to have revealed specific details of the case immediately and influence potential witnesses like the media was so intent to do. what you get is a socially formed version of the event that is based on the possible lies of the first to tell it, and if the evidence disputes it credibility of them all gets flushed down the toilet.
Of course we still need all the evidence to come out but I have a problem with, as you mentioned, the prior steps taken by Brown which could have been instrumental in the final outcome, as if the final bullet was shot in a vacuum. I also am dumbfounded how some seem to think the credibility of witnesses should not be an issue just as long as their 3rd or 4th story vaguely matches up with some of the other stories.
You need to argue with the facts, not with your emotions or pre-conceived loyalties. This was posted 8/10/14 - the day after the shooting. In it Piaget Crenshaw, the witness you claim came forward a week after the fact makes the statement I quoted earlier. http://thedailybanter.com/2014/08/m...ting-of-unarmed-black-teenager-michael-brown/ Just read it through and realize that your cut and dried version of events is not reality. That doesn't mean that the police officer is guilty. It means that you are arguing with "facts" that people are pushing on you that are incorrect.
