Michael Brown — one of the bullets was from the top of the head traveling downwards
[Publisher’s Commentary]
The mere introduction of armed forces alone will not quell the violence on the streets of Ferguson, MO.
Missouri governor Jay Nixon has announced that he will deploy the Missouri National Guard to the streets of Ferguson to try and calm the nightly uprisings since the execution-style killing of Michael Brown an unarmed 18 year old Black teenager.
Tempers will only cool when the authorities do the right thing — they can start by arresting Officer Darren Wilson.
Yesterday a private autopsy commissioned by the family of Michael Brown revealed that he had been shot at least six times, including two in the head.
One of the shots was from the top of the head and exited from the lower part of his face — this means that Michael Brown was also shot as he was already falling down, forward. The lack of residue also seems to confirm the shots were fired when Brown was at a distance from Wilson, as witnesses have said all along.
There are forces in Ferguson that want to take advantage of the outrage, including those who have looted some businesses. But there are also clear signs that non other than the Ferguson Police Chief himself, Tom Jackson, has ignited more anger and confrontations by releasing a video he claimed showed Brown had been involved in theft of cigars from a convenience store; Jackson himself later admitted Wilson had no knowledge Brown was involved in the alleged theft when he encountered him.
Clearly Officer Darren Wilson’s aim was not to defend himself but to kill Brown, who, according to witnesses did not present a threat to him when the final shots were fired at him from a distance of possibly 30 feet.
Three witnesses have said Brown had his hands up and was pleading with Darren Wilson not to shoot him.
Wilson had first approached Brown and his friend Dorian Johnson and ordered them to “get the fuck” on the sidewalk according to Johnson.
Johnson, who survived the encounter says Wilson first started to drive off, before veering back; perhaps the boys had said something Wilson didn’t like.
Johnson says the officer was so close to them that when he tried to open his car door it bounced off their bodies and back at the officer. He says the officer then grabbed Brown while still inside the vehicle and that the 18 year old resisted being pulled into the car.
Wilson then threatened to shoot Brown and did in fact fire from inside the car, striking the teenager who managed to free himself and start to run.
From this point of the encounter, two other witnesses accounts support Johnson’s, which is that Wilson emerged from his car and fired at Brown from behind, striking him when he was already at a distance.
Brown turned around with his hands up, but Wilson continued to fire at him until he was dead.
Now the autopsy requested by the family shows that Brown was shot at least half a dozen times, with two bullets in the head.
Brown might have survived the shots in the arm; not the two shots, possibly the final ones, in the head.
Officer Wilson should have been arrested a long time ago by the Ferguson authorities.
The initial attempt to control the protests that have erupted, including bringing in Highway Patrol captain Ron Johnson did have some positive impact. An African American from the community he related with the citizens of Ferguson and things momentarily calmed down.
This was undermined when the Ferguson police chief, Jackson, who seems to have a 1950s vision for the community, released a video he said showed Brown in an alleged theft of cigars. His malicious intentions became clear when he conceded Wilson’s encounter had nothing to do with the alleged theft.
Since that reckless action by Police Chief Jackson, the authorities have been challenged in their attempts to keep the protests peaceful.
Yesterday on Meet The Press Governor Nixon himself also said Tom Jackson “disparaged” the character of Michael Brown with the release of the video.
Darren Wilson must be arrested and Police Chief Tom Jackson removed from this volatile situation.
