Jury Way Out on a Federal Prosecution of Darren Wilson

[damnedifIknow]

The moment that Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson gunned down Michael Brown, the cry went up for a federal investigation and prosecution of Wilson on civil rights charges. Brown's family and attorney and many civil rights leaders had absolutely no confidence that Wilson would ever be arrested, charged or indicted.

A non-indictment tosses the ball back to the Justice Department. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder certainly has had a firm and visible handprint all over the Brown killing case. He quickly flooded Ferguson with teams of federal investigators in the aftermath of the killing, ordered an autopsy of Brown and made several high-profile appearances in Ferguson and St. Louis. He's also filed civil rights charges against nearly 400 cops during his tenure. That number far exceeds the number filed during the George W. Bush years."

*The official autopsy report that Wilson sympathizers in the St. Louis County coroner's office made sure was plastered all over the media appeared to give just enough credence to Wilson's contention that he was in a struggle for his life and had no choice but to shoot Brown even the multiple times that he did.

Holder will have the final say on a federal prosecution. But that further compounds the problem. Since he will soon depart the post, and with a GOP-controlled Congress, the public and political pressure will be even more intense for the department not to pursue charges."

Brown's family, their attorneys and civil rights leaders face the bitter reality that if Wilson walks, the feds may well not second guess the state and prosecute. The jury remains way out on that heartbreaking possibility."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/earl-ofari-hutchinson/jury-way-out-on-a-federal_b_6139304.html

[avebury]

1. Justice is seldom available to a member of the 99%. nt

[hifiguy]

2. Imagine the smallest non-zero number you can.

That is the probability that this murdering scumbag will ever face justice.

[BlindTiresias]

3. Yep

[Boom Sound 416]

4. If the justice dept walks away

It's because nothing is there to prosecute.

[tkmorris]

5. In a perfect world you'd be right

This aint that world.

[Boom Sound 416]

6. Holder went there

It's either happening or it isn't based on probability of conviction.


Though I agree with your sentiment.

[JaneyVee]

8. Ahem, Justice Dept. walked away from Bush/Cheney.

[Boom Sound 416]

9. That's apples to Eskimos

[hifiguy]

10. And JP Morgan Chase.

And Goldman,all of the rest of Wall $treet,and Blackwater/whatever the fuck they are called the list goes ever on. The number of serious financial criminals not prosecuted by the DOJ is hundreds of times longer than the list of those who were prosecuted.

Taibbi on "The $9 billion witness: http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/the-9-billion-witness-20141106

[davidn3600]

11. So did Nancy Pelosi

[drray23]

7. the justice dept

Can not prosecute this as a homicide or murder. Thus is the purview of states. They can bring up federal charges like civil rights violations but the threshold is high and unfortunately they may not be able to meet it.