Lisa Bloom - Legal Analyst - asked a question earlier today that was never answered -

[jillan]

Who was in front of the Grand Jury representing Mike Brown? Darren Wilson got to represent himself. But who represented Michael?

Was that question answered tonite? If so, I sure didn't catch the answer.

[Dawson Leery]

1. kick

[onecaliberal]

2. Nope. Brown was the one on trial not the cop

Who killed him.

[Cha]

3. So Unfair.. it's Unreal

[Derek V]

4. I didn't hear it either

[jillan]

5. Welcome to DU Derek!

[Derek V]

6. Thank you, Jillian

I just wish we were meeting under better circumstances.

[jillan]

7. Seriously :(

[brooklynite]

8. Honest answer: Grand Juries don't work like that

I sat on a Grand Jury for two weeks. Individual victims are never represented at a Grand Jury proceeding. Neither are defendants UNLESS they choose to voluntarily testify.

[tkmorris]

10. But normally the Prosecutor acts as a de facto representative for the victims

Do they not?

Prosecutors present cases to grand juries with the sole purpose of getting an indictment. It's what they do. In fact, the Washington Post just reported that at the Federal level they fail to get that indictment in less than 1 case in every TEN THOUSAND. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/11/24/the-single-chart-that-shows-that-grand-juries-indict-99-99-percent-of-the-time/ The reason for that is generally because the Prosecutor presents the case for the victim but the accused is not permitted to present their side unless and until the trial actually takes place.

Now, having said that, do you believe the Prosecutor in this case acted as Prosecutors normally do, pursuing an indictment with all means possible?

[X_Digger]

11. They represent the state, not the victim. It's sometimes a subtle difference, but an important one.

n/t

[tkmorris]

14. True, but...

That only seems to matter when it's a representative of the state who is accused of the crime. Otherwise they seek prosecution, period, end of story. Does this seem just to you?

[steve2470]

12. on edit: xdigger is correct

In a murder case, the case is styled State (of MO, FL, etc or United States of America) versus the defendant. As for your second question, I don't know. 4799 pages of testimony have been released. Of course I haven't read all that testimony, but I can't see how killing Michael Brown could be justified as self-defense. I just can't see it.

[BlueCaliDem]

13. In this case, Wilson was represented by McCulloch. Everybody could see that. eom

[nclib]

9. Good question because

It sure as hell wasn't McCulloch.