What was the reason for keeping Brown's body in the street, uncovered, for 4 hours?

[wheniwasincongress]

I understand there are reasons for documenting the crime scene, but why couldn't the body have been covered by a tent or such until documentation took place?

What is the official excuse? Do they have one? (I believe I know the unofficial reason - this is what happens if you're black!)

[noiretextatique]

1. i'll hazard a guess

it was a warning.

[TBF]

2. ^ you got it. nt

[Warpy]

3. I'll hazard another guess

The ME was busy elsewhere and they were waiting for him to process the scene.

But yes, someone should have put at least a handkerchief over his face.

[Nye Bevan]

6. Wouldn't that be contamination?

DNA or tiny particles of anything could then contaminate the body. It is right that the body is not touched, but they should have put up screens.

[Warpy]

10. Even that can be considered contamination by TV MEs

Real life MEs aren't nearly that fussy. TV is fantasy.

They'd lose the hankie since it would have to go in with the body in case any powder residue on his face ended up there.

The whole thing is just sad, beginning to end.

[Travis_0004]

14. the body was covered within 10 minutes.

You can see that from youtube videos from the scene.

[amandabeech]

15. Actually, there had been an incident involving a break in for drugs at a senior home

in the other side of the county that morning, IIRC. At least one person was killed, I think. The ME and many of the county sheriff's deputies were at that site. They had to finish up there before going to Ferguson. Most of them seemed to take their own sweet time about it, though.

My recollection is fuzzy, but I think that someone put a sheet or other white covering over Mr. Brown's body at some point, which helped. Later, it was difficult to see that because there were cop SUVs parked very close by, by accident, I assume.

[Warpy]

25. Thanks, I suspected as much

Wilson and his buddies would have wanted the body off the street ASAP, easier to shove the whole thing under the rug.

[WinkyDink]

16. I've seen suicides that were covered on the street. GMA*B here.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/06/28/ruslana-korshunova-superm_n_109792.html

[Recursion]

22. Brown was covered on the street

After about 15 minutes. I'm not sure where this whole meme came from. The body was covered within 10-15 minutes of the shooting.

[noiretextatique]

24. he did not have a battery in the camera

perhaps they should have some spare batteries.

[wheniwasincongress]

4. I know.

That's what I believe too. But I want to know what officials claim the reason was. Like, "well uh, we were out of body tents" or something. I want to hear their best excuse.

[Blue_Tires]

5. yeah, i was going to say it was a message

although there was a longer-than-usual amount of fumbling about by the medical examiner's office and a couple other factors in play, iirc...

[johnp3907]

8. That sent a chill down my spine.

Or maybe they thought it just didn't matter. "NHI."

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_humans_involved

[VanillaRhapsody]

7. Intimidation....

[arthritisR_US]

9. Yes and utter disrespect and dehumanization. nt

[Kalidurga]

11. to destroy evidence

the longer a body is heated and not processed the more evidence disappears or becomes inconclusive.

[4139]

12. Read here, stl researched it

http://m.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/why-was-michael-brown-s-body-left-there-for-hours/article_0b73ec58-c6a1-516e-882f-74d18a4246e0.html?mobile_touch=true

[wheniwasincongress]

13. Thank you so much!

[msanthrope]

17. Terror. nt

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

18. Covering the body disturbs the crime scene

And, eventually, screens were put up to block viewing, but it definitely took too long for the crime scene investigators to arrive, but small towns don't always have their own teams. They call for one from another city - probably St. Louis.

If the Ferguson police department doesn't have their own screens and tents, they need to get some.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

19. Yeah, I bet they leave cops out in the sun for 4 hours when they get killed.

Listen to yourself.

[TexasMommaWithAHat]

21. Link at post 12

explains a lot.

A bit of a fuck up, a team 30 miles away tied up with something else, local LE officers who had never worked a death scene before.

It obviously wasn't the most professionally handled scene. No doubt.

[Recursion]

20. The body was uncovered for roughly 10 minutes (possibly 15)

Once the paramedic declared him dead, the police lost custody, though one of them put a tarp over the remains pretty quickly after that.

[Rex]

23. Fear. The PD sending a clear message to the community.

And now with their victory, I expect them to be even worse about harassing citizens and reporters.