I keep reading Ferguson news stories and related opinion pieces, where inaccurate information is used to buttress and inflame opinion. Press coverage has been inconsistent, to say the least, and people are taking sides in reactionary fashion. Some facts. Some frustrations: 1. Michael Brown was shot at least 6 times from a distance by police officer Darren Wilson. Brown was unarmed. The final bullet that killed him passed through the top of his head (conclusive facts proved by autopsy). 2. Michael Brown did not commit a crime. He did not rob a store. Nobody from the store called the police. The store owners and employees say there was no crime. A bystander thought they were observing a crime and called it in. That bystander was mistaken (conclusive facts proved by store video and witness testimony). 3. The police sought out the store video AFTER Michael Brown was shot. The police publicly released an edited section of the video (publicly available), that showed something that appeared to be strong arm robbery. Later, the store owners released the entire video, which shows Michael Brown paying for his merchandise (video publicly available). We can speculate about police motives for releasing only the edited version... but these are the facts. 4. Michael Browns body lay in the street uncovered for four hours after he was shot. My frustrations: * Every time I read that the police officer was responding to a strong arm robbery--thats utterly wrong. There was no crime. There was no complaint by the store. I dont know whether its an error on the part of the police or a deliberate lie, but people need to stop stating this as fact. * No one who is unarmed deserves to be shot six times from a distance. Theres nothing that warrants this. * Responsible journalists: You should be stating again and again these facts. They are undeniable. * People who are calling Michael Brown a thug. Stop. Youre wrong. Then ponder law enforcement. Do you really want a police force that is allowed to gun down unarmed civilians? Every statement Ive made above can be supported by autopsy results, crime scene results and the store video. Witness testimony also supports these statements. Find this information yourself. Seek out the truth. Stop looking for versions that support your preconceptions. The truth matters. Its right in front of you.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Aug 2014 04:49:56 +0000
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