Protests Follow Ferguson Grand Jury Decision
Protests erupted in Ferguson, Missouri after a grand jury declined to indict the police officer who fatally shot unarmed teenager Michael Brown.
November 25, 2014
After months of anticipation, the grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri has finally come to a decision to not indict police officer Darren Wilson, who was responsible for the death of unarmed teenager Michael Brown. This long awaited decision became public on Monday night. This prompted immediate outrage from many protestors in Ferguson, leaving the city in shambles from rioting and looting that occurred after the decision was announced.
The case began on August 9th, when police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Michael Brown after an altercation. This event stayed in the news for weeks afterwards, constantly appearing in Twitter feeds, Facebook posts and news websites headlines alike. Protestors had gathered in Ferguson to show their displeasure with the action, or lack thereof, and not all of the protesting was peaceful. Many businesses were looted or broken into and vandalized.
The evidence of this case went to the grand jury to decide if Darren Wilson could be tried for murder (1st or 2nd degree) or manslaughter (voluntary or involuntary). The grand jury decided that there was not probable cause to indict Wilson on any of these charges.
The transcripts of the grand jury deliberation have been released to the public, something unusual after a decision to not indict. While the documents are now available for the public to review, the decision is final. After the decision was announced, President Obama addressed the nation, expressing sympathy for those who were upset, while appealing for protests to remain calm and peaceful. These protests have been ongoing in many major cities throughout the United States, and are likely to continue for the foreseeable future.
To read more about the decision and protestors’ reactions to it, check out the links below:
http://www.cnn.com/2014/11/25/justice/ferguson-grand-jury-documents/index.html
Photo Source: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ferguson_Day_6,_Picture_44.png
