Where is justice for Michael Brown?

Michael Brown

Legal expert Lisa Bloom told Chris Hayes on his “All In” show on MSNBC on September 17: “Every time this prosecutor [Robert P. McCulloch] has had a choice of two different options, he has chosen the option that leans towards the defense [for Ferguson, Mo., cop Darren Wilson].

“He didn’t recuse himself. He didn’t file charges against Darren Wilson as he could have. And now he is allowing Darren Wilson to testify in front of the grand jury,” she said.

“I don’t see anyone in this grand jury room who is an advocate for Mike Brown.”

Knowing that the so-called “justice system” in the U.S. is designed to implement occupation, terror, murder and imprisonment on the African-American community, this latest move by the St. Louis prosecutor to have Darren Wilson testify is one more sign of contempt for oppressed people and for their calls for justice in the cold-blooded killing of ­Michael Brown.

Prosecutor Robert McCulloch himself has four times presented evidence to a grand jury after a fatal police shooting. In none of those cases were the officers involved indicted.

There have been other signs. Instead of specifying charges against Wilson for this brutal killing, Prosecutor McCulloch has left all decisions about charges to the 12-person grand jury, nine of whom are white.

Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the Brown family, says the grand jury is being used as “a smoke screen.”

“There’s enough probable cause that exists to indict the officer now,” Crump said. “We don’t need this grand jury.” (MSNBC.com, Sept. 17)

Democratic committeewoman of Ferguson Township, Patricia Bynes, said, “There is a concern that there may be some racial bias. With the jury being overwhelmingly a white male jury, it does give us a little pause. It feels like business as usual in St. Louis County.” (washingtonpost.com, Sept. 7)

This grand jury’s term was set to expire before the end of September. But a judge has extended their term to early January. Many in the African-American community believe that those who rule want them to contend with an unjust decision during the cold and snow of winter.

“I think it’s a prequel to a non-indictment,” said Umar Lee, a St. Louis cab driver and Brown supporter. “I think they’re waiting to January because they want people to fade and for the movement to fizzle out in the cold weather,” he said. (MSNBC.com, Sept. 17)

But the community does not choose to wait. On Sept. 16, protesters packed a St. Louis County Council meeting and disrupted it with chants of “Arrest Darren Wilson!”

And plans are underway to protest the shooting and the prosecutor’s inaction at the National Football League’s Rams vs. Cowboys game in St. Louis on Sept. 21. Charles Modiano, also a Ferguson protester, told a reporter: “I love this idea. We have to keep the protests alive. Darren Wilson has not been arrested. The police chief has not resigned. The militarization continues. As long as there is no justice, there’s no time for games.” (edgeofsports.com, Sept. 18)

The only hope for justice for Mike Brown is the determined and courageous struggle by the community and all progressive supporters to force the thorough prosecution of Darren Wilson now!

Chris Fry

Share
Published by
Chris Fry

Recent Posts

In honor of International Workers Day: Hamas calls for week of global solidarity

We call upon the workers of the world to a week of solidarity events with…

April 28, 2024

Student organizations in the Gaza Strip in solidarity with U.S. student Intifada

The following statement was posted on Samidoun Palestinian Political Prisoners Network on April 25, 2024. …

April 28, 2024

SUNY BDS movement stages march on Albany for Palestine

Albany, New York Around 200 students, faculty, and activists from a variety of State University…

April 28, 2024

Final Declaration of the Rome Forum: What Future for Palestine?

The Rome Forum crowned two days of intense work on April 20-21, 2024, with the…

April 28, 2024

German police shut down Palestine Congress in Berlin

By Andrew Johnson An anti-imperialist Palestine Congress “against German complicity in the genocide in Gaza”…

April 26, 2024

Taking protests from the streets to the sea

The following article first appeared on the Resistance News Network, April 22. In two days,…

April 26, 2024