The alleged robbery is as insignificant as the alleged jaywalking

[morningfog]

Regardless of whether Wilson knew about the alleged robbery or whether he was initiated his interaction with Brown because of alleged jaywalking, what happen after that is all that matters.

The initial interaction, or stop, was likely legal whether it was to investigate a robbery or to enforce a jaywalking violation. The release of the robbery information today was coordinated solely to distract from the release of Wilson's name, and has worked.

All that matters is why Wilson shot Brown.

[1StrongBlackMan]

1. I agree, the only thing that matters is why Brown was shot ...

But I still don't get the importance of releasing Wilson's name to the public ... other than to give the media 18 different story board angles ... to distract from why Brown was shot.

[MineralMan]

2. Exactly. Both are really unrelated to a cop shooting

a person. The penalty for jaywalking is a fine. The penalty for stealing some cigars is a fine or 30 days in the county jail, max. Nobody should be dead for doing those things.

[JJChambers]

3. Actually that isn't correct

In Missouri, 2nd degree robbery (using force in the commission of a theft but without using a weapon) is a Class B Felony, punishable by 5 - 15 years in prison.

[MineralMan]

4. I'm not sure that theft qualifies as use of force, really.

If I were on the jury, I couldn't vote for a guilty verdict as a felony for what I saw. Any competent prosecutor would plead that down to a misdemeanor theft of property. It wasn't felonious, as far as I can see. The video would be shown in evidence, and a juror like me would be likely stop a felony guilty verdict.

[JJChambers]

7. Probably wouldn't ever get to that point.

Juries are a gamble. He might get lucky with a jury of folks like you, or unlucky with ones like me. He would most likely take a 5 year plea and get 2 years prison with 3 additional years suspended. But he would be a felon.

[MineralMan]

8. I think it would be a misdemeanor plea, frankly.

Of course, that would depend on who the public defender turned out to be and his or her recommendation. At least here in Minnesota, I'm not seeing any prosecutions of felonies with as little force involved as this. The Prosecutors aren't even interested in dealing with them, really. St. Louis Co., MO, though, might be different. I don't know.

[blkmusclmachine]

5. +1

All that matters is why Wilson shot Brown.

[pintobean]

6. Other than destroying the credibility

of the main witness, who is the person who told the jaywalking story.

Luckily, there are other witnesses.

[morningfog]

9. It hasn't done that yet.

I've not seen evidence that Wilson stopped to investigate an alleged robbery yet. Only that one had occurred. Wilson's interaction may have been solely with respect to jaywalking.

[pintobean]

10. You are correct

The chief just said as much.