General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsIf Michael Brown was running away from Officer Wilson, why did he stop?
If being initially shot at and in the hand at the Police truck was enough to make Michael Brown and his friend run away, why on earth would the teen(s) stop running?
On GMA, Officer "Wilson says he only fired at Brown when Brown was facing him, and never when his back was turned."
There is no explanation in Wilson's testimony about why Michael Brown stopped running, just that he did (page 227).
Witnesses have stated that Brown was shot at and hit again as he ran away, and then stopped and presented himself to a pursuing Officer Wilson.
How the Prosecutor dismisses (or ignored) this eyewitness testimony is beyond me.
justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)was discounted by the Prosecutor because it didn't match with the "evidence."
I've been asking this question since the autopsy was released and still haven't found an answer for it: the bullet that entered the woman's apartment during the entire thing, what was the trajectory of that? Was that bullet meant to hit Brown in the back and missed or was it shot from somewhere else?
Dorian Johnson states that Wilson was firing while they ran away... others claim the same but again, the Prosecutor seemed to discount that testimony.
Elmergantry
(884 posts)If he was shot running away from the cop, the bullet entry would be in the back. All three autopsies determined all the bullets entered in the front and top of the head.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)He had already been shot, was in pain, there was more shooting....what would you do? Keep running and maybe be killed, or turn and plead for your life?
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)There has to be an actual trial with examination and cross-examination to bear all these things out.
Prosecutor McCollugh is a joke.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)Also - a trial would allow Wilson to be cross-examined; a prosecutor (a good one), would rip his story to shreds. He was allowed to tell the grand jury whatever he wanted, without being challenged.
Elmergantry
(884 posts)claim he was just "shot at" or that the shots taken actually landed in the the back? I dont know, I would be happy to read that transcript. In fact I will dig that up after the post.
As for turning to plead for your life, the physical scene showed a blood splatter from Browns body approx 25 feet BEHIND where Brown fell dead. That seems to me to mean after getting hit once(or more) from the first salvo he moved toward the officer. A "Bull Rush"? Perhaps. Or was it someone stumbling forward towards the officer (to surreneder perhaps) after taking the inital frontal shots and ulitmately headed for the ground while taking the last fatal shot to the top of the head? Perhaps.
We have testimony from other witnesses stating it was a "Bull Rush". So I guess the GJ needed to put that on the scale and make the call.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)I don't believe for a minute he suddenly became a homicidal/suidical maniac and rushed at Wilson. Come on.
Precisely why there needs to be a trial.
The worst part of this? Wilson and others are destroying Brown's character, and he can't defend himself.
Elmergantry
(884 posts)>>Or, perhaps, a wounded Brown stumbled forward in agony, while Wilson kept shooting.
I basically said the same thing:
Or was it someone stumbling forward towards the officer (to surreneder perhaps) after taking the inital frontal shots and ulitmately headed for the ground while taking the last fatal shot to the top of the head? Perhaps.
We have to look at the testimony. I just read the testimony of Johnson about this part. Johnson said shots were fired at his back and
sensed that he was hit but didnt know for sure. Well the autopsy said he was not. Ok thats settled. Johnson then said that Big Mike turned around and was then hit in the front while standing and more when he was going down. He said Big Mike did not start back towards the officer, he fell where he was fatally shot. However the forensics show a blood stain 25 feet behindwhere he fell. Did that blood stain fly 25 feet from where he was shot? Seems unlikely but Im no expert. If you look at where the shell casings landing relative to Brown, they are very close to Brown. I do know that casings can fly, but that considered, the close proximity of the casings to Brown indicates to me that Brown was very close to Wilson indicationg that Brown may have closed the distance between the two if he had doublebed back to the officer.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)Elmergantry
(884 posts)He refers to him as "Big Mike" I was just using that as it was fresh in my mind casue I just read the testimony.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)I'm really sensitive to Brown's character being shredded when he can't defend himself. I understand and apologize for saying you were being disrespectful.
Elmergantry
(884 posts)I havent said much here about this whole affair prior to the GJ because I wanted to come to my own conclusion after all the evidence is released. Its my nature. I am in a highly analytical field of work where emotion and preconceptions mean nothing; thats how I operate. So finally after reading portions of the testimony and the evidence, I can see why the GJ came to its conclusion. I know that makes me unpopular, but what the heck, is this just an echo chamber or a place to discuss?
I wonder if there was another way the officer could have subdued Brown. He had an asp. Could not he had clubbed the guy? I think this is a case where a relatively young officer with not a ton of experience was over his head. But its easy to be the Monday Morning Cop from an armchair.
I would like to know more about that guy who go shot at Walmart for holding a BB gun, or that kid who got killed in Cleveland for having a toy gun. If you ask me, those to incidents point to police incompetence at best or racism at worst. Are we going to get justice for those incidents?
Kalidurga
(14,177 posts)helpmetohelpyou
(589 posts)Avalux
(35,015 posts)He said Brown, who had already been shot by the car, turned around to get Wilson to stop shooting. I guess since Johnson was Brown's friend and with him during the incident, his testimony meant nothing.
In Wilson's terrified and twisted mind, it wasn't possible that Brown was afraid for his life and turned around to get Wilson to stop shooting. Wilson saw him as a monster he had to kill, a superhuman freak who was unfazed by the bullets, the bullets couldn't stop him.
I hope the remainder of Wilson's life is a living hell.
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)This was a sham investigation (or lack thereof) from beginning to end.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)He did, and he got away with it. Technically, he, the prosecutor, failed to bring his case to trial against a killer cop. Yet that's exactly what he wanted. So messed up.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)XemaSab
(60,212 posts)n/t
KeepItReal
(7,769 posts)Eyewitnesses stated the Officer shot as Brown was running away.
Elmergantry
(884 posts)Thats the rub. If he was shooting while he was running away, Wilson has a problem. I would like to see where the casings landed from those shots.
helpmetohelpyou
(589 posts)aint_no_life_nowhere
(21,925 posts)while Brown was running away. Baden couldn't be conclusive about it. Baden of course wasn't allowed into the grand jury proceeding to testify.
http://www.newsweek.com/what-we-learned-michael-browns-autopsy-265247