Ferguson: Michael Brown’s Mother Calls For Officer’s Arrest, National Guard Called In
The mother of slain black teenager Michael Brown made her first public appeal for the arrest of Ferguson, Missouri Police Officer Darren Wilson on ABC’s Good Morning America on Monday morning. She was responding to the question posed by Robin Roberts, “What is justice to you?”
We’re just beginning to hear about the investigation as Ferguson’s police force was relieved of its duty by Missouri’s Governor last week. Governor Jay Nixon authorized the Missouri Highway Patrol to step in and control the rioting that has resulted in the wake of Brown’s death, and for a night, it seemed the changing of the guard might have calmed the tension, but that was not the case.
This week, USA Today reports the National Guard has been called in as the Highway Patrol reports Molotov cocktails and gun shots fired at them. The Highway Patrol, which was originally brought in to ease the tensions with “a smile,” donned full riot gear over the weekend, just as the Ferguson police had done in the week prior.
Meanwhile, an independent autopsy — one of three autopsies being performed — does not support some claims that Brown was shot in the back, reportedly previously by The Inquisitr.
Dr. Michael M. Baden, former Chief Medical Examiner for New York City, performed the independent autopsy, indicating that his findings suggest that Brown’s head was down when the fatal bullet struck his head. He said this could support the claim that Brown was “bum-rushing” the officer. However, he said, it could also have been because Brown’s head was down in submission; surrendering to the officer.
Some witnesses say Brown’s hands were in the air when he was shot, but a video circulating the internet of the moments following Brown’s death is being called, by some, the key piece to the exoneration of Officer Wilson. In the video, which shows graphic images of Brown face down in the street in a pool of blood, witnesses are heard conversing in the background about the situation. The most prominent witness voice is heard describing the situation to another person in a manner that is consistent with how Wilson claims that it happened; with an altercation in the police vehicle followed by Brown running away, then turning and charging back toward the officer, at which time Wilson says he fired his gun.
Video was recently released of the incident that prompted the pursuit of Brown; a convenience store robbery that shows Brown ‘strong-arming’ an employee.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the federal government will perform its own autopsy given the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Schools in Ferguson remain closed.
[Image: Bing and Reuters/Lucas Jackson]
