Michael Brown: Family Holds Press Conference To Discuss Autopsy
Michael Brown’s family held a press conference on Monday morning. The news gathering occurred just a few hours after leaked details of Brown’s autopsy began circulating. As previously noted by The Inquisitr, the teenager was reportedly shot six times by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. Dr. Michael Baden said all of the gunshots fired by Wilson were survivable except for the one at the top of the head which impacted the brain.
Some Ferguson shooting witnesses claim that Michael Brown was running away and shot in the back by Darren Wilson, others contend that the teenager was standing with his hands up surrendering. The preliminary autopsy reports appear to indicate that Ferguson teenager was shot in the front only, with likely fatal shots hitting him in the top of the head and in the right eye.
Attorney Darrel Parks had this to say during the press conference:
“In a situation like this facts become very important, evidence become very important. It is very important that the facts in this case get out. A lack of transparency has occurred. The kill shot is right here, at the apex of his head – the very top. The second shot is here, a right by his ear lobe, that’s very important because it shows a back to front hit for both of those and supports what the witnesses said – he was surrendering to the police officer. His head was in a downward position, it had to be. Why has this police officer not been arrested? Those two things alone are evidence that this police officer should be arrested.”
Anthony Gray, an attorney for the Michael Brown family called for peace and calm and then said:
“Any connection between the release of this information [Michael Brown autopsy] and the riot and violence last night is misplaced. This information came out two hours after the rioting incidents began.”
#MichaelBrown was shot 6 times in head and arms, with 2 possible reentry wounds #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/U2iRs5nbv0
— 11Alive News (@11AliveNews) August 18, 2014
Dr. Michael Baden has this to say during the Michael Brown press conference:
“When its predictable that there could be community concerns and that the appearance that the decedent’s community doesn’t trust the government authority, the family requests a second autopsy, this is not uncommon. The reason for it is that when there isn’t transparecn. When I was chief medical examiner in New York City for 25 years, we had a number of these encounters. As soon as the information goes out and the family is talked to, the family has a right to know how their loved one died, this calms community and family concerns when they learn the truth. When we were called the Michael Brown family was trying to get the FBI and the federal government involved and they were unsuccessful at that time. Later they [federal government] announced they would do a second autopsy, which shows the level of concern they have over this kind of death. Many black men die of homicide every day in this country. This is the only time a president has ever gotten involved except during the Charles Manson case. The chief medical examiner in St. Louis County is very qualified and I am sure her report will coincide with mine, but it hasn’t been released yet and family wanted questions answered.”
Dr. Michael Brown also said his team wants to examine the clothing worn by Michael Brown and would like to review the medical records of Ferguson police office Darren Wilson. The doctor noted that no signs of a struggle were present on Brown’s body. Dr. Baden noted several abrasions on the teen’s face but felt they would have been consistent with him falling to the ground without catching himself with his hands after being shot. It is still undetermined if Brown was standing, holding his hands up and surrendering as some Ferguson residents claimed, or charging Wilson, as an alleged friend said when calling in to a local radio show.
Dr. Baden: From a forensic science point: we can’t determine which witness is most consistent with findings. #Ferguson
— 11Alive News (@11AliveNews) August 18, 2014
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency because of the ongoing Ferguson riots. Missouri State Highway Patrol Captain Ron Johnson and Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson both still remain involved in the Michael Brown case despite the National Guard being called in to curb the Ferguson riots.
[Image Via: Twitter]
