State Of Emergency Declared In Ferguson To Prepare For Grand Jury Decision
A state of emergency has been declared in Ferguson, Missouri by Governor Jay Nixon. WSBT News reports that this is a preemptive strategy as the community awaits a grand jury decision on whether or not Officer Darren Wilson will face murder charges. Nixon reportedly cited the possibility of “expanded unrest” as a reason for this executive order, which does not come as a surprise given the tone of media speculation regarding possible riots.
The National Guard have been activated in Ferguson as a result of the emergency status of the governor’s decision. While acknowledging the community’s right to protest, Nixon addressed the violence and damage that has resulted from some of the protesting.
“In the days immediately following Michael Brown’s death, peaceful protests were marred by senseless acts of violence and destruction. That ugliness was not representative of Missouri, and it cannot be repeated.”
The grand jury still hasn’t decided on whether or not Darren Wilson will face charges in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, but the governor’s actions indicate a fear of what may happen if Wilson is not indicted, and the death of Michael Brown ruled a justified shooting. Meanwhile, on Twitter, the #Ferguson hashtag is rife with negative sentiment regarding the Missouri Governor’s recent decision. Some feel that this is a vulgar display of power.
RT @WyzeChef: I shudder at what they’ll do now that they can “legally” break the law. #Ferguson #StateOfEmergency
— Owl Akata Shakur (@OwlsAsylum) November 17, 2014
The state of emergency is expected to expire after 30 days have passed, but it’s possible that the executive order can be extended by the Governor. WREX-TV 13 reports that the St. Louis County prosecutor indicated that a decision may be reached anytime between this week and the end of the month. With the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, it’s hard to tell when that decision will be revealed.
This case has been as polarizing as the Trayvon Martin shooting, which divided people on whether or not George Zimmerman shot the unarmed teen out of malice. The shooting of Michael Brown differs from Trayvon Martin’s case, however, because he was reportedly shot by a white police officer in a town that is known for racial tension. The Daily Beast reports that in 2009, an innocent black man was arrested and wrongfully detained by the Ferguson Police Department. Henry Davis was reportedly beaten by officers and then charged with destruction of police property when he bled on their uniforms. This story paints a disturbing portrait of the history of Ferguson, Missouri. However, it’s not clearly known if the shooting of Michael Brown was a case of police brutality, or if the young man truly did put the officer’s life in danger.
The state of emergency declared by Governor Jay Nixon only draws further attention to the seriousness of this situation. If the upcoming grand jury decision throws the community of Ferguson into a riotous state, police will be assisted by the National Guardsman that have been activated. Hopefully it doesn’t resort to such a scenario.
[Photo Credit: Inquisitr.Com]
