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Ferguson Report: Darren Wilson Cleared By DOJ In Michael Brown Shooting

By Tara Dodrill
Published on: 08:45 PST, Mar 4, 2015

Ferguson police were cleared of any wrongdoing related to the Michael Brown shooting by the Department of Justice. The DOJ Ferguson report states that the federal agency will not be levying any criminal charges against former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in relation to the shooting of the unarmed black teenager. As previously reported by the Inquisitr, days of violent riots and Black Lives Matter protests occurred after the Michael Brown shooting.

Earlier today, the Justice Department Ferguson report, all 86 pages, about the Ferguson shooting of Michael Brown, was revealed to the public. The DOJ report confirmed what the Darren Wilson jury already found — the Michael Brown shooting by the police officer was an act of self-defense.

The DOJ spent six months investigation claims of racial bias by the Ferguson Police Department and the alleged violation of Michael Brown’s civil rights by Darren Wilson. The Justice Department Ferguson report investigators said that “several witnesses stated that Brown appeared to pose a physical threat to Wilson.” The Ferguson shooting report goes on to say that “according to these witnesses, who are corroborated by blood evidence in the roadway… Wilson fired at Brown in what appeared to be self-defense and stopped firing once Brown fell to the ground. There is no evidence upon which prosecutors can rely to disprove Wilson’s stated subjective belief that he feared for his safety,” the report concludes.

The August 9 interaction between Michael Brown and Darren Wilson lasted about two minutes, the DOJ report says. In that time, according to the DOJ report, Michael Brown “clashed” with the Ferguson police officer while he was sitting inside his police cruise. Brown reached inside the open patrol vehicle window in an “apparent struggle” for Wilson’s firearm. The law enforcement officer then fired at Brown in self-defense, striking him in the hand.

The Ferguson report also offered an in-depth chastising of the police department for what the DOJ feels is an ongoing pattern of less than adequate racial relations. An excerpt from the Ferguson report reads as follows.

“This culture within FPD influences activities in all areas of policing, beyond just ticketing. Officers expect and demand compliance even when they lack legal authority. They are inclined to interpret the exercise of free speech rights as unlawful disobedience, innocent movements as physical threats, indications of mental and physical illness as belligerence. Police supervisors and leadership do too little to ensure that officers act in accordance of with law and policy, and rarely respond meaningfully to civilian complaints of officer misconduct. The result is a pattern of stops without reasonable suspicion and arrests without probably cause in violation of the Fourth Amendment; infringement on free expression, as well as retaliation for protected expression, in violation of the First Amendment; and excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment.”

Apparently, the federal investigation into the state crime came to essentially the same conclusion as the Missouri grand jury, tasked with determining whether or not criminal charges would be filed against Darren Wilson.

Another excerpt from the Ferguson report states as follows.

“Many officers appear to see some residents, especially those who live in Ferguson’s predominantly African-American neighborhoods, less as constituents to be protected than as potential offenders and sources of revenue. Rather, our investigation has revealed that these disparities occur, at least in part, because of unlawful bias against and stereotypes about African-Americans.”

Justice Department officials met with Michael Brown’s parents earlier today to inform them that federal charges would not be filed against Darren Wilson.

Michael Brown’s parents responded to the Ferguson shooting report this way.

“Today we received disappointing news from the Department of Justice that the killer of our son wouldn’t be held accountable for his actions. While we are saddened by this decision, we are encouraged that the DOJ will hold the Ferguson Police Department accountable for the pattern of racial bias and profiling they found in their handling of interactions with people of color. It is our hope that through this action, true change will come not only in Ferguson, but around the country. If that change happens, our son’s death will not have been in vain.”

What do you think about the DOJ Michael Brown shooting Ferguson report and lingering claims of racial bias by the Ferguson Police Department?

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