It was just earlier today that Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson’s accounting of his shooting of Michael Brown was made public, and already,the Rev. Al Sharpton has come out against the officer’s telling of the incident that left Brown dead and a town in the international spotlight.
In a New York Times article that detailed grand jury testimony of Darren Wilson, he said he feared for his life in the moments leading up to Brown’s shooting death at the hands of the officer, calling it “self defense.”
But Al Sharpton’s view of Darren Wilson’s testimony is not kind, calling it “excuses” in a Business Insider story released just hours after The New York Times article was released.
“We were involved in Trayvon Martin. We were supportive of Jordan Davis… The strange thing is that all of them used the same excuse… The only gun there was Darren Wilson’s! Strange parallels with all of these cases.”
Al Sharpton continued attacking Darren Wilson’s account of the events leading to Brown’s death.
“First of all, if you stopped him — Michael Brown and his friend — walking down the street, what led to the scuffle?… Secondly, how does he and you get in your car? You trying to do what by yourself?… Now, if I go with you with your story all the way to that — that Michael Brown was shot, gets up off you in the car — why are you trying to tell me that a man… ran back at you when he knew you had the gun and you already shot him?”
Not only was it revealed Saturday (October 18) that Wilson reported fearing for his life, but CNN reported that Brown’s blood was found on Wilson’s gun and in a Ferguson police patrol car following the fatal shooting.
The CNN report said it is unknown what exactly transpired in the car before the shooting, but it quoted Ferguson resident and activist Angela Whitman as saying people who believe Wilson’s telling will see the situation in St. Louis County deteriorate quickly.
“This is not a black and white thing, this is about what’s right and wrong. St. Louis is in trouble, because if this is what Darren Wilson said, and they believe him, St. Louis is going to burn…
“I’m so frustrated with this. It’s all for political gain. It’s become no longer about Mike Brown.”
[Image via Flickr Creative Commons ]