Riots and Looting...the best way to get "Justice"

[Foghorn]

Information release is dammed if you do, dammed if you dont. They clearly released to little at the onset, but releasing to much before it can be verified is just as bad if it turns out to be wrong.
Names and other info should have been released earlier than they were.

 

[John6185]

The bottom line is that if a 6'3" 290 pound man is rushing at you with the intent to do you harm and you're armed-what are you going to do? (1) Allow the raging bull to have his way with you or (2) defend yourself. I guess the real question is, do you want to go home tonight to your family?

 

[SMS]

What is BS is advocating the with holding of information from citizens at such a local level. Any Police report should be or is Public information as soon as the officer files his report. In this case the Police report should have been made public either that day or the next.

Even if there is a potential investigation the report by the officer should be or is a matter if public record. That includes the officers name, and his account of the events.

Are you versed in Missouri, St. Louis County and/or Ferguson laws and procedures for the submission of a report by an officer following an officer involved shooting?

How do we know the report has been written?
Has anyone requested the report under FOIA guidelines/law?
Did Ferguson PD deny the FOIA request?

I imagine, thanks to the pending Federal civil rights violation investigation, lots of information is now sealed and unavailable for release pending completion of the investigation.

 

[loudshirt]

My question tonight is about the media reports of being told not to film and/or being threatened with being arrested. So far we have only heard the media side of the story. I am not siding with one or the other. I have met media and have had to shoo them away before. They try any and everything they can to get a shot and think that the rules do not apply to them. I also know that plenty of police officers dont like being ignored. Especially in high stress situations. The question I have is are their certain situations that the media, in the course of doing their job, interferes enough with the police response to be arrested? I know there have been a couple of reports about reporters getting hit with tear gas and such. To me that is just part of the job. If they want to be out in the riotous crowd they accept certain risks.

 

[Lurker66]

Are you versed in Missouri, St. Louis County and/or Ferguson laws and procedures for the submission of a report by an officer following an officer involved shooting?

How do we know the report has been written?
Has anyone requested the report under FOIA guidelines/law?
Did Ferguson PD deny the FOIA request?

I imagine, thanks to the pending Federal civil rights violation investigation, lots of information is now sealed and unavailable for release pending completion of the investigation.

I couldnt begin to answer those pointed questions. As far as you or I know, the answers could be either yes or no.

With holding information, esp at the local level, is never a good thing. Citizens all over this nation have made the same argument im making. Its a very valid argument. City Govt, including Local PDs, answer to their citizens. Its not the PDs job to with hold information for public safety, that decision is usually left up to City council, Mayors, Administrators.

Remember to, there is a reason the Feds are investigating this shooting. Citizens have complained. Valid or not thats the rights of citizens. To have grievences addressed and then to work to change them. Govt and Police Departments work for the citizens. Citizens aint the enemy. Only the enemy keeps secrets or stalls and plays games with the citizens.

 

[SoonerP226]

How do we know the report has been written?
Has anyone requested the report under FOIA guidelines/law?

With all the muckrakers up there, at least one of them must've requested the report.

If the report of the officer's injury is true, I think it's exceedingly unlikely that the report was finished before the rotating oscillator began spinning up, and once it did, I think it highly likely that it would be sealed and taken as evidence for the larger investigation. The Ferguson chief must have known that, at the very least, the MHP would be investigating, if not J. Edgar's Fair-Haired Boys, and that they would want first shot at it.

 

[Lurker66]

My question tonight is about the media reports of being told not to film and/or being threatened with being arrested. So far we have only heard the media side of the story. I am not siding with one or the other. I have met media and have had to shoo them away before. They try any and everything they can to get a shot and think that the rules do not apply to them. I also know that plenty of police officers dont like being ignored. Especially in high stress situations. The question I have is are their certain situations that the media, in the course of doing their job, interferes enough with the police response to be arrested? I know there have been a couple of reports about reporters getting hit with tear gas and such. To me that is just part of the job. If they want to be out in the riotous crowd they accept certain risks.

Im of the opinion that Police should arrest anyone breaking a law. The streets and sidewalks are public property. The media and citizens have a right to occupy that space unless they are breaking a law.

We have 200 years of case law. Protests and peaceable assemble is a Right. A free press is a right.

If I was the citizens I would ensure every officer that is on video aiming weapons or pointing a firearm at a crowd or citizen is charged with a crime and fired. We all know pointing firearms is basic firearm safety.

 

[Lakenut]

I agree with what seems to be an over reaction on the wrong folks concerning the protesting. I don't ever want to undermine/de-value/speak badly about what LE does. I have a great amount of respect for what they do and granted I have no idea about the real situation on the ground in MO. However, #1 rule of gun safety is to always keep your gun pointed in a safe direction. To "scope" out a crowd of protestors with a rifle is a no no. If I were in a crowd protesting and someone covers me with any firearm, I would be pissed as hell.

Now the looters....that is a different story.

 

[Spata]

Ten days ago, a police officer shot and killed Michael Brown, in broad daylight. Since then, the world has watched a community become engulfed in grief, anger, fear and at times violence.

For a family mourning the loss of a son, it has been a profound personal tragedy. For Ferguson and our entire nation, it has ripped open old wounds that have festered for generations, and exposed difficult issues that communities across our country must still resolve.

But amid all the pain and distrust and anger, we’ve also seen tremendous acts of grace, courage, and kindness as the people of Ferguson try to maintain peace, while they call for justice for the family of Michael Brown. In Ferguson, people of all races and creeds are joining hands to pray for justice. Teenagers cooking meals for law enforcement officers. Community leaders demonstrating courage and heroism throughout the night in standing against armed and violent instigators. Volunteers coming out to pick up littered neighborhoods.

They are the faces of Ferguson. They are the faces of this region. They are the faces and soul of Missouri.

For them, for the family of Michael Brown, for all the parents who have had their sons taken from them much too soon, and for all the children dreaming of a brighter and better future, we now have a responsibility to come together and do everything we can to achieve justice for this family, peace for this community, and have the courage to address the problems that have divided us for too long. Real problems of poverty, education inequality, and race.

So how do we do that?

First, we must protect the people of Ferguson.

The officers of the Missouri Highway Patrol, St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and other jurisdictions are united in working valiantly to protect the public, while at the same time preserving citizens’ rights to express their anger peacefully.

As we’ve seen over the past week, it is not an easy balance to strike. And it becomes much more difficult in the dark of night, when organized and increasingly violent instigators take to the streets intent on creating chaos and lawlessness.

But we will not be defeated by bricks and guns and Molotov cocktails. With the help of peaceful demonstrators, pastors and community leaders, Captain Johnson and law enforcement will not give up trying to ensure that those with peace in their hearts are not drowned out by those with senseless violence in their hands.

Second, a vigorous prosecution must now be pursued.

The democratically elected St. Louis County prosecutor and the Attorney General of the United States, each have a job to do. Their obligation to achieve justice in the shooting death of Michael Brown must be carried out thoroughly, promptly, and correctly; and I call upon them to meet those expectations.

Finally, once we have achieved peace in Ferguson and justice for the family of Michael Brown, we must remain committed to rebuilding the trust that has been lost, mending what has been broken, and healing the wounds we have endured.

This is hard. Nothing about this is simple. We won’t always get it right, but we’re going to keep trying. Because Ferguson is a test, a test not just for the people of this community, but for all Americans. And it is a test we must not fail.

Last week I met with and prayed with the mother of Michael Brown. She has lost a son who she can never bring back. But what we can do is work together to ensure that Michael Brown’s death is not remembered as the tragedy that sparked a cycle of violence and distrust, but rather marks the beginning of a process of healing and reconciliation.

So I ask that we continue to stand together as we work to achieve justice for Michael Brown, restore hope and peace to the streets of Ferguson, and march together toward a future of greater opportunity and understanding for all of us.

 

[Lakenut]

"But what we can do is work together to ensure that Michael Brown’s death is not remembered as the tragedy..."

It sounds as if the governor has his mind already made up about the shooting. This bothers me. Now once the investigation is done and IF there is a trial, and IF the officer is found guilty...then he could come out and make such statements. Seems like he, along with a lot of people are jumping to conclusions before all of the info is in. If you or I want to arm chair this one and pick a side that's one thing. For an elected official to do so is wrong.