Monday, November 24, 2014
Grand Jury Results to be Announced within the hour.
It's 7:20pm, November 24th 2014. The Grand Jury Decision is to be announced within the hour.
I sit here in the photo lab working and warm, thinking of all the people out there on the streets for different reasons, all possibly in harms way.
Hoping my future son-in-law, my friends police officer son and all the good people I met protesting stay safe.
May the good spirits prevail with no one getting hurt, no matter the jury decision.
I sit here in the photo lab working and warm, thinking of all the people out there on the streets for different reasons, all possibly in harms way.
Hoping my future son-in-law, my friends police officer son and all the good people I met protesting stay safe.
May the good spirits prevail with no one getting hurt, no matter the jury decision.
Ferguson Grand Jury Still at Work Nov 24, 2014, 4:58 AM ET By ABC NEWS via GOOD MORNING AMERICA
A grand jury in St. Louis County, Missouri, is expected to reconvene today, trying to decide whether to indict a white police officer in the August shooting death of an unarmed black teen.
The weekend was marked by protests in the city of Ferguson, with security tight and tensions running high ahead of the grand jury’s decision. Many people were expecting the grand jury to come to a decision over the weekend.
While the jurors debate possible criminal charges against officer Darren Wilson, additional law enforcement -- including the National Guard and more than 100 FBI agents -- was stationed in Ferguson ahead of the grand jury’s decision.
Charlie Riedel/AP Photo
The Saint Louis County Police Department switched its officers to 12-hour shifts in recent days. Metal and concrete barricades have been erected in areas around the St Louis County government buildings in Clayton, Missouri, where the grand jury has been meeting. The justice center there also houses the prosecutor's office, the St. Louis County Police Department headquarters and the circuit courts.
A handful of arrests were made during the weekend. Some stores in the St. Louis suburb remain closed, with business owners boarding up windows in fear.
“We look abandoned here, pretty much imprisoned,” business owner Triondus Sleet said. “It’s sad.”
David Goldman/AP Photo
Wilson could be charged with murder or manslaughter -- or nothing -- for the Aug. 9 shooting death of Michael Brown. If cleared, a police union rep said he should be able to return to work.
“It would be my hope though that if, one day, he decides to stay in law enforcement, that he's able to do that,” said Detective Gabe Crocker, president of the St. Louis County Police Association. "Especially if he’s cleared, that means he didn’t do anything wrong, according to the grand jury."
President Obama, in an exclusive interview with ABC News, urged for calm no matter what decision the grand jury reaches, a sentiment also expressed by Brown’s mother and father.
“Using any event as an excuse for violence is contrary to rule of law and contrary to who we are,” Obama said.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Awaiting the Grand Jury Decision on a Personal Level
I'm writing this article with so many thoughts swirling in my head. Today is Saturday, November 22 with rumors rampant that the grand jury verdict is to be announced tomorrow at 1600. Schools have been called off this Monday and Tuesday November 24 and 25th anticipating the violence following the Grand Jury announcement. Yesterday I read two people were arrested by the FBI with intent to place pipe bombs after the announcement tomorrow. Today I read in an article by New York times writer John Eligon that an avid protester states "he"s willing to die for the cause of Michael Brown"
I very much want to go and photograph the results of the grand jury dicsion but I sure as hell don't want to die doing it. My future son-in-law awaits at the other end as I type this, his unit has been called up by the guard as he waits at some undisclosed location, not able to disclose where he's at, even to his fiancé. My daughter and I pretend everything's ok as we shop for wedding dresses, a world away from the reality in Ferguson. Underneath it all I know she worries about her finace and her mother. She blurts out as we shop, " Please don't go to Ferguson to shoot pictures I want you to be at my wedding.
What to do, I really don't know. How this will pan out tomorrow.
I do know know I'm passionate about this cause and know nothing will be solved by the Grand Jury decision whichever way it goes.
The reaction to the MB shooting is the result of years of pent up hostility of black folks because of white police treatment on black citizens. I know this statement to be true, I lived it, I saw it, I worked it.
Back in the 70's and 80's when I was a street paramedic for the city of st louis i saw horrendous acts of violence by white P.O, against the black citizens. I don't even know if I want to write the details of those incidents but I will tell you I can still taste the blood of the black man, after he was whacked by the white pi's night stick. The blood splayed across my face in to my mouth.
Years later friends ask did I do anything and unfortunately my answer is, no, I was too scared for myself.
If these memories lie so profoundly in my heart what must they feel like to the men who were abused so cruelly by the police. What stories must they have passed along to their families.
Because of my past experiences, I feel I need to help Ferguson and the protestors be understood by "the other side today" It's my responsibility and hope that I can spread the word so all people will understand This reaction towards the incident of Michael Brown is the result of years pent up hostility from past abuses by the white police towards the black community!!!
I choose no side, whose right or wrong. That's not what this is about. I wasn't sitting on the Grand Jury to hear the evidence.
I only know I want PEACE! Please everybody don't pick sides just try and understand each other. Then maybe just maybe we will all live together in harmony!!!
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Grand Jury Decision Announcement getting close? by ColorsOfChange.org
ColorOfChange.org shared a link.
A MO grand jury will announce a decision on whether they indicted Officer Darren Wilson for killing #MikeBrown any moment now. Sustained protests calling for justice for Mike Brown, an end to police killings, and systemic reforms to policin... See More
Monday, November 17, 2014
Missouri governor declares state of emergency in Ferguson By Dana Ford, CNN updated 4:25 PM EST, Mon November 17, 2014
(CNN) -- Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergencyMonday ahead of an expected grand jury decision in the case of Michael Brown.
In his executive order, Nixon cited the "possibility of expanded unrest." He said that people have the right to protest peacefully but that citizens and businesses must be protected from violence and damage.
Photos: Emotions run high in Ferguson
St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay said the plan will bring National Guard troops to the city, but he said their role is designed to be secondary to local law enforcement.
Brown, a black teen, was fatally shot by Darren Wilson, a white police officer, on August 9. The grand jury is weighing whether to indict Wilson.
"In the days immediately following Michael Brown's death, peaceful protests were marred by senseless acts of violence and destruction," the governor said last week.
"That ugliness was not representative of Missouri, and it cannot be repeated," said Nixon.
The state of emergency will expire in 30 days unless extended by another order.
Slay said he did not immediately know how many National Guard troops would be deployed to his city, which is near Ferguson, or when they would be deployed.
But he stated that the troops will "not be on the front lines, confronting protesters."
They would play a secondary role, he said, and will be partnered with local law enforcement anywhere they are posted.
While Slay emphasized the back-up role of the National Guard, he said he agreed with the governor's decision to declare a state of emergency.
The troops are needed for visibility and deterrence, Slay said.
There are too many unknowns about what the grand jury decision might be and how the public may react, he said.
Slay said that it makes sense to be prepared in case there is violence.
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Ferguson Braces for Grand Jury's Michael Brown Decision Nov 13, 2014, 12:51 PM ET By MEGHAN KENEALLY
Stores have boarded up their windows and civil rights groups are holding non-violence training sessions as the jittery town of Ferguson, Missouri, prepares for the grand jury verdict in the shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown by a police officer.
Anthony Gray, one of the attorneys for Brown's family, said today that he believes that today's testimony before the grand jury by pathologist Dr. Michael Baden suggests that "we're probably getting to the end of the witness list." Baden conducted a private autopsy on Brown on behalf of the family.
The grand jury must decide whether to bring criminal charges against Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for fatally shooting Brown last August. The case has been racially charged because Wilson is white and Brown was black. The grand jury's decision has the potential for public outbursts no matter which way the jury rules, but officials are particularly concerned that no indictment could trigger a renewal of the violent protests that wracked Ferguson during the summer.
Benjamin Crump, another Brown family attorney, appealed to the protesters to remain non-violent, but he also asked for police restraint.
“To law enforcement officers who will be patrolling the streets, we would like to thank you in advance for not having a repeat" of the tactics that critics said were heavy handed.
The folks of Ferguson are wary.
"We're hearing some rather specific threats through law enforcement and customers coming in the store," John Stephenson, the general manager of Metro Shooting Supplies, told ABC News. "I can't take them as cast in concrete, but word is on the street they're going to be hitting gun stores."
Scott Olson/Getty Images
Metro Shooting Supplies has experienced a roughly 300 percent jump in gun sales in recent weeks, Stephenson said, noting that rather than the typical 10 to 15 gun sales per day they've been selling between 30 and 50 every day for the past three weeks. He said that gun stores are reportedly targets because "very small segment of our society, the people that choose to misbehave," will try to rob the stores for ammunition.
"More and more people have gotten to the point where they're going to take matters into their hands," Stephenson said.
The store has added extra private gun lessons and state-mandated conceal carry tutorials that gun carriers must take before applying for concealed weapons licenses.
"I'm concerned for my own personal safety and I've got a wife and two daughters," Stephenson said.
Violent protests and criticism of the forceful police response kept Ferguson in turmoil for weeks after Aug. 9 shooting. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said this week he is determined to make sure, whatever the outcome, problems do not arise again.
Jim Young/Reuters
"Violence will not be tolerated," Nixon said. "The residents and businesses of this region will be protected."
Gray said today that Nixon's comments were one-sided. “Law enforcement should have been equally condemned by the governor,” the lawyer said.
The St. Louis County Police, St. Louis Metropolitan Police and the State Highway Patrol are the three law enforcement agencies tasked with keeping the peace, but the National Guard will be available, Nixon said.
More than 1,000 law enforcement officers have been given more than 5,000 hours of additional training. The specifics of the training have not been revealed, but one focus was on better ways to communicate and coordinate with fire and medical response units.
"They're doing what they're supposed to be doing, as far as I can tell," said Steve Gomez, a former FBI executive and ABC News security consultant.
"They're anticipating that if there are protests and rioting, it's not going to take place in Ferguson, but in the higher end areas," Gomez said, noting that sporting venues are also areas of specific concern for law enforcement officials.
Law enforcement are not the only ones to prepare for the verdict. The co-creator of a group Millennial Activists United told the Associated Press that they organized a class that trained prospective protesters on how to take notes and shoot video of police actions.
Michael Brown's family calls for peace, expects grand jury decision soon By KURTIS LEE contact the reporter
Nov 13th 2014
The attorneys for the family of an unarmed young black man killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Mo., in August called for peace on Thursday from protesters as a grand jury decision in the case looms.
"The journey for justice has been long, difficult and stressful to endure," said Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the family of Michael Brown, the 18-year-old killed after an altercation with Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson.
Crump called for nonviolent protests as a grand jury is set to decide whether to charge Wilson in the killing of Brown on Aug. 9. The shooting spawned weeks of unrest in the St. Louis suburb including the firing of tear gas at protesters and the looting of dozens of businesses.
Earlier this week, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said the National Guard would be ready to assist law enforcement in the event that any protests after the grand jury decision turn violent.
"We thank you in advance for treating [protesters] as citizens," Crump said of law enforcement.
In the news conference at the St. Louis County Justice Center, Crump said former New York medical examiner Michael M. Baden testified Thursday before the grand jury.
Baden conducted a preliminary private autopsy that he said showed Brown had been shot six times by Wilson.
"We're grateful that he flew in and provided his testimony," Crump said. "His testimony will be very helpful to the grand jury."
Crump refused to give details about Baden's testimony, saying the medical examiner will speak for himself after the grand jury makes its decision.
If the grand jury does not indict Wilson, St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch has vowed to release full transcripts and audio recordings of the proceedings.
When asked by reporters Thursday if they have a sense of when the grand jury might come back with a decision, Crump said he thinks the grand jury is getting to the end of testimony.
"This is the end of the road," Crump said.
Staff writer Michael Muskal contributed to this report.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Friday, November 7, 2014
Article posted by Tactical Shit-What Could Happen If Darren Wilson Is NOT Indicted? posted on NOVEMBER 7, 2014 by WILLIAM WATSON
We do not know the source of this email, nor do we know the author, but we DO know that this came from the Ferguson Scanner Updates Facebook page which has been keeping local citizens up to date on the current happenings in Ferguson and the surrounding areas with considerable accuracy for the past few months of civil unrest. The below message was posted to the page last night. Allegedly, this email was sent to the admins of the Facebook page from a “trusted” source. Here is the post:
I am posting this because everyone needs to read it. I have been given permission by the author to do so……….. I just got this email:A consensus of reasonably well-informed opinion has it that the
anticipated release date of the Grand Jury finding in the Mike Brown case is on/about Monday 10 November, probably after 2PM.
National Guard, Army Reserve, FEMA and other federal agencies are deploying additional people to the St. Louis metro area in the two-three day period just prior to Monday 10 November. There does not appear, however, to be a sufficient degree of coordination among federal, state and local authorities to display a meaningful degree of learning from the race riots in Los Angeles or Cincinnati.Accordingly, the principles that governed the pace and scale of those situations can reasonably be anticipated to govern here, too.
Local police are telling their friends and family that they’ll have to be ready to be on their own for a period of several days after the Grand Jury finding in the Mike Brown case has been released. Meanwhile, as municipal leaders have been essentially silent on the subject, I know several police officers who are not only asking their wives to stay home from work and their children to skip school, but they are also getting their families out of town to the homes of relatives or to weekend places, farms, cottages at the lake, etc. This may or may not turn out to have been an over-abundance of caution, but it’s wise to be aware that these measures are being taken privately as we see little meaningful advance preparation on the part of authorities.A great many police officers are disgusted with the lack of advance preparation, and word is beginning to leak past police friends and family. Last night a message thread approved by message board moderators was posted on St. Louis Cop Talk (see below) warning citizens to be prepared to take care of themselves.Mayor Slay has not said anything about readiness preparations for the coming lawlessness, but he did find time to complain to the media about a lawful assembly of open-carry advocates for whom no police presence was required and during which there was no violence or law-breaking of any kind. It should be clear that many elected and appointed officials are essentially trying to be neutral parties rather than siding with the law-abiding against the lawless.Police are expecting to be overwhelmed by the coming Ferguson troubles no matter what precautions they take. We have heard from several SLMPD officers that commanders have been planning triage approach to an expected flood of calls for service from citizens in the wake of violence stemming from the release of Grand Jury information in the Mike Brown case. The word has gone out that police will not be responding to a number of types of calls that would ordinarily bring police response.Squad leaders have been telling their officers not to do anything pro-active and to stay safe. The theme among working cops has been primarily maintaining officer safety. The New Black Panthers have promised to kill police officers and intel suggests a primary enemy tactic will be to lure responding officers into ambush kill zones via calls for emergency service. That tactic was used in the initial flare-up in Ferguson, and resulted in police not responding to a call to a residence on behalf of a civilian female who had been shot in the head at the protests.Lawful protest activities will be used as cover for a large number of violent crimes, including not only the expected looting and arson but also score-settling among tribal rivals, robberies, burglaries and other crimes of opportunity. There are elements that are out to destabilize society, and there are many street gang crews and common criminals who will seize the opportunity to take advantage of the anarchy. Finally, a heightened threat of Islamic terror attack
is anticipated during this period of chaos when emergency response capabilities have been stretched beyond capacity.Violence is anticipated to be widespread and essentially beyond their ability to get under control without military assistance. A period of 96 hours or so of anarchy and lawlessness without consequence seems to be a consensus expectation, beginning approximately 4 hours after the Grand Jury finding has been released. If that comes to pass, the worst of the trouble will probably not be the first night, but more likely about 48 to 72 hours later, with sporadic flare-ups throughout.
Intel suggests the violence-prone elements intend to use the lawful protesters as human shields. A body count is expected among all parties. For weeks, the enemy has been arming, recruiting people, bringing in reinforcement agitators from outside the region, laying in
in supplies, getting comms, safe-houses and fallback positions in place, and the target selection process has been underway — scouting, probes and recon-by-force activities have been detected in far south and southwest St. Louis county as well as west of the Missouri River in St. Charles City and County. Gun stores, cell phone stores, and banks in particular seem to be high on the threat list (that makes sense, since it takes weapons, ammunition, communications gear and money to fuel a revolution).Understand that the threat profile is dissimilar from anything that authorities in this area have ever faced before, and that few in office understand the complete ramifications of that fact. No public leader at the federal, state, or local level has been able to get out in front of this situation, and all agencies are in a defensive posture, both from a tactical perspective as well as a political perspective. That means emergency services can only react and will not be able to mount any kind of effective counter-response.In turn, these circumstances very likely mean that many law-abiding citizens will be lumped in with law-breakers when the authorities clamp down. For some time now, the “Us vs. Them” mentality has been allowed to fester in our police departments; “John Q. Citizen”
is viewed too often as a PITA if not the enemy on the part of the authorities. We’ll likely see official under-reaction followed by panicky over-reactions, in which curfews, road blocks and other extraordinary measures will have the effect of causing harm to law-abiding citizens as authorities try to “restore order.” This is the pattern seen before in similar events elsewhere and because authorities here are behaving in a manner virtually identical to the authorities in those other events, outcomes will be similar.Here is the thread from St. Louis Cop Talk:
A Safety Message for Civilians
Posted by A Concerned Cop on 10/26/2014, 8:29 pm
If you don’t have a gun, get one and get one soon. We will not be able to protect you or your family. It will be your responsibility to protect them. Our gutless commanders and politicians have neutered us. I’m serious, get a gun, get more than one, and keep one with you at all times.
Re: A Safety Message for Civilians
Posted by The Moderatorsmailto:stlouiscoptalk@hotmail.com on 10/26/2014, 8:33 pm, in reply to “A Safety Message for Civilians”
We agree with and approve this message.
Re: A Safety Message for Civilians
Posted by .x-ucity on 10/26/2014, 8:53 pm, in reply to “Re: A Safety Message for Civilians”
The message is already gone out. There are folks out there that have never owned a firearm and are arming right now. Many areas are becoming armed camps. This thing has gone viral and many are in fear of their safety seeing what is happening with the benign approach the leaders are taking.
Re: A Safety Message for Civilians
Posted by Concerned Person on 10/27/2014, 2:26 am, in reply to “Re: A Safety Message for Civilians”
…Are they seriously telling you guys to sit back while they potentially burn this city down? Will they do nothing if the looting and rioting starts back up?
That’s utterly ridiculous. Why are they being so soft now? All that it’s doing is showing them that they can do whatever they want and get away with it. They’re like children, they need to be reminded not to do something.
Are they actually telling you guys to sit back and do nothing? That’s.. baffling.
Re: A Safety Message for Civilians
Posted by wayner on 10/27/2014, 6:38 am, in reply to “Re: A Safety Message for Civilians”
Again, I have a guy who works for me that’s retired from LAPD.
Tonight he repeated what he said before, standing down was the worst thing they did during all the rioting 20 years ago.
If it hadn’t been for armed shopowners and civilians the carnage would have been worse.
No BS from a guy who’s been there and seen it happen.
G
**Do not take any unnecessary risks. Plan to alter your work and transit routines. Stock up on essentials now. Plan for both sheltering in place and for evacuating. Set a mental trigger for when you will try to get out so you don’t wait too long as most people do in such situations, finding themselves unable to get out. Know where you will go and by what set of alternate routes. Avoid the main pathways, as they will likely be clogged and scenes of violence themselves. Anticipate that there will be crowded and lines at the stores and bare shelves, much as though a hurricane were coming.Avoid trouble. If trouble comes to you anyway, be prepared to engage it and understand that you will be on your own. You will be your own first responder, and there is virtually no likelihood of timely backup from authorities who will be too busy trying to protect themselves to come protect you.I have a lot of work to do to take care of my own situation and not much time to complete those tasks, so please forgive me if I do not respond to your emails with my usual timeliness until sometime after the middle of November.
Best wishes to you and, as ever,
Stay Dangerous-
-Pierce
Threat Response LLC
Again, we are not claiming that this is entirely accurate or true, but this is coming from a page that has provided reliable information for months regarding the Ferguson riots and the subsequent months of unrest. Considering that it seems imminent that Darren Wilson will NOT be indicted, this post does not seem as far fetched as it may seem to some, and if it IS completely true, then this information is VERY important, especially to innocent citizens who are living in or around the areas of unrest.
Monday, November 3, 2014
Survival
Hoping I do okay to survive this day
Don't let me pull away
like a rip tide from the sea
or a divided cavity of decay.............
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Grand Jury Decision on Darren Wilson estimated to be on or around Nov 10th!!!
Anonymous Unveils Explosive ‘Leaks’ on Michael Brown Grand Jury and Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson: Report
Hacker group Anonymous is claiming that officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted by a grand jury in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, according to purported government sources.
The “hacktivist” group released the following on Monday:
Last night we announced that we have received over the past several days a series of leaks from two separate and unrelated sources regarding the long awaited Grand Jury decision regarding the murder of Mike Brown by Ferguson PD Officer Darren Wilson. In our opinion after careful analysis the sources are reliable, and the information we are about to reveal is true. Both sources are government employees with access to both internal government as well as confidential police communications. For reasons of safety we will not be revealing anything further on either our sources or the material leaked to us. The following is a synopses of the leaked information:On or about November 10, 2014 the Grand Jury decision will be announced. Darren Wilson will NOT be indicted on ANY charges related to the murder of Mike Brown. All local police Chiefs and jail commanders have been notified to begin preparing for major civil unrest. Governor Nixon has been notified of the impending announcement and has ordered the Missouri National Guard to begin preparations for a possible re-enstatement of the martial law that was declared at the beginning of the Ferguson protests.As additional evidence that neither the State nor Federal authorities intend any legal action against Darren Wilson for the murder of Mike Brown, one of our sources has provided a very intriguing close up glimpse of Darren Wilson – his current where abouts and lifestyle.
It has been reported that Wilson hasn’t been seen in public since the shooting in August.
Brown’s autopsy reportedly supported claims that there was a “significant altercation at the car” prior to the deadly shooting. Judy Melinek, a forensic pathologist in San Francisco, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that she didn’t think the autopsy supported claims that Brown was shot while surrendering with his hands up.
Further, a toxicology report also showed that Brown had tetrahydrocannabinol, also known as THC, in his blood and urine.
Anonymous’ sources, which could not be independently verified, revealed Wilson’s alleged “alias” and claimed the officer has “altered his appearance.” The sources also said Wilson’s girlfriend is pregnant with their first child.
The group promised to release additional information on the Ferguson case in the future.
A grand jury decision in the case is expected to come in November. The Huffington Post reportsthat the St. Louis County Police Department has already started stocking up on riot gear ahead of the decision.
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