week 5 - Ferguson. Michael Brown. Darren Wilson. Missouri

What Happened in Ferguson?

Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was shot and killed on Aug. 9, by Darren Wilson, a white police officer, in Ferguson, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis. The shooting prompted protests that roiled the area for weeks. On Nov. 24, the St. Louis County prosecutor announced that a grand jury decided not to indict Mr. Wilson. The announcement set off another wave of protests. UPDATED Nov. 25, 2014

What Evidence Was Presented About an Altercation at the Police Vehicle?

Several witnesses reported seeing an altercation in the S.U.V. between Officer Wilson and Mr. Brown. Some said Mr. Brown punched Officer Wilson while Mr. Brown was partly inside the vehicle. At least one witness said no part of Mr. Brown was ever inside the vehicle. In his own testimony, Officer Wilson said that Mr. Brown reached into the vehicle and fought for his gun. 

Examiners found Mr. Brown’s blood or other DNA outside the driver’s door, outside the left rear passenger door, inside the driver’s door, on the upper left thigh of Officer Wilson’s pants and on Officer Wilson’s shirt and weapon.

Two shots were fired by Officer Wilson. One bullet was found lodged in the driver’s door. Mr. Brown had a graze wound on his right thumb, consistent with a close range shot.

A medical examination indicated that Officer Wilson had some swelling and redness on his face.

How Did Witnesses Describe Michael Brown’s Movements?

Some witnesses said Mr. Brown never moved toward Officer Wilson when he was shot and killed. Most of the witnesses said the shots were fired as he moved toward Officer Wilson. The St. Louis County prosecutor said the most credible witnesses reported that Mr. Brown charged toward the officer. Officer Wilson also said that Mr. Brown charged at him, making “a grunting, like aggravated sound.” 

Some witnesses said that Mr. Brown had his hands in the air. Several others said that he did not raise his hands at all or that he raised them briefly, then dropped them and turned toward the officer. Others described the position of his arms as out to the side, in front of him, by his shoulders or in a running position.

What Did the Grand Jury Decide?

The grand jury decided not to indict Officer Wilson in connection with the shooting of Michael Brown, 18. The grand jury, made up of nine whites and three blacks, had been meeting to consider evidence in the case since Aug. 20. Its task was to determine whether there was probable cause to believe that Officer Wilson should be charged with a crime, and if so, which one. An indictment would have required nine of the 12 grand jurors to agree. The county prosecutor released forensic reports, photographs of evidence and transcripts of the proceedings, materials that are usually kept secret.

What Happened After the Grand Jury Announcement?

The decision not to indict Mr. Wilson set off a wave of anger among those who had gathered outside the Ferguson Police Department. As the night wore on, the situation grew more intense. Buildings were set on fire, and looting was reported in several businesses.

structure:

who: Michael Brown, an unarmed black teenager and Darren Wilson, a white police officer

when: on Aug. 9

what: Michael Brown was shot and killed by Darren Wilson, and a grand jury decided not to indict Mr. Wilson, then the announcement set off another wave of protests.

how: not given

where: in Ferguson, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis

website: 

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/08/13/us/ferguson-missouri-town-under-siege-after-police-shooting.html

keywords:

1. prosecutor 原告

2. indict 起訴

3. altercation 爭論;爭辯

4. punch 衝

5. testimony 證詞

6. bullet 子彈

7. graze 擦傷

8. credible 可信的

9. charge 衝

10. jurors 陪審員

11. forensic 法庭的

12. looting 搶劫