Darren Wilson Grand Jury Decision: Ruling on Ferguson, Missouri Police Officer in Shooting Death of Michael Brown Reached
A grand jury in St. Louis County has reached a decision on whether to charge Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown. The decision is expected to be announced during a press conference at the courthouse in Clayton, Missouri on Monday, reports Yahoo! News.
According to Jeff Roorda, a representative with the St. Louis Police Officers' Association, Wilson is confident that the grand jury will not hand down an indictment.
"It's fair to say that neither he nor his defense team expect an indictment," Roorda told The Associated Press on Thursday.
The Aug. 9 shooting has received national attention and sparked a string of protests in the St. Louis area. Several eye witnesses testify that Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager, was shot execution style by Officer Wilson while he was surrendering with his hands in the air. However, the white cop claims that the 18-year-old was the aggressor and reached for his weapon.
In preparation for the grand jury decision, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency and asked for the National Guard to provide local police with backup. Meanwhile, activists across the country are planning to hold rallies at federal courthouses regardless of the grand jury's decision.
Weeks after the incident, the grand jury convened to hear evidence and testimony on Aug. 20 in order to decide if there was probable cause to indict Wilson on criminal charges. If indicted, there are a range of charges that Wilson could face, from second-degree involuntary manslaughter to second-degree murder, which could lead to life in prison. On the other hand, the 12-member panel may rule that probable cause does not exist and dismiss the case.
Meanwhile, Wilson has been hiding out on paid leave in wait of the looming grand jury decision. The New York Daily News also reports that he married his girlfriend and colleague, Barbara Spradling, last month. Wilson and Spradling, 37, a 10-year veteran of the suburban St. Louis police force, said "I do" in a quiet ceremony on Oct. 24.
Wilson got married to his first wife, Ashley Brown, in 2011. They then divorced in November 2013.
The Aug. 9 shooting has received national attention and sparked a string of protests in the St. Louis area. Several eye witnesses testify that Brown, an unarmed African-American teenager, was shot execution style by Officer Wilson while he was surrendering with his hands in the air. However, the white cop claims that the 18-year-old was the aggressor and reached for his weapon.
In preparation for the grand jury decision, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency and asked for the National Guard to provide local police with backup. Meanwhile, activists across the country are planning to hold rallies at federal courthouses regardless of the grand jury's decision.
Weeks after the incident, the grand jury convened to hear evidence and testimony on Aug. 20 in order to decide if there was probable cause to indict Wilson on criminal charges. If indicted, there are a range of charges that Wilson could face, from second-degree involuntary manslaughter to second-degree murder, which could lead to life in prison. On the other hand, the 12-member panel may rule that probable cause does not exist and dismiss the case.
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