On Wednesday October 22, there were between 100 and 150 protesters who marched from the murder scene of 18-year old Michael Brown, who was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson, to the Ferguson Police Department, continuing to demand justice for Brown. After arriving at the department, protesters began to chant simultaneously, “Hands up don’t shoot”, and attempted to pass through the barricades that were set up by the local authorities. With rising tensions, Ferguson has once again swept back into the cycle of regular protests and battles with the police officials. Recently, Ferguson locals have begun the Ferguson October movement, which has caught the eye of the media and is expected to ignite protests throughout many different states in the US. In the city of Clayton, protesters have joined the trend and stood outside of the St. Louis Police Department, chanting and holding signs in defense of Brown. Additionally, the official autopsy report for Brown has been leaked; creating more questions in the defense of Officer Darren Wilson.

“Regardless of the grand jury’s decision, the Brown family and our legal team ask again for peace and calm, even though we understand people may have feelings of anger or disappointment. We encourage people to take their frustrations to the ballot box, not the streets”, said Benjamin Crump, Brown’s family attorney. The people in Ferguson have become enraged and see the rioting as the most affective to get their point across the public and officials.

The medical reports back-up the story of Officer Darren Wilson indicating there was a struggle in his patrol car before Wilson fatally shot Brown. Brown was shot once in the hand at close range which explains the blood found in Wilson’s car and on his uniform. This is the only shot that supports the statement of Wilson’s self-defense against Brown, not the six other entrance wounds, including two in the head. This has led to questioning by multiple officials the fact of why Wilson continued to shoot and kill Brown even though he was 20 feet away from his vehicle.

“Ultimately, that officer will have to come up with a justification not for firing his gun the first time, but for each and every bullet that came out of his firearm—whether at the car or away from the car,” says CNN’s legal analyst, Danny Cevallos. As more details of the case are released, the public continues, fueled with anger and prepared to carry out more protests that have been occurring since August.

Not only locals but officials in the Justice System have lost faith in local authorities in Missouri after the autopsy was leaked, exposing all details of the case that were supposed to be private until the full investigation was complete. U.S Attorney Eric Holder has told colleagues that it is “inappropriate and troubling” how information is flowing out of the police department. Some believe that this information is setting a foundation for the public to give hints at the fact of the grand jury may be declining to indict Wilson. This would create a whole new level of chaos that Ferguson Police have not seen yet and could not be ready for.

“If this police officer doesn’t get no kind of charge, they think its chaos now..” states Patricia Pendelton, who is a resident of a community a few blocks away from where Brown was shot. As more information is leaked, the public is becoming more inflamed and will push for justice until there is absolutely nothing left.

This tragedy has personally affected many who were not close to the victim or his family, but going through the process has hit a special place in their heart as if it was their own son or family member. Many woman and mothers have especially taken this tragedy toughly and have tried their best to step into the shoes of Michael Brown’s mother to understand her perspective on everything that has happened. As a result, they begin to fear that this could potentially happen to their children.

“As a mother of three sons and a daughter, I also worry that if we don’t end this that I will be sharing a fate just like Michael Brown’s mom” says Amy Hunter, who has participated in protests throughout these weeks.

As time goes on, the investigation keeps moving forward and comes closer to a verdict on whether or not Officer Wilson will be indicted. Governor Jay Nixon fears for the future of Ferguson due to the amount of unrest in Ferguson presently, but cannot imagine how upset locals will be if the verdict comes back to say that Officer Wilson will not be indicted. Officials have experienced riots that have rarely been seen. Without charging Wilson of wrongdoing, imagining the amount of anger is indescribable if the public does not get what they are expecting from the Grand Jury. The Grand Jury is expected to push through the investigation until mid-November when a verdict is expected to be reached.

FSA Questions

1. What is the main idea of this article?
2. Based on your answer from question 1, pick two sentences that support that idea.
3. What is your perspective on the events that have occurred in Ferguson and how do you believe they will affect the future of Missouri?
4. Stepping into the shoes of the public, how would you react in terms of the Michael Brown case?
5. What is the connotation of the word indicted?