Ferguson Prosecutor: ‘Most Significant Challenge’ Has Been ‘24-Hour News Cycle’

Ferguson Prosecutor: ‘Most Significant Challenge’ Has Been ‘24-Hour News Cycle’ (RealClearPolitics)

"Our investigation and presentation of the evidence to the grand jury in the St. Louis County has been completed. The most significant challenge encountered in this investigation has been the 24-hour news cycle and its insatiable appetite for something, for anything to talk about. Following closely behind were the non-stop rumors on social media. I recognize of course that the lack of accurate details surrounding the shooting frustrates the media and the general public and help to breed suspicion among those already distrustful of the system.

Yet, those closely guarded details, especially about physical evidence, get law enforcement the yard stick for measuring the truthfulness of witnesses. Eye witness accounts must always be challenged and compared against the physical evidence. Many witnesses to the shooting of Michael Brown made statements inconsistent with other statements they made and also conflicting with the physical evidence. Some were completely refuted by the physical evidence.

As an example, before the results of the private autopsy were released, witnesses on social media during interviews with the media and even during questioning by law enforcement claimed that they saw officer Wilson stand over Michael Brown and fire many rounds into his back. Others claimed that officer Wilson shot Mr. Brown in the back as Mr. Brown was running away. However, once the autopsy findings were released showing that Michael Brown had not sustained any wound to the back of his body, no additional witnesses made such a claim."