As I watched the prosecutor live, announcing the grand jury’s verdict, I watched the ripple of rage go through the crowd outside, seen on the CNN split-screen.  Soon, the rocks and bottles were flying, there were gunshots (apparently not from the police side), a police car wrecked by the riotous, drawing a volley of tear gas. Then buildings were burning, and the looting was underway.

There was fear in the voices of many news folks reporting from the scene.  One seemed surprised when he said that some of the “protesters” were trying to restrain some of the “agitators.”  What a teachable moment: watching a journalist realize that when the thrown missiles are coming in his direction, protesters turn into agitators.

The agitators were already moving into their long-pre-planned assault on society, before the prosecutor could even begin his explanation of the reasoning behind the decision of the grand jury, who he described as the only people who had seen all the evidence there was to present.  They weren’t there for truth. They weren’t there for justice.  They were there for a lynching, in my view.

Those who DO want to find out the truth, can start here, with the transcript of the grand jury minutes, courtesy of the New York Times: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/newsgraphics/2014/11/24/ferguson-assets/grand-jury-testimony.pdf .

This is not going to be pretty.

107 COMMENTS

  1. Been waiting for your comments on this, sir. Thanks very much for the link. I watched it all live, too, on FNC. Some people… well, you just can’t reach — not with evidence, facts, grade-school explanations of same… nothing. Doesn’t matter what the evidence shows, justice is only “justice” if a white cop who (justifiably) shoots a black kid gets fried, as far as certain people are concerned. Sad.

  2. Been waiting for your comments on this, sir. Thanks very much for the link. I watched it all live, too, on FNC. Some people… well, you just can’t reach — not with evidence, facts, grade-school explanations of same… nothing. Doesn’t matter what the evidence shows, justice is only “justice” if a white cop who (justifiably) shoots a black kid gets fried, as far as certain people are concerned. Sad.

  3. Been waiting for your comments on this, sir. Thanks very much for the link. I watched it all live, too, on FNC. Some people… well, you just can’t reach — not with evidence, facts, grade-school explanations of same… nothing. Doesn’t matter what the evidence shows, justice is only “justice” if a white cop who (justifiably) shoots a black kid gets fried, as far as certain people are concerned. Sad.

  4. Well said.

    It is terribly sad that with a black President we now have many in society that are clearly for hatred racism and violence.

  5. Well said.

    It is terribly sad that with a black President we now have many in society that are clearly for hatred racism and violence.

  6. The Grand Jury’s decision was irrelevant, simply an excuse for more rioting. The community activist in the White House quickly winked and gave those staged and ready to tear apart the community the go-ahead with language sympathetic to the thug and demanding restraint by the police. Sad day for patriotic Americans.

  7. The Grand Jury’s decision was irrelevant, simply an excuse for more rioting. The community activist in the White House quickly winked and gave those staged and ready to tear apart the community the go-ahead with language sympathetic to the thug and demanding restraint by the police. Sad day for patriotic Americans.

  8. The Grand Jury’s decision was irrelevant, simply an excuse for more rioting. The community activist in the White House quickly winked and gave those staged and ready to tear apart the community the go-ahead with language sympathetic to the thug and demanding restraint by the police. Sad day for patriotic Americans.

  9. Thank goodness the Grand Jury based their decision on facts and not the public perception by some interested in their own agenda.

    The bottom line is this. The only one responsible for Michael Brown’s death is Michael Brown. Michael Brown is the one that set in motion the events that led to his death.

    I find it disturbing that the President and community leaders are hanging their hats on the death of a person that had and was committing a crime. This kid was a thug, plain and simple, that had he complied with the Officers demands would be alive today.

    So sick and tired of the outrage because a black criminal is killed by police while in the commission of a crime.

    Where is the outrage when a white police officer is killed by a black man or any police officer is killed in the line of duty ?

    Guess that just doesn’t garner the headlines…

    Thank You to the Grand Jury for getting it right. Now folks need to get on with their lives.

  10. Thank goodness the Grand Jury based their decision on facts and not the public perception by some interested in their own agenda.

    The bottom line is this. The only one responsible for Michael Brown’s death is Michael Brown. Michael Brown is the one that set in motion the events that led to his death.

    I find it disturbing that the President and community leaders are hanging their hats on the death of a person that had and was committing a crime. This kid was a thug, plain and simple, that had he complied with the Officers demands would be alive today.

    So sick and tired of the outrage because a black criminal is killed by police while in the commission of a crime.

    Where is the outrage when a white police officer is killed by a black man or any police officer is killed in the line of duty ?

    Guess that just doesn’t garner the headlines…

    Thank You to the Grand Jury for getting it right. Now folks need to get on with their lives.

  11. Thank goodness the Grand Jury based their decision on facts and not the public perception by some interested in their own agenda.

    The bottom line is this. The only one responsible for Michael Brown’s death is Michael Brown. Michael Brown is the one that set in motion the events that led to his death.

    I find it disturbing that the President and community leaders are hanging their hats on the death of a person that had and was committing a crime. This kid was a thug, plain and simple, that had he complied with the Officers demands would be alive today.

    So sick and tired of the outrage because a black criminal is killed by police while in the commission of a crime.

    Where is the outrage when a white police officer is killed by a black man or any police officer is killed in the line of duty ?

    Guess that just doesn’t garner the headlines…

    Thank You to the Grand Jury for getting it right. Now folks need to get on with their lives.

  12. I agree with you Mas: These “protesters” aren’t interested in the truth and justice. As with the Zimmerman case, the facts don’t matter. All they want is an excuse to let the animals they truly are come to the surface. How does looting or setting afire a fellow citizen’s store further their cause?

    While they’re misguided, I can at least understand the feelings of Michael Brown’s parents. They’ve lost their son, but even through their grief and anger, they’ve urged non-violence.

    (sarcasm) Maybe Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson or Obama himself can convince these thugs to back down. (/sarcasm)

  13. I agree with you Mas: These “protesters” aren’t interested in the truth and justice. As with the Zimmerman case, the facts don’t matter. All they want is an excuse to let the animals they truly are come to the surface. How does looting or setting afire a fellow citizen’s store further their cause?

    While they’re misguided, I can at least understand the feelings of Michael Brown’s parents. They’ve lost their son, but even through their grief and anger, they’ve urged non-violence.

    (sarcasm) Maybe Al Sharpton, Jessie Jackson or Obama himself can convince these thugs to back down. (/sarcasm)

  14. Well, it seems as I might have spoken too soon in my previous comment. Literally, 30 seconds after I submitted my comment I read a news story in which Michael Brown’s stepfather was quoted as saying “Burn this b**** down.” So much for urging non-violence.

  15. Well, it seems as I might have spoken too soon in my previous comment. Literally, 30 seconds after I submitted my comment I read a news story in which Michael Brown’s stepfather was quoted as saying “Burn this b**** down.” So much for urging non-violence.

  16. Well, it seems as I might have spoken too soon in my previous comment. Literally, 30 seconds after I submitted my comment I read a news story in which Michael Brown’s stepfather was quoted as saying “Burn this b**** down.” So much for urging non-violence.

  17. Wednesday morning, and Ferguson is a ruin. The looted and burnt businesses will not return, and the city will succumb to poverty and blight.

    The police are not to blame. Their restrained response was necessary after the earlier debacle, they had to hold back or be accused of overly aggressive action. So they held station, and watched the rioters burn and loot for several hours before moving to restore order. Over the next few days I’m sure we’ll see the real stories of the damage done and lives ruined, but not from the MSM. It doesn’t fit their narrative. They’ll wonder why the police response was so slow, why the national guard wasn’t brought in to counter the mobs of anarchists firing rifles and setting fire to every business on Florissant ave. Then they’ll go right back to complaining about the militarization of police.

  18. Wednesday morning, and Ferguson is a ruin. The looted and burnt businesses will not return, and the city will succumb to poverty and blight.

    The police are not to blame. Their restrained response was necessary after the earlier debacle, they had to hold back or be accused of overly aggressive action. So they held station, and watched the rioters burn and loot for several hours before moving to restore order. Over the next few days I’m sure we’ll see the real stories of the damage done and lives ruined, but not from the MSM. It doesn’t fit their narrative. They’ll wonder why the police response was so slow, why the national guard wasn’t brought in to counter the mobs of anarchists firing rifles and setting fire to every business on Florissant ave. Then they’ll go right back to complaining about the militarization of police.

  19. No sir, it won’t be pretty, particularly since these feral humans have had such time to plan their illegal activities. I’m sure we would love to hear your analysis of the evidence, Mas, with both your years of knowledge and experience as well as your entertaining and informative delivery. I have to admit I’m very impressed with the depth and detail the prosecutor laid out immediately following.

    Our hearts and prayers are with the good people caught up in this trash, and our officers doing their best to protect them. God Bless and stay safe.

  20. No sir, it won’t be pretty, particularly since these feral humans have had such time to plan their illegal activities. I’m sure we would love to hear your analysis of the evidence, Mas, with both your years of knowledge and experience as well as your entertaining and informative delivery. I have to admit I’m very impressed with the depth and detail the prosecutor laid out immediately following.

    Our hearts and prayers are with the good people caught up in this trash, and our officers doing their best to protect them. God Bless and stay safe.

  21. No sir, it won’t be pretty, particularly since these feral humans have had such time to plan their illegal activities. I’m sure we would love to hear your analysis of the evidence, Mas, with both your years of knowledge and experience as well as your entertaining and informative delivery. I have to admit I’m very impressed with the depth and detail the prosecutor laid out immediately following.

    Our hearts and prayers are with the good people caught up in this trash, and our officers doing their best to protect them. God Bless and stay safe.

  22. IMHO when the government, the pundits, and the media spend a month telling everyone that a verdict will result in a riot, they’re going to get a riot when the verdict is announced.

    Self-fulfilling prophesy.

  23. IMHO when the government, the pundits, and the media spend a month telling everyone that a verdict will result in a riot, they’re going to get a riot when the verdict is announced.

    Self-fulfilling prophesy.

  24. I’m going to guess that this activity will swell the ranks of the NRA. It’s too bad the police, or the National Guard, or armed citizens (patriots), or the business owners themselves did not protect those businesses that were attacked and destroyed. I guess defending a business would be viewed as aggression in our culture. I’m reminded of what Bob Grant used to say, “It’s sick out there, and getting sicker!”

  25. I’m going to guess that this activity will swell the ranks of the NRA. It’s too bad the police, or the National Guard, or armed citizens (patriots), or the business owners themselves did not protect those businesses that were attacked and destroyed. I guess defending a business would be viewed as aggression in our culture. I’m reminded of what Bob Grant used to say, “It’s sick out there, and getting sicker!”

  26. I’m going to guess that this activity will swell the ranks of the NRA. It’s too bad the police, or the National Guard, or armed citizens (patriots), or the business owners themselves did not protect those businesses that were attacked and destroyed. I guess defending a business would be viewed as aggression in our culture. I’m reminded of what Bob Grant used to say, “It’s sick out there, and getting sicker!”

  27. What is the truth?

    As Mas well knows, grand jury reports contain lots of raw data, but without
    cross-examination, rebuttal and the opportunity to call in your own
    experts, there is no ability to find the truth. When an officer has not
    written an incident report when his department policy requires one –
    who do we fire for that? It is a corruption of the process.

    When the Chief of Police says that the surveillance tapes of the
    cigarillos heist were released it was “because you guys asked for it.”
    When another member of the press put in a public records request for
    the “request” – there was none. Who gets fired for character assassi-
    nation? It is a corruption of the process.

    As my own taxi attorney use to say…”defendants lie, cops lie, get over
    it.” To lie is human. It is a matter of self preservation. But cases of
    clear wrongdoing are thrown out every year on appeal when the “process”
    has been corrupted. And how does one determine the truth when the
    process has been corrupted right at the beginning? No reasonable person
    condones rioting and destruction of property – but let us be careful of
    including the good people of Ferguson when outsiders come in to cause
    trouble. Consider, rather, the two examples above which occurred within
    the first 48 hours – and the rule of law, the process -was already being
    compromised. You think the community doesn’t notice?

    I come from a law enforcement family so don’t throw brickbats when I
    say that the most credible witness for me was Dorian Johnson and the
    least credible Wilson, although the prosecutor did a good job as defense
    attorney for him before the grand jury.

    I don’t think a civil trial would get any closer to the truth when the officer
    does not write a report. The process was tainted right at the beginning
    and now it would be an almost insurmountable hurdle to find the truth.
    In a criminal trial when a defendant is found “not guilty” it does not mean
    he is innocent, it merely means there was insufficient evidence beyond a
    reasonable doubt to convict. The only thing the grand jury found was that
    there was insufficient evidence to bring a charge. As would most of the
    public who will support the police because of the nature of their job. I
    respect the finding and would have found the same had I been on the
    grand jury.

    But please don’t say the grand jury finding was the truth. I don’t think we’ll
    ever know. There will always be doubts when there is corruption in the
    process. And doubts about the process will always corrode and cause
    incalculable damage to a community. And we are looking at the results.

  28. What is the truth?

    As Mas well knows, grand jury reports contain lots of raw data, but without
    cross-examination, rebuttal and the opportunity to call in your own
    experts, there is no ability to find the truth. When an officer has not
    written an incident report when his department policy requires one –
    who do we fire for that? It is a corruption of the process.

    When the Chief of Police says that the surveillance tapes of the
    cigarillos heist were released it was “because you guys asked for it.”
    When another member of the press put in a public records request for
    the “request” – there was none. Who gets fired for character assassi-
    nation? It is a corruption of the process.

    As my own taxi attorney use to say…”defendants lie, cops lie, get over
    it.” To lie is human. It is a matter of self preservation. But cases of
    clear wrongdoing are thrown out every year on appeal when the “process”
    has been corrupted. And how does one determine the truth when the
    process has been corrupted right at the beginning? No reasonable person
    condones rioting and destruction of property – but let us be careful of
    including the good people of Ferguson when outsiders come in to cause
    trouble. Consider, rather, the two examples above which occurred within
    the first 48 hours – and the rule of law, the process -was already being
    compromised. You think the community doesn’t notice?

    I come from a law enforcement family so don’t throw brickbats when I
    say that the most credible witness for me was Dorian Johnson and the
    least credible Wilson, although the prosecutor did a good job as defense
    attorney for him before the grand jury.

    I don’t think a civil trial would get any closer to the truth when the officer
    does not write a report. The process was tainted right at the beginning
    and now it would be an almost insurmountable hurdle to find the truth.
    In a criminal trial when a defendant is found “not guilty” it does not mean
    he is innocent, it merely means there was insufficient evidence beyond a
    reasonable doubt to convict. The only thing the grand jury found was that
    there was insufficient evidence to bring a charge. As would most of the
    public who will support the police because of the nature of their job. I
    respect the finding and would have found the same had I been on the
    grand jury.

    But please don’t say the grand jury finding was the truth. I don’t think we’ll
    ever know. There will always be doubts when there is corruption in the
    process. And doubts about the process will always corrode and cause
    incalculable damage to a community. And we are looking at the results.

  29. Mas – I’m sure you have tried this, but it is a bit of advice that works for me: when watching ANYTHING that can be construed as political, watch it on C-SPAN, that is, unless you prefer the travesty that passes for news coverage in this country now. You WILL miss the banners running across the bottom of the screen, the interruptions from “experts,” the split-screen histrionics of the network’s talking heads, etc., but allows one to focus on the words, which to me, speak far louder than the contrived images being shoved at us. I, too, eagerly await your analysis of these events. On another subject: Has anyone heard from Randy? Please, everyone, avoid becoming a statistic.

  30. Mas – I’m sure you have tried this, but it is a bit of advice that works for me: when watching ANYTHING that can be construed as political, watch it on C-SPAN, that is, unless you prefer the travesty that passes for news coverage in this country now. You WILL miss the banners running across the bottom of the screen, the interruptions from “experts,” the split-screen histrionics of the network’s talking heads, etc., but allows one to focus on the words, which to me, speak far louder than the contrived images being shoved at us. I, too, eagerly await your analysis of these events. On another subject: Has anyone heard from Randy? Please, everyone, avoid becoming a statistic.

  31. Sorry Mas for the multiple posts. With reference to prior doc link, vol 24 pg 87 of the pdf is where Detective testifies on the distance Brown traveled back TOWARDS PO Wilson. 21 feet.

  32. Sorry Mas for the multiple posts. With reference to prior doc link, vol 24 pg 87 of the pdf is where Detective testifies on the distance Brown traveled back TOWARDS PO Wilson. 21 feet.

  33. Sorry Mas for the multiple posts. With reference to prior doc link, vol 24 pg 87 of the pdf is where Detective testifies on the distance Brown traveled back TOWARDS PO Wilson. 21 feet.

  34. Linda says “The only one responsible for Michael Brown’s death is Michael Brown. Michael Brown is the one that set in motion the events that led to his death.”

    My comment may sound harsh, but while my wife and I have suffered the loss of a (truly innocent almost 10-year old) child, I cannot help but suspect that Michael Brown’s parents (especially his step dad, after hearing his latest comments) hold some responsibility for MB’s death as well.

    After all, did they not notice that their “little boy” was growing up to be a criminal thug? At what point did their parenting (or lack of same) allow Michael to flout authority, disobey rules/laws, bully others and display selfish disdain for the rights/safety of others about him?

    Truly, I believe that Michael’s parents “lost” their “little boy” many years ago. The creature killed in this episode was not a “little boy” but was a seasoned and brutal thug.

  35. Linda says “The only one responsible for Michael Brown’s death is Michael Brown. Michael Brown is the one that set in motion the events that led to his death.”

    My comment may sound harsh, but while my wife and I have suffered the loss of a (truly innocent almost 10-year old) child, I cannot help but suspect that Michael Brown’s parents (especially his step dad, after hearing his latest comments) hold some responsibility for MB’s death as well.

    After all, did they not notice that their “little boy” was growing up to be a criminal thug? At what point did their parenting (or lack of same) allow Michael to flout authority, disobey rules/laws, bully others and display selfish disdain for the rights/safety of others about him?

    Truly, I believe that Michael’s parents “lost” their “little boy” many years ago. The creature killed in this episode was not a “little boy” but was a seasoned and brutal thug.

  36. Linda says “The only one responsible for Michael Brown’s death is Michael Brown. Michael Brown is the one that set in motion the events that led to his death.”

    My comment may sound harsh, but while my wife and I have suffered the loss of a (truly innocent almost 10-year old) child, I cannot help but suspect that Michael Brown’s parents (especially his step dad, after hearing his latest comments) hold some responsibility for MB’s death as well.

    After all, did they not notice that their “little boy” was growing up to be a criminal thug? At what point did their parenting (or lack of same) allow Michael to flout authority, disobey rules/laws, bully others and display selfish disdain for the rights/safety of others about him?

    Truly, I believe that Michael’s parents “lost” their “little boy” many years ago. The creature killed in this episode was not a “little boy” but was a seasoned and brutal thug.

  37. The talking heads who championed the “peaceful Arab Spring” are surprised by the “Ferguson Winter”?

    Keep praying, boys. It’s gonna be a long ride…

  38. The talking heads who championed the “peaceful Arab Spring” are surprised by the “Ferguson Winter”?

    Keep praying, boys. It’s gonna be a long ride…

  39. I think the prosecutor did a pretty good job of explaining the facts and answering various allegations. Such a presentation might have saved Florida from an unnecessary trial in Zimmerman’s case.

  40. I think the prosecutor did a pretty good job of explaining the facts and answering various allegations. Such a presentation might have saved Florida from an unnecessary trial in Zimmerman’s case.

  41. I think the prosecutor did a pretty good job of explaining the facts and answering various allegations. Such a presentation might have saved Florida from an unnecessary trial in Zimmerman’s case.

  42. With all that ensued right after the decision was read on air , I was amazed that so far , no one has been killed.
    It’s so unfair that the local business people had to take the brunt of this without protection from law enforcement or military forces that were promised.
    Strange , I don’t recall any of this when the verdict was read in the Simpson trial.– I wonder why ???

  43. With all that ensued right after the decision was read on air , I was amazed that so far , no one has been killed.
    It’s so unfair that the local business people had to take the brunt of this without protection from law enforcement or military forces that were promised.
    Strange , I don’t recall any of this when the verdict was read in the Simpson trial.– I wonder why ???

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