Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Michael Brown's Father Seeks New Investigation Into Killing
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 6 years ago on
August 9, 2019

Share

CLAYTON, Mo. — On the fifth anniversary of Michael Brown’s death in Ferguson, his father is urging the top St. Louis County prosecutor to reopen the investigation into the white police officer who fatally shot the black and unarmed 18-year-old.
Michael Brown Sr. spoke Friday outside the St. Louis County Justice Center.

“My son was murdered in cold blood, with no remorse and no medical treatment.” — Michael Brown Sr.
“Justice has not been served,” Brown, 41, said as he was surrounded by about three dozen supporters. “My son deserved to live a full life. But a coward with a badge … chose not to value his life.
“My son was murdered in cold blood, with no remorse and no medical treatment.”
Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell, St. Louis County’s first black prosecutor, took office in January after his stunning defeat of seven-term incumbent Bob McCulloch.
McCulloch drew criticism for his handling of the investigation into the Aug. 9, 2014, shooting. Detractors accused McCulloch of guiding the grand jury to its decision, announced three months later, not to indict Darren Wilson.
The U.S. Department of Justice under then-President Barack Obama also declined to charge Wilson, who resigned in November 2014.

Officer Told Investigators He Shot Brown in Self-Defense

In a statement to The Associated Press, Bell would not say if the case may be reopened but said his office “is doing everything we can to understand the underlying issues that contributed to the tragic death of Michael Brown.”
The statement said Bell’s office is working with police “to implement policies and reforms that meaningfully address those issues, and help this community and this region heal.”
Bell also is forming a special unit within his office to look at officer-involved shootings and potential cases of wrongful convictions.
Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, also has urged Bell to reopen the case.
Brown and a friend were walking down the middle of Canfield Drive when Wilson told them to move to the sidewalk. An exchange of words led to a fight inside Wilson’s SUV. Brown got out and began to run, then turned around to face the officer.
Wilson told investigators that he shot Brown — who was 6 feet, 4 inches tall and 290 pounds — in self-defense. Some people in the Canfield Green apartment complex near the shooting initially claimed Brown had his hands up in surrender, but the grand jury found no evidence to confirm that.

Photo of Michael Brown Jr. memorial
A man who declined to be identified unfolded a metal chair in the middle of Canfield Drive at a rebuilt memorial to Michael Brown, Jr., preparing to guard it through the night Thursday before the fifth anniversary of Brown’s fatal shooting. (Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

Unusual for Prosecutor to Reopen Thoroughly Examined Case

The shooting led to weeks of protests that included looting and violent confrontations between demonstrators and police officers, many in riot gear and with military-style weapons. Protests escalated again after the grand jury announcement on Nov. 24, 2014. Wilson resigned days after the announcement.
While the Justice Department declined to indict Wilson , it issued a report citing racial prejudice in the Ferguson Police Department and a municipal court system that made money through court fines and legal fees, costs largely borne by black residents. A consent agreement signed in 2016 requires significant reforms.
Bell, 44, is among a wave of progressive prosecutors elected in recent years. His office seeks alternatives to incarceration when possible, such as some non-violent drug crimes. He has ended prosecution of most marijuana possession cases and reduced use of cash bail.
Bell would face no restrictions in re-examining Brown’s death for potential murder charges. Wilson was never charged and tried, so there is no double-jeopardy. There is no statute of limitations on filing murder charges.
It would be unusual for a prosecutor to reopen an old case that’s been so thoroughly examined, but not unheard of. A Philadelphia prosecutor initially declined to charge actor Bill Cosby with sexual assault, but a new prosecutor was elected and Cosby was charged and convicted.

DON'T MISS

What Are Fresno Real Estate Experts Predicting for 2025 and Beyond?

DON'T MISS

First California EV Mandates Hit Automakers This Year. Most Are Not Even Close

DON'T MISS

Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani in New York City Democratic Mayoral Contest

DON'T MISS

Mamdani Holds Lead Over Cuomo in Democratic Primary for NYC Mayor

DON'T MISS

Fresno County’s New Breeding Ordinance Could Shut Down 50 Operations

DON'T MISS

NATO Leaders Set to Back Trump Defense Spending Goal at Hague Summit

DON'T MISS

Fresno County Wildfire Quickly Contained. How Did They Do It?

DON'T MISS

Lender’s Intervention Halts City of Fresno’s Eviction Attempt at Granite Park

DON'T MISS

Clovis Unified Faces Lawsuit Alleging Years of Neglect and Sexual Abuse at Fancher Creek

DON'T MISS

Suspect in Bombing at California Fertility Clinic Dies in Federal Custody

DON'T MISS

US Airstrikes Failed to Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Sites, Sources Say

DON'T MISS

Stephen Miller Expands Power in Second Trump Term, Defies Legal Limits

UP NEXT

Mamdani Holds Lead Over Cuomo in Democratic Primary for NYC Mayor

UP NEXT

Clovis Man Sentenced to 8 Years in Federal Prison in Deadly Fentanyl Case

UP NEXT

Victims Identified as Death Toll Climbs to 8 in Lake Tahoe Boating Tragedy

UP NEXT

Florida to Build ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center for Migrants in Everglades

UP NEXT

Americans Worry Conflict With Iran Could Escalate, Reuters/Ipsos Poll Finds

UP NEXT

Advisory Warns of ‘Heightened Threat Environment’ in US After Iran Strikes

UP NEXT

Amazon’s Prime Day 2025 Levels Up With Four Days of Deals Starting July 8

UP NEXT

Voice of America Parent Terminates Over 600 More Staff in Likely Death Knell

UP NEXT

US Court Lets Trump Keep Control of California National Guard for Now

UP NEXT

Massive Security Breach: 16 Billion Passwords Leaked From Apple, Google, Facebook Accounts

NATO Leaders Set to Back Trump Defense Spending Goal at Hague Summit

13 hours ago

Fresno County Wildfire Quickly Contained. How Did They Do It?

13 hours ago

Lender’s Intervention Halts City of Fresno’s Eviction Attempt at Granite Park

14 hours ago

Clovis Unified Faces Lawsuit Alleging Years of Neglect and Sexual Abuse at Fancher Creek

14 hours ago

Suspect in Bombing at California Fertility Clinic Dies in Federal Custody

14 hours ago

US Airstrikes Failed to Destroy Iran’s Nuclear Sites, Sources Say

14 hours ago

Stephen Miller Expands Power in Second Trump Term, Defies Legal Limits

15 hours ago

FTA Unloads on Fresno Unified After Skipping External Search for Chief Academic Officer

15 hours ago

Fresno Man Dies After Alleyway Attack. Police Investigating

15 hours ago

Poll: Most Californians Prefer Lower Taxes and Fewer Services, Skeptical of Gov’t Spending

15 hours ago

Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani in New York City Democratic Mayoral Contest

Former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Tuesday conceded to state lawmaker Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary election for New York C...

9 hours ago

Former New York governor and New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo speaks during the primary election night rally in New York City, U.S., June 24, 2025. REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
9 hours ago

Cuomo Concedes to Mamdani in New York City Democratic Mayoral Contest

People hold “I Voted” stickers on Democratic primary day in New York, Tuesday, June 24, 2025. After months of campaigning, caustic debates and a deluge of attack ads, the consequential Democratic primary for mayor of New York City comes to a head on Tuesday as voters stream to the ballot box in blistering heat. (Hilary Swift/The New York Times)
10 hours ago

Mamdani Holds Lead Over Cuomo in Democratic Primary for NYC Mayor

13 hours ago

Fresno County’s New Breeding Ordinance Could Shut Down 50 Operations

President Donald Trump arrives at a dinner for NATO heads of state and governments hosted by Dutch King Willem-Alexander and Dutch Queen Maxima, on the sidelines of a NATO Summit, at Huis ten Bosch Palace in The Hague, Netherlands June 24, 2025. (Reuters/Toby Melville)
13 hours ago

NATO Leaders Set to Back Trump Defense Spending Goal at Hague Summit

A 180-acre wildfire in Cantua Creek was fully contained Tuesday afternoon, with CalFire crediting nearby roads for helping crews quickly stop the Monterey Fire from spreading. (CalFire)
13 hours ago

Fresno County Wildfire Quickly Contained. How Did They Do It?

14 hours ago

Lender’s Intervention Halts City of Fresno’s Eviction Attempt at Granite Park

14 hours ago

Clovis Unified Faces Lawsuit Alleging Years of Neglect and Sexual Abuse at Fancher Creek

California Fertility Clinic Bombing Investigation
14 hours ago

Suspect in Bombing at California Fertility Clinic Dies in Federal Custody

Help continue the work that gets you the news that matters most.

Search

Send this to a friend