Justice Department Will Not File Charges In Self-Defense Shooting of Michael Brown

According to the New York Times, the U.S Department of Justice will not file civil rights charges against Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed strong-arm robbery suspect and attempted cop-killer Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.

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Justice Department lawyers will recommend that no civil rights charges be brought against the police officer involved in the fatal shooting of an unarmed teenager in Ferguson, Mo., after an F.B.I. investigation found no evidence to support charges, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.

Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. and his civil rights chief, Vanita Gupta, will have the final say on whether the Justice Department will close the case against the officer, Darren Wilson. But it would be unusual for them to overrule the prosecutors on the case, who are still working on a legal memo explaining their recommendation.

A decision by the Justice Department would bring to an end to the politically charged investigation of Mr. Wilson in the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown. Missouri authorities concluded their investigation into Mr. Brown’s death in November and also recommended against charges.

Brown was shot and killed as he charged officer Wilson after attempting to shoot Wilson with his own weapon just moments before. Brown was shot six times, with the sixth and final shot delivered at least than ten feet as Brown was charging towards Wilson in an apparent second attempt to assault Wilson and use his weapon against him.

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Various left-wing groups alleged racism in the incident, though there was none present.

Bizarrely, Brown’s mother is facing criminal charges for attacking another family member who was attempting to profit from selling merchandise with is likeness to other protesters, and Brown’s step-father may face criminal charges relating to inciting a riot, as he cried to “burn this [expletive] down!” when the grand jury declined to indict officer Wilson for defending his life against Brown’s attack.

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