Opinion | Trump’s Running and the Feds Are Coming: What the Next Two Years Will Look Like Legally — Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories

I found this Opinion piece, written by Politico, to be very informative. 

I do have one disagreement, and that’s with the last paragraph.  To the best of my knowledge, based on case decisions that I’ve read regarding sentencing, sentences of supervision are not considered a conviction for purposes of disqualifying a defendant from exercising Constitutional rights, such as owning a firearm, voting, and running for public office.  A felony conviction disqualifies the person from doing those things.  In this matter specifically, if Donald Trump is convicted of a felony, he would not be allowed to run for public office.

The entire article has 9 bullet points.  It’s an excellent read.

 

Opinion by Renato Mariotti

11/16/2022 12:25 PM EST

 

Renato Mariotti is the Legal Affairs Columnist for POLITICO Magazine. He is a former federal prosecutor and host of the “On Topic” podcast.

Donald Trump announced his third run for president Tuesday night in a move that was widely perceived as a gambit to stave off a federal criminal indictment. It won’t work. Trump is likely to be indicted by the Department of Justice, making him the first former president to campaign for the White House while facing charges. The historic nature of this scenario seems fitting for a candidate who has defied every norm of American politics during his seven-year career in public life. While unprecedented, there are certain realities of federal prosecutions that offer a useful roadmap for how the next two years will likely play out in the courts.

1. Will Trump’s announcement affect the Justice Department’s decision to indict him?

Not really. Donald Trump was the immediate past president and one of the most well-known and controversial politicians in the United States. He has been widely regarded as the de facto leader of the Republican Party and a likely nominee. DOJ would not have opened a criminal investigation into Trump if they weren’t willing to consider indicting him.

In other words, the fallout of a potential indictment of Trump was already baked in to DOJ’s decision-making. Even if Trump hadn’t announced, they would have faced the same criticism, and Trump would have likely argued

2. When would the DOJ issue an indictment?

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Justice Department waited until after the Georgia Senate runoff on Dec. 6 to make any overt steps — an indictment, execution of another search warrant or an arrest. Once that political event has passed, charges could come before or after the holidays.

that he was indicted to deter him from announcing his candidacy in the future.

 

Opinion | Trump’s Running and the Feds Are Coming: What the Next Two Years Will Look Like Legally — Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories

DOJ Has Until Aug 31, 2018 To Announce If Criminal Charges Will Be Filed In The Death Of Eric Garner

July 17th is the four year anniversary of the death of Eric Garner.   Eric Garner was 43-years old and in Staten Island selling untaxed cigarettes when he was approached by officers Justin Damico and Daniel Pantaleo.  Pantaleo placed Eric in a choke hold and in spite of Eric saying “I can’t breathe, Pantaleo continued applying pressure until Eric was unconscious.

Erica Garner, left. Eric Garner, right.

A bystander recorded the confrontation on cell phone, giving viewers an unobstructed view of the choke hold which, along with the compression of his chest by officers, was found to be a cause of Eric’s death.

In December 2014, a grand jury refused to indict Pantaleo.  Like Darren Wilson who killed Mike Brown, Pantaleo was allowed to testify before the grand jury on his own behalf.

Then U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Justice Department will conduct its own investigation into Eric’s death.   Then United States Attorney Loretta Lynch took over the investigation until she became the United States Attorney General, replacing Eric Holder. Local FBI investigators and federal prosecutors determined that charges should not be brought in the case, and Attorney Lynch then removed the local FBI agents and federal prosecutors from the case, and assigned the investigation to agents outside of New York.

Officer Federally Charged For Planting Evidence. Re: Willie Bingham, Jr.

After two trials for manslaughter where juries hung, now retired deputy Walter Grant is not being tried by the state for killing Willie Bingham, Jr. but rather, by the federal government for planting evidence as an excuse for killing him.

It happened in Bolivar County, Mississippi, in 2013.

Deputy Walter Grant shot 20-year-old Willie Bingham Jr. in the back of the head.

Willie Bingham, Jr.

Willie was suspected of breaking into cars parked outside of an auto parts plant.  Grant and other officers pursued a car carrying Willie and others.  The car stopped, and Willie allegedly jumped out and ran into a cotton field.  Grant caught up with Willie and shot him in the back of the head.

Grant told investigators that he thought Willie had a gun.  No gun was found.  What was found was a baton, and allegations that Grant planted it.

In 2015, Grant was indicted on state manslaughter charges.  His first trial ended with a hung jury.  He was retried, and that jury also hung.  After the trials, Grant retired.

State court records show that in 2016, the judge remanded the case to Jim Hood, the State Attorney General.

The family has filed a civil lawsuit accusing Grant of planting the baton. A response by the Bolivar County sheriff’s office later said the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation and the attorney general’s office, while investigating the shooting,  concluded Grant planted the baton.

UPDATE: Alton Sterling’s Family Seeks Videos Not Made Public

Alton Sterling being stunned and shot at close range

Alton Sterling was 37-years old when he was killed on July 5, 2016, in Baton Rouge, LA.  Alton was selling homemade CD’s and DVD’s outside the Triple S Food Mart when Officer Blane Salamoni fired six shots into Alton at close range. Officer Howie Lake II, shocked Alton with a stun gun and helped wrestle Sterling to the ground but did not fire his gun.

In May of this year, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would not bring federal criminal charges against the officers.  The Louisiana Attorney General’s Office is now investigating the case.

Alton’s children and their mothers have filed a civil suit.  Attorneys representing them have requested a private viewing of videos that include police body cams and surveillance video that captured the moments before Alton was fatally shot.  The Attorney General’s office has those videos, but as of October 5, 2017, have not complied with the request.

Two cellphone videos taken by bystanders captured the violent end of the encounter and were made public, but body cam and surveillance videos are in possession of the Attorney General’s office and have not been made public.

In May, the DOJ told lawyers and family members about the audio and video from the shooting, and at times described it.  According to a source who spoke with The Advocate, Officer Salamoni is seen pointing his gun at Alton’s head, yelling profanities, and a threat to kill him.

Sweeping change at DOJ under Sessions

The Fifth Column

© Victoria Sarno Jordan

THE HILL

Attorney General Jeff Sessions has brought sweeping change to the Department of Justice.

In just two months as the nation’s top cop, Sessions has moved quickly to overhaul the policies and priorities set by the Obama administration.

He has rolled back protections for transgender students that allowed children to use the bathroom that corresponds with their gender identity and rescinded plans to phase out the federal government’s use of private prisons.

He called for a review of reform agreements, known as consent decrees, reached with local police departments to address allegations of misconduct. Many of the consent decrees were drafted in response to fating shootings by police.

Sessions has made immigration enforcement a top priority. Late last month he put “sanctuary” cities on notice, announcing that grant money would be withheld from state and local governments that refuse to cooperate with federal authorities and…

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Department of Justice Investigative Findings Of The Chicago Police Department

Photo credit (Jose Osorio / Chicago Tribune)

The United States Department of Justice completed a probe of the Chicago Police.  Its investigation was conducted over a period of 13 months. They found that the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) used biased techniques to investigate officers and a consistent unwillingness to probe or dispute officers’ statements.

The Chicago police force is one of the nation’s largest, with 12,000 officers.

The DOJ also found that the police received insufficient training in de-escalation techniques and poor training on all levels.

The investigation also found Constitutional violations, and violations of federal law by officers in the use of force, racial disparities and other systemic problems.

The Chicago Sun-Times reports;

“The Justice Department and City Hall have hammered out a pact, called a “statement of agreement,” which will detail remedies the city has already or will be taking to address problems that have ruptured relations between police and the people they serve, particularly minority communities.”

Attorney General Loretta Lynch will be out of office on January 20, 2017, and wanted to complete DOJ investigations in Baltimore and Chicago before the new administration takes over. 

Seattle Police Department Won’t Comply With Constitutional Policing Without Wage Hike

U.S. District Court Judge James Robart

Federal district court judge James Robart is a President George W. Bush appointee.  He is presiding over a case involving a consent decree between the Department of Justice and the City of Seattle.  The decree was reached in 2012, and required the city to remedy unconstitutional practices including illegal stops, unreasonable and deadly use of force, and other practices.

In order to fulfill its legal obligation, Seattle attempted to reach a compromise with the police union this summer, offering a new contract that mixed the requisite reforms with wage hikes. The union overwhelmingly rejected the contract on the grounds that it did not sufficiently reward officers with more money and benefits in exchange for engaging in constitutional policing.

“The court and the citizens of Seattle will not be held hostage for increased payments and benefits … ,” U.S. District Judge James Robart said of contract talks, adding, “I’m sure the entire city of Seattle would march behind me.”

DOJ Report on Baltimore Police Department. How Unlawful Arrests Are Damaging.

The DOJ released its report on its investigation into the Baltimore Police Department.  You can read the entire 164 page report here.  I’ve also placed a link to the report on the right-side border under “Documents”.

The DOJ ends its report by summarizing its findings;

“For the foregoing reasons, the Department of Justice concludes that there is reasonable cause to believe that BPD engages in a pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution or federal law. The pattern or practice includes: (1) making unconstitutional stops, searches, and arrests; (2) using enforcement strategies that produce severe and unjustified disparities in the rates of stops, searches and arrests of African Americans; (3) using excessive force; and (4 ) retaliating against people engaging in constitutionally -protected expression. We also identified concern s regarding BPD’s transport of individuals and investigation of sexual assaults. BPD’s failings result from deficient policies, training, oversight, and accountability, and policing strategies that do not engage effectively with the community the Department serves. “

The part I want address concerns stops and arrests that are not prosecuted.

St. Louis Detective and Prosecutor Sentenced By Federal Court

Let’s see if we can figure this out, and why it takes digging into several media sources to get all of the details.  Seriously, my research about this case took me back to July 2014, and online news sources St. Louis Today, Fox news, and the Washington Times.

On July 22, 2014, St. Louis, MO police detective Thomas A. Carroll assaulted handcuffed suspect, Michael Waller.  He didn’t report it to superiors and assisted in filing charges against Waller.

Thomas A. Carroll (photo by J.B. Forbes)

After 25 years on the job, Carroll was suspended without pay in late July 2014 amid ongoing criminal and internal investigations that is said to have involved the FBI.  Subsequently, Carroll retired.  Internal affairs charged Carroll with failure to follow an order.

Michael Waller was charged on July 23, 2014 with receiving stolen property and fraudulent use of a credit card, along with an escape charge relative to resisting arrest.  He was allegedly in possession of a stolen credit card that belonged to Carroll’s daughter.  His booking photo shows that he had a black-eye.

Two St. Louis prosecutors, Bliss Worrell and Katherine Dierdorf, were forced to leave their jobs because of their knowledge of events, and the circumstances related to charging Waller.  There was investigation that Carroll was giving prosecutors unauthorized ride-alongs that included allowing them to use his taser on suspects.  The same day that Worrell and Dierdorf left their jobs, the charges against Waller were dismissed.

Investigation Into The Death of Kendrick Johnson – DOJ’s Announcement of No Charges

(I’m writing this on 3 hours of sleep, so please forgive any typographical errors.)

Kendrick Johnson

In January 2013, 17-year old Kendrick Johnson was found dead in a gym mat in the Lowndes High School gym in Georgia. The US Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia opened an investigation in October of 2013.

This afternoon, DOJ offices announced that they will not file criminal charges in the death of Kendrick Johnson due to “insufficient evidence” to prove that anyone “willfully violated Kendrick Johnson’s civil rights” or committed any other crime.

Acting U.S. Attorney Carole Rendon stated;

 “The Department of Justice, in particular the lawyers and investigators who have worked tirelessly on this investigation, express their most sincere condolences to Kendrick Johnson’s parents, family, and friends. We cannot imagine the pain of their loss, or the depths of their sorrow. We regret that we were unable to provide them with more definitive answers about Kendrick’s tragic death.”

In October 2015, the DOJ filed a motion in the civil case that Kendrick’s parents filed for wrongful death.  In their filings, they said that their investigation expanded to include witness tampering and obstruction of justice.  They also advised the Georgia court that the grand jury had convened.

Couple Charged With Sexual Assault Wins Internet Defamation Lawsuit

A Texas couple, Mark Lesher, 63, and his wife, Rhonda, 50, were accused by a woman of sexual assault. Mark Lesher is a prominent attorney, and Rhonda was running a successful day spa. The accusation included a man who works on the Lesher’s ranch.   Before they stood trial in January 2009, there was a steady stream of attacks on the Web forum Topix.com.   The comments accused the couple of murder, encouraging pedophilia, drug abuse and other crimes that materially attack their characters.

In January 2009, the couple and their ranch hand were found not guilty on all charges.

Three years ago, the couple filed a 365-page lawsuit naming 178 pseudonyms used to post what they considered the most defamatory messages. They posted the lawsuit on Topix and served the company a subpoena to obtain the IP addresses. A Texas judge ordered Topix to turn over the identifying information about the anonymous posters. The Internet Protocol (IP) addresses led to a couple that owned a business, and accused the Lesher’s of sexual assault in 2008.

In July 2009, the Leshers filed an amended petition in the District Court of Tarrant County, Texas naming Shannon Coyel, the couple’s accuser; her husband Gerald Covel and his brother, James Coyel. Also named as a defendant was Apache Truck & Van Parts of Kennedale, Texas and two of its employers, Charlie and Pat Doescher.

Mark and Rhonda Lesher stand on the steps of Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, shortly after their acquittal of sexual assault charges Jan. 16, 2009.

On Friday, a jury awarded the Leshers a judgment of $13.78 million.

Mark and Rhonda Lesher stand on the steps of Collin County Courthouse in McKinney, Texas, shortly after their acquittal of sexual assault charges Jan. 16, 2009. On Friday, the couple were awarded

The Gazette reported a malicious prosecution suit is pending that names as defendants the Coyels and Red River County District Attorney Val Varley, who unsuccessfully prosecuted the sexual assault case against the Leshers. That suit accuses them of conspiring to convict the Leshers of a crime they did not commit. The newspaper reports that a jury trial is scheduled for August.

Ryan Calo, who teaches privacy law at Stanford Law School and is joining the faculty at the University of Washington School of Law, said

“Defamation is one area of law in which a jury or court have to figure out how much damage has been done. It’s not a car accident where you can calculate medical bills and how much work was lost after an injury. There’s something more ephemeral in a reputation.”

There is a difference between free speech, which states an opinion, and accusations stated as fact that have no basis in fact and causes harm to the personal lives of others.

There’s more on this story and other internet defamation stories on ABC News.

DOJ Settles With Cleveland Over Police Conduct

Washington Post reports:

 

The Justice Department has reached a settlement with the city of Cleveland over the conduct of its police officers, according to a Justice official, the latest case in which the Obama administration has investigated excessive use of force and the violation of constitutional rights by a local department.

The settlement, amid the growing national debate about American policing, is expected to be announced early this week, the official said. It comes just days after a judge acquitted a Cleveland police officer for his role in the fatal shooting of two unarmed people in a car in 2012 after officers thought the sound of the car backfiring was gunshots.

The Justice Department in December issued a scathing report that accused the Cleveland Police Department of illegally using deadly force against citizens. The Justice Department’s civil rights division found that the Cleveland police engaged in a “pattern or practice” of unnecessary force — including shooting residents, striking them in the head and spraying them with chemicals.

In one incident, an officer used a stun gun on “a suicidal, deaf man who committed no crime, posed minimal risk to officers and may not have understood officers’ commands.”

The police were also accused of repeatedly punching in the face a handcuffed 13-year-old boy who had been arrested for shoplifting.

The Cleveland report was released the month after a 12-year-old African American boy, Tamir Rice, was fatally shot by a white Cleveland police officer. Cleveland officers had responded to a 911 call that reported a person pointing a gun. It turned out to be a toy pistol.

A Justice Department spokeswoman would not comment on the settlement, which was first reported on the Web site of the New York Times.

When last year’s report about Cleveland was released, then-Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. traveled to the city to announce the findings and said the Justice Department and the city had agreed to establish an independent monitor who would oversee police reforms. The changes will include better training and better supervision of officers, Holder said.

There have been more than 20 investigation by the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in the past 5 years. The investigations have resulted in 15 agreements with law enforcement agencies, including New Orleans and Albuquerque.  The Justice Department recently opened an investigation of the Baltimore police department.

UPDATE

Here is the consent decree that the Cleveland police department entered into with the government.

———————————————————————

On a separate matter, I will be off and on today — probably offline more than on.  Tomorrow, I might reblog some articles and unless something comes up that is really interesting, that might be the case for several days until I catch-up on some personal matters and begin feeling better.

Remember to keep the Golden Rule. 

George Zimmerman Blames President Obama For Stirring Racial Tensions After Trayvon Martin’s Death

Reblogged from News One. (Not directly reblogged because of the size of a photo that might be a trigger alert for those traumatized by the face of George Zimmerman.)

In a newly released video, George Zimmerman — the former neighborhood watchman acquitted of murder in 2013 — blames President Obama for stirring racial tensions following the fatal shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012.

Zimmerman, who pursued and approached the 17-year-old as he walked to his father’s house, can be heard on the March 8 recording saying he was victimized by Obama and wrongly accused of being a racist by the media.

The Orlando Sentinel writes:

“…he faulted the media for portraying him as a racist and the criminal justice system for bringing him to trial but saved his harshest criticism for Obama, whom he accused of trying to prosecute “an innocent American.”

“For him to make incendiary comments as he did and direct the Department of Justice to pursue a baseless prosecution, he by far over-stretched, over-reached,” Zimmerman said. The president, whom he referred to as “Barack Hussein Obama,” should have told the public, ” ‘Let’s not rush to judgment,’ ” Zimmerman said.”

The recording, released by his Tampa divorce lawyer Howard Iken of Ayo and Iken PLC, marks Zimmerman’s first public comments since the DOJ announced in February that he did not violate Trayvon’s rights. Since his acquittal and even during his numerous run-ins with the law following the trial, Zimmerman has remained mum and “still tightly guards his privacy,” according to The OS.

Justice Department – Ferguson Police Department Routinely Violates Constitution and Federal Law.

USA Today reports;

“A Justice Department review has found that the troubled Ferguson Police Department engaged in a pattern of racially biased enforcement during suspect stops and used unreasonable force against a disproportionate number of African American suspects, according to a law enforcement official familiar with the findings.”

Ferguson Chief of Police Thomas Jackson

The results of the investigation were detailed in a meeting between Ferguson and Justice Department officials on Tuesday. The full report should be released by tomorrow.

The Black population in Ferguson is 67%. However, the Justice Department conducted an investigation that covered 3 years, and found that 85% of people involved in vehicle stops were Black; 90% who received tickets were Black, and 93% of those arrested were Black. Were they all guilty? No. The Justice Department found that police in Ferguson routinely made arrests without probable cause. Blacks were twice as likely to be searched during vehicle stops but less likely to be found in possession of contraband.

Three Years – Remembering Trayvon Martin

Racerrodig asked that I open a thread so people can share remembrance and their thoughts on how we heard about the death of Trayvon Martin. He also suggested that we discuss how it affects us and what we do to make relations better. Thank you, Racerodig, for your willingness to share with others.

It’s not often that I write opinion or editorial pieces, but today I’m compelled to do so in remembering Trayvon. The announcement by the Department of Justice was not limited to not charging George Zimmerman with violating Trayvon’s civil rights. The announcement included more, and I would like to address that.

In its written announcement, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder wrote:

“The death of Trayvon Martin was a devastating tragedy.  It shook an entire community, drew the attention of millions across the nation, and sparked a painful but necessary dialogue throughout the country,” said Attorney General Eric Holder.  “Though a comprehensive investigation found that the high standard for a federal hate crime prosecution cannot be met under the circumstances here, this young man’s premature death necessitates that we continue the dialogue and be unafraid of confronting the issues and tensions his passing brought to the surface.  We, as a nation, must take concrete steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future.”

Many of us have experienced that anyone who participates in the necessary dialogue is targeted for destruction by a small group of individuals who believe there is a conspiracy which they call the “BGI.” No one has been destroyed however, and all of their efforts have not stopped the necessary dialogue. The best dialogue I’ve witnessed has taken place on this blog respectfully, and between diverse people.   Some of us even have diverse spiritual beliefs, but all of them are based on doing no harm, respecting life, and promoting equality for all regardless of race, gender, sexual preference, age.  

Congress Passed a Bill Addressing Police Killings While No One Was Looking

Let Our Voices Echo

After watching nationwide protests unfold against police brutality, members of Congress did what they have seemed incapable of doing for years: something.

A bill passed by both chambers of Congress and headed to President Barack Obama’s desk will requirelocal law enforcement agencies to report every police shooting and other death at their hands. That data will include each victim’s age, gender and race as well as details about what happened.

“You can’t begin to improve the situation unless you know what the situation is,” bill sponsor Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.) told the Washington Post. “We will now have the data.”

It’s not the first time Congress has tried: The same law was actually passed back in 2000, but was allowed to lapse in 2006 and was never reauthorized (despite repeated attempts by Scott). Because it takes years for enough local departments to start submitting all that data, the original law…

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DOJ releases scathing report on Cleveland police

The Fifth Column

Demonstrators block Public Square in Cleveland, Nov. 25, 2014. (Credit: AP/Tony Dejak)

Salon

On Thursday afternoon, the Department of Justice released a report highlighting a pattern of incompetence among Cleveland’s police officers. The report comes as the city receives national attention for the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice at the hands of a cop who had previously been deemed mentally unfit for the job.

The report reads: “We have concluded that we have reasonable cause to believe that the [Cleveland Division of Police] CDP engages in a pattern or practice of the use of excessive force in violation of the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. We have determined that structural and systemic deficiencies and practices–including insufficient accountability, inadequate training, ineffective policies, and inadequate engagement with the community–contribute to the use of unreasonable force.”

The Huffington Post’s Ryan J. Reilly and Dana Liebelson report:

According to…

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Ferguson Missouri Police Officer Charged and Sued

Some of those who support Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson wonder why the Department of Justice came so quickly to Ferguson, Missouri after Wilson killed Michael Brown, including sending delegates to Michael’s funeral. It’s because of an accumulation of complaints filed with the DOJ that allege and demonstrate a pattern of violations of civil rights, such as the one involving Ferguson police officer Jaris Hayden.

Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson

On October 9, 2013, Ferguson police officer Jaris Hayden stopped a pregnant woman for a traffic violation. On November 12, 2014, the tables were turned and Hayden was arrested. He faces four felony charges, including sexual contact with a prisoner and acceding to corruption by a public servant. Hayden is free on a $10,000 bail.

DNA analysis confirmed pubic hair on the inmate from Ferguson police officer Jaris Hayden.

Federal Grand Jury Scheduled To Hear Evidence On George Zimmerman

Frank Taaffe

The other day, a photo of a subpoena made its way around Twitter  from Frank Taaffe to Nancy Grace. I decided to wait for confirmation before reporting it. Today, Orlando Sentinel reports that the federal grand jury is scheduled to hear witnesses, and that Frank Taaffe has indeed, been subpoenaed to testify.

For those not familiar;

Trayvon Martin

On February 26, 2012, George Zimmerman killed 17-year old Trayvon Martin, shooting him in the heart. It started with Zimmerman making a “suspicious person” call to the non-emergency number (NEN) of the police department.   While Zimmerman was on the phone, Trayvon ran. Zimmerman got out of his truck and followed Trayvon. Minutes later, Trayvon was dead with Zimmerman claiming self-defense.

Frank Taaffe became the main advocate for Zimmerman, alleging that Zimmerman had rights to racially profile Trayvon because there was a group of Black teens in the community committing crimes.

A jury of 5 White women and 1 Latina acquitted Zimmerman. The initial aggressor part of self-defense law was omitted from the jury instructions. During deliberations, Taaffe told Nancy Grace where the jury stood on voting, and it turned out to be true. Taaffe did not say how he obtained the information.

DOJ Responds To “Leaks” In Darren Wilson Investigation

Michael Brown’s mom at her son’s funeral

I choose not to use the phrase “Michael Brown case.” The reason why is because Michael Brown is not under investigation. He is deceased and thus, there is no case that can be filed against him. The investigation is into the acts of Darren Wilson, the Ferguson, MO police officer currently on paid vacation because he killed Michael Brown.

A “leak” that Darren Wilson testified before the grand jury came out weeks ago. Now, the St. Louis County’s Medical Examiners autopsy has become public, followed by another “leak” of Darren Wilson’s side of the story. Some are trying to mold Wilson’s story into their interpretation of Mike’s autopsy.

Michael Brown’s dad at his son’s funeral.

Those who know me no doubt know that I seldom get involved analyzing autopsies. I keep it simple, only discussing those things that are logically understood. In our circle of warriors are nurses, and they are able to explain medical findings in laymen terms.

That is why I can’t help but gag when people who have no education in medical science, no education in criminal forensics, and don’t know their right from their left, purport that Mike’s autopsy confirms Wilson’s story.

(I say they don’t know their right from their left because, after the independent autopsy was released showing that Mike was shot on the right side of his body, those supporting Wilson circulated an autopsy photo that had the shots on the left side of Mike’s body.)

Oh – and let me add that they have no logic whatsoever. Effectively, we don’t need to know the details of what happened in Wilson’s vehicle because what happened there did not result in Michael Brown’s death.

It was after Wilson got out of his vehicle and shot at a fleeing Mike, that we question if it was reasonable. Once Mike ran, Wilson’s self-defense claim goes out of the window – PERIOD. 

By all eyewitness accounts, Wilson shot at Michael as he ran away, and continued shooting him as Michael stopped running, and turned around with his hands in the air surrendering.

Please allow me to add this; the leaked side of Wilson’s story is that he was unable to fire his gun more than twice while in the vehicle, because Mike was holding down the mechanism to prevent it from firing. Logically, that sounds like a young man more interested in not being shot again, rather than taking the gun.  Even the leaked story that Michael hit Wilson so hard to almost knock him unconsciousness indicates that Michael was fighting for his life — not for the gun to end Wilson’s life.