Reverend Al and Ben Crump getting air time again.

[Big Dave2]

I'm certainly not against anyone exercising their right to stockpile guns, ammo etc. Practically speaking I can't imagine myself fending off a large contingent of people if they rushed my house even with a stockpile. I'm sure I could hold them off for some amount of time but eventually does one individual have the training, skill, mentality to really accomplish this? I suppose if you were in the military you'd have been trained for this but for John Q Public? At least for me I'm no Jason Bourne. Sounds like a romantic thought of protecting my family but like I said is this thought even practical?

Probably don't need a whole lot of training to fend off a few dumb thugs trying to enter your house. You're gonna need a whole lot more training to fend them off with words than you are with a gun.

[Sandmannd]

It's pretty sick what this idiots are doing to their own town. Even sicker that the President sticks up for them.

[PurpleFloyd]

[leechlake]

I realize the parents have lost their son and that is terrible. What I don't understand is that after the DA explained at length the evidence, refuted media reports and social media reports that the parents wouldn't have an "ah ha" moment and realize that their son robbed a store and then got in an altercation with a police officer and those things ultimately led to his death.

It may be a terrible comparison but if my now 15 year old got in trouble (by trouble I mean acting up in class in a disruptive way for example not robbing a store, pretty minor) mom and dad always first side with the authority figure or in my example the school. We then get to the bottom of it by asking him what happened but we also question/interrogate him at length to make sure his story "adds up." In most cases we'd find out he was wrong and then force him to apologize to the teacher and it dang well better not happen again. In my example, I figure teachers put up with stuff to a point but if they contact you then it is a true disruptive problem and you handle it.

The attitude that "my son wouldn't do that" just seems to enable your kid to go from problem to problem realizing mom and dad (if there even is two parents)will cover for your actions. Next thing you know the problems you are getting into are big ones.

[Big Dave2]

I agree with you but if the parents and all the protesters believe in their hearts there was a cover-up by "the man", nothing is going to change their minds.

[BuckSutherland]

While I dont excuse the rioters I have to side with some of the legitimate concerns. Even with this guy being a scumbag and reaching for the gun, etc and then running away. Then the copper gets out and shoots 10 more times??? Surely someone as well trained as a police officer could have shot this guy in the leg or something and totally stopped him. It was overboard to blow his head off, and then they let the guy lay there in the street for 4 hours+ while they investigate?? Cmon, nobody there have any common sense?? The copper was pi$$3d cause he got his @$$ kicked plain and simple.

When Byron Smith did the same thing to Nick Brady in his Little Falls basement it was 1st degree murder. They both kept shooting until the threat was gone. One is a murderer, the other a hero both shooting at someone committing a felony.

[pushbutton]

No doubt ......when Baby Huey went after him in the car the cop was well within his rights. Think it gets sketchy after that, but none of us not being there, could know for sure what happened. Glad I don't have that job, nor would I take it.

[leechlake]

my 14 year old daughter asked me last night why he didn't just shoot him in the leg. I believe that officers are taught that if they are going to shoot they shoot to kill not to wing someone like John Wayne. I'd also assume that even a trained officer with a pistol under those adrenaline charged circumstances isn't exactly going to have sniper like accuracy. Most cops never shoot their gun in their career except at the gun range not under stressful and life threatening conditions.

[Slabasaurus]

I don't get it. Why not announce during daylight. Not saying I'm right. Just don't understand the strategy.

They've messed up at EVERY step along the way with this incident, why change now?

[Sandmannd]

my 14 year old daughter asked me last night why he didn't just shoot him in the leg. I believe that officers are taught that if they are going to shoot they shoot to kill not to wing someone like John Wayne. I'd also assume that even a trained officer with a pistol under those adrenaline charged circumstances isn't exactly going to have sniper like accuracy. Most cops never shoot their gun in their career except at the gun range not under stressful and life threatening conditions.

I'm not a cop but know a few. I've always been told they are trained to shoot for center mass. That's where you are most likely to hit. If you look at the targets they shoot at it's all upper body and head. I've never seen a target where it's legs and arms, not a high percentage shot.

I will guarantee I will never be shot in by a cop. Know how I know that? Cause if a cop tells me to stop I stop. If he ever draws a gun, I may [PoorWordUsage] a little, but I dang well stop.

[upnorth]

my 14 year old daughter asked me last night why he didn't just shoot him in the leg. I believe that officers are taught that if they are going to shoot they shoot to kill not to wing someone like John Wayne. I'd also assume that even a trained officer with a pistol under those adrenaline charged circumstances isn't exactly going to have sniper like accuracy. Most cops never shoot their gun in their career except at the gun range not under stressful and life threatening conditions.

Exactly. Adrenaline and emotions run high in a situation like that. I think some people watch too many cop shows.

[leechlake]

and the kid was charging the officer per the Grand Jury and witnesses and the officer. I've been in one non hockey related fight in my life. The guy was pretty tough and I probably should have got it handed to me. I ended up busting his head into a window, fight over. Even though that was 25 years ago I can't comprehend that in a "sane" moment I would do that to someone under any circumstances but I'm sitting at my computer right now not in the heat of a situation.

The young man made some poor decisions starting at the convenience store and things went south from there. I'm sure if you asked the officer his wishes the young man would have just complied, been arrested, and the system would take care of it from there. Probably did that 100's of times with little incident.

[Slabasaurus]

If Obama thinks of going to Ferguson, he should hope there is a town left after his brothers get done doing what they do best. What a bunch of losers to say the least. R u proud of your kin Obama???

[leechlake]

noticed that one too. Surprised me a lot. I am a white guy and when I comment on these things I'm always concerned whether I am being racist or if my thoughts and opinions aren't race related. I'd like to think the latter but always realize that I haven't experienced life as a black person. If I typed that and if it really was meant as some of us think it does I'd have to do some soul searching and admit I'm a racist or at the minimum chose some really poor words.

[delcecchi]

While I dont excuse the rioters I have to side with some of the legitimate concerns. Even with this guy being a scumbag and reaching for the gun, etc and then running away. Then the copper gets out and shoots 10 more times??? Surely someone as well trained as a police officer could have shot this guy in the leg or something and totally stopped him. It was overboard to blow his head off, and then they let the guy lay there in the street for 4 hours+ while they investigate?? Cmon, nobody there have any common sense?? The copper was pi$$3d cause he got his @$$ kicked plain and simple.

When Byron Smith did the same thing to Nick Brady in his Little Falls basement it was 1st degree murder. They both kept shooting until the threat was gone. One is a murderer, the other a hero both shooting at someone committing a felony.

The guy was NOT running away. He was running towards the police officer. How do you propose to stop a 6-3 250 pound guy running at you if you are a regular size guy? He didn't have a tazer, btw. The guy had already tried once to grab the officer's gun as shown by the grazing wound with soot imbedded in his hand.

[tacklejunkie]

While I dont excuse the rioters I have to side with some of the legitimate concerns. Even with this guy being a scumbag and reaching for the gun, etc and then running away. Then the copper gets out and shoots 10 more times??? Surely someone as well trained as a police officer could have shot this guy in the leg or something and totally stopped him. It was overboard to blow his head off, and then they let the guy lay there in the street for 4 hours+ while they investigate?? Cmon, nobody there have any common sense?? The copper was pi$$3d cause he got his @$$ kicked plain and simple.

When Byron Smith did the same thing to Nick Brady in his Little Falls basement it was 1st degree murder. They both kept shooting until the threat was gone. One is a murderer, the other a hero both shooting at someone committing a felony.

Are you normally this ignorant or is it just a Sillytown thing? No autopsy showed any shots fired in the back. All were head on. That, and eyewitnesses statements of Brown charging the cop, tells me, based on the evidence, Wilson was 100% within his rights to fire as many shots as it took to put him down

[Scott K]

Evidence

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/ferguso...ting/ar-BBfNcvg

[BuckSutherland]

I guess I have to go through the WHOLE story for some of you simple-mind dolts. I completely get that he WAS NOT shot in the back.

I understand that there was a struggle for the gun inside the car. Gun goes off twice, big Mike shot in the finger or something. Big Mike starts to run away and copper gets out of vehicle and yells at him. Big Mike turns around and stops. Hands in the air copper yelling at him. Now I have heard they were up to 150 ft apart and as little as 50-90 ft with blood all over to prove it. Not sure. Copper says more stuff and big Mike comes toward him full of p and vinegar. Copper shoots up to 5 times hitting big Mike and he stops. Then once more he starts to come toward him again and copper shoots 5 more times. The last two being in the chest and then in the forehead.

Ten shots seems to be overkill, especially the shot to the head, and especially leaving him lay in the street half the day.

Byron Smith shot some guy in the dark in HIS basement and kept shooting until the threat from that person was gone, not knowing what was upstairs walking around and he is a murderer. I wont dispute that he murdered the girl.

At the very least the cop should have went to trial.

[BuckSutherland]

Quote:

The distance from the front wheel of the officer’s SUV to Mr. Brown’s body was 153 feet, 9 inches, an investigator said. Farther away from the car, the investigator showed with photographs, were two blood-spatter patterns – evidence showing that Mr. Brown was moving toward the officer, and the car, when he was killed in the second flurry of shots.

The medical examiner described the succession of bullet wounds to the chest and face that, in his view, would not have immediately incapacitated Mr. Brown. The prosecutors repeatedly questioned the doctor about this, driving home that Mr. Brown could have still been mobile after the initial several shots.

They seemed intent on emphasizing this point, which supports Officer Wilson’s description of Brown lunging toward him despite serious wounds.

A final shot through the top of Mr. Brown’s head, the medical experts all agreed, brought him down almost instantly

.

A final shot to through the TOP of the head???? That would imply that big Mike was already going down and the threat was stopped when the kill shot was fired. The shot to the chest stopped him and he was going down leaning forward to have the TOP of his head blown off. These losers giving all these different accounts of the story are what sank the indictment.

[Juneau4]

I guess I have to go through the WHOLE story for some of you simple-mind dolts. I completely get that he WAS NOT shot in the back.

I understand that there was a struggle for the gun inside the car. Gun goes off twice, big Mike shot in the finger or something. Big Mike starts to run away and copper gets out of vehicle and yells at him. Big Mike turns around and stops. Hands in the air copper yelling at him. Now I have heard they were up to 150 ft apart and as little as 50-90 ft with blood all over to prove it. Not sure. Copper says more stuff and big Mike comes toward him full of p and vinegar. Copper shoots up to 5 times hitting big Mike and he stops. Then once more he starts to come toward him again and copper shoots 5 more times. The last two being in the chest and then in the forehead.

Ten shots seems to be overkill, especially the shot to the head, and especially leaving him lay in the street half the day.

Byron Smith shot some guy in the dark in HIS basement and kept shooting until the threat from that person was gone, not knowing what was upstairs walking around and he is a murderer. I wont dispute that he murdered the girl.

At the very least the cop should have went to trial.

Comparing the Smith case to the one in Ferguson is like comparing an egg to an orange.

The policeman did go to trial and was judged by 12 of his peers (who were selected in May) that it was a justifiable homicide after hearing testimony and going over many evidential reports on physical evidence.

[harvey lee]

If this needs to be explained in regards to my comment about Obama and his kin, I am truly sick and tired of him defending what they do. I truly believe Obama sent Holder to Ferguson to show he was all for making sure the law did the correct thing with the Brown kid. I might assume that most states do follow the law of the land.

Yes, it is too bad this had to end this way but does the Pres send out Holder when a white person gets shot to make sure every law is covered? have not heard of that yet.

Mr Obama did the same thing with Travon Martin not long ago.

Have not noticed Obama on the tube when any white person was in trouble trying to tell others to settle down.

[BuckSutherland]

He didnt go to trial, not even close. There were no lawyers arguing a case. Just a huge pile of data collected by the county att. dumped on a table for 12 people to sift through.

You tell me how a 6'4" guy can get a bullet hole ON TOP of his head from a much shorter cop shooting on the level if he wasnt already going down and the threat already stopped.

[harvey lee]

I would agree that the officer may not have had to fill the kid full of lead to stop him when he was already down. That was a little excessive but I guess I was not there to know why he did what he did. fear can do funny things.

With that said, people who are on drugs can do weird things and can get a bit crazy, that's if he was on some drug like reported.

[B-man715]

So if you are shooting at a person to stop them......

How much time passed from him being upright to falling while being shot?

A tenth of a second??? A quarter second???

If you are shooting rapidly to stop a threat, I can completely understand how the target could have taken one to the dome on the way down.

I would have done the exact same thing the officer did..... even if the perp was black....white...... green...... blue...... Or yellow in skin color.

[harvey lee]

I would agree B man.

It is easy to say the cop did this when he should have done that, but, we have to remember we were not the one attacked and we would not know how we would react if this happened to each one of us.

Guess we will never know until it happened and hopefully no one will ever have to go through that.

[Juneau4]

He didnt go to trial, not even close. There were no lawyers arguing a case. Just a huge pile of data collected by the county att. dumped on a table for 12 people to sift through.

You tell me how a 6'4" guy can get a bullet hole ON TOP of his head from a much shorter cop shooting on the level if he wasnt already going down and the threat already stopped.

You can pull a trigger rapidly, he probably was going down but the trigger finger couldn't be stopped. If he would have been down the bullet would have been either in the back of the head or somewhere else. All of the shooting after the first shot probably didn't last 10 seconds. When a charging animal or individual that intends to bodily harm - you shoot until its off its feet.

[PurpleFloyd]

If he already had a shot fired at him, was over 150' away and knew the officer was armed yet still proceeded to come at him then my sympathy is gone.

before that bullet went through his head he had several opportunities to stop,turn around and not get shot in the head.

I am generally wary at best when it comes to police but this one doesn't draw any sympathy from me.

[harvey lee]

I can see how some of these kids end up in the trouble they do as some live in some pretty tough areas of this country. I also realize it would be best for all concerned if the family would move to a better area and hopefully get their family away from the temptations and the gangs and drugs.

But some have lived in these areas all of their lives and maybe know nothing better, I do not know but, moving out into a better neighborhood I am sure would help a lot of these kids that get into the trouble they do.

Again, that is easier said than done for most.

Some parents simply need to raise and teach their kids better than they do, just maybe then these type incidents could be less.

[Bigsmitty]

So if you are shooting at a person to stop them......

How much time passed from him being upright to falling while being shot?

A tenth of a second??? A quarter second???

If you are shooting rapidly to stop a threat, I can completely understand how the target could have taken one to the dome on the way down.

I would have done the exact same thing the officer did..... even if the perp was black....white...... green...... blue...... Or yellow in skin color.

+1 Well Put B-Man.

[chasineyes]

I would hope everyone knows that this is a product of our new society. We have gone so far from having respect, morals, values, ethics in this country that this is what we are left with. I'm sure I'll get beaten for this but maybe if there was a little more Adrian Peterson type punishment for these little brats this might not happen. (Not that you need to make your child bleed!) Or maybe we put these brats in suspension rooms in schools instead of sending them HOME. Or maybe we let the teacher slap the little brat who is smarting off in school or least really punish them. But then again IF these kids say hell with school and drop out, not to worry, we've created another safety net for them. And heavens for bid we actually start to VALUE what a FAMILY means and start focusing on what it takes to RAISE a family and start telling folks to stop knocking up every thing they see. But after all WE have created these awesome "safety" nets for EVERYONES bad behaviour. So in other words... carry on.