Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon has called for the “vigorous prosecution” of the white police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, an 18-year old black man. This comes just days after he made shameful comments about the Ferguson police on NBC’s Meet the Press, Aug. 17, 2014, reported in my post, “He didn’t bother nobody.”
The governor’s press representative claimed that the governor was not prejudging the police officer, who may have acted in self-defense. Yet, in the governor’s scripted message, he called for the need to achieve justice for the family of the slain man, while referring to the shooting as having taken place in broad daylight; the last description newsmen say is normally used for criminal investigations. So much for the presumption of innocence.
Nixon’s aggressive posture leads one to believe he is currying favor with those seeking the arrest of the police officer. It comes as a grand jury is about to meet to consider the incident. Democrats running for office in the Republican-leaning Missouri need the support of black voters to get elected.
Pressure is also on another Democrat, Bob McCulloch, St. Louis County prosecutor. Those seeking justice for Brown are concerned that McCulloch comes from a police family. His father was killed 50 years ago in the line of duty by a black suspect. State and local Democrat Party members want him to step aside.
To make matters worse, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is now inserting himself in the Ferguson case at the request of President Obama, who said he has to be careful not to prejudge these events. Really! He didn’t send Holder to investigate the killings of Border Patrolmen Brian Terry and Javier Vega Jr.
Holder even requested a third autopsy of Michael Brown, who had already been embalmed, as if not to trust the St. Louis County coroner and Dr. Michael Baden, who represented the Brown family.
Forensics pathologist Shawn Parcells, who assisted with Dr. Michael Baden’s autopsy of Michael Brown, with his hands in the surrender position at the autopsy briefing. How could right arm wounds be identical with hands up and hands down? (Joe Raedle photo/Getty Images)
Regarding the Baden autopsy and his televised comments, put me down as a skeptic. Perhaps I have seen too many episodes of CSI and NCIS, but when Baden said the gunshot wounds in the arms would be the same if Brown’s arms were elevated as if in a “hands up” or surrender position, I was surprised. He also said one or more wounds could have been received with Brown’s back to the shooter. What ever happened to the ability to detect entrance and exit wounds? Examine the accompanying photo and note the position of the arms of Baden’s assistant, and see if you agree.
I invite you to read the exhaustive findings in the killing of President Kennedy to dispel the theory of a shooter in the grassy knoll.
Let’s hope that police officer Darren Wilson can get a fair hearing in the prejudged atmosphere of Ferguson.
