Grand jury in Ferguson case reaches decision, prosecutor’s office says
From FOXNews.com
“A grand jury reached a decision Monday in the case against the Ferguson police officer who shot and killed an unarmed black teenager in August, touching off nationwide protests and cries of police brutality.
The Office of the Prosecuting Attorney in St. Louis County, Mo., said the decision would be revealed at 9 p.m. ET, though gave no indication whether Darren Wilson would be charged in the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
As the nation awaited the announcement, authorities quickly stepped up security at the downtown courthouse in the St. Louis County seat of Clayton. Barricades were erected around the building, and more than 20 Missouri state troopers were seen silently assembling with rifles, 3-foot batons, riot shields and other equipment. Some nearby businesses boarded up their windows, just as many shops have already done near the site of Brown’s death in Ferguson.
Speaking at the University of Missouri-St. Louis Monday evening, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon urged peace and said authorities were prepared to deal with possible protests.
“While none of us knows what that will be, our shared hope and expectation is that regardless of the decision, people on all sides show tolerance, mutual respect, and restraint,” he said. “Together we are all focused that the necessary resources are on hand to protect lives, protect property and protect free speech.”
The 12-person grand jury — which is comprised of nine whites and three blacks — has been meeting in secret once a week for months, hearing evidence from a wide variety of witnesses as it decides whether Wilson’s should face charges that could range from involuntary manslaughter to murder. The grand jurors could decide not to charge Wilson at all.”
