Police Officer Who Killed Michael Brown Won’t Face Charges

Darren Wilson, the former officer in Ferguson, Missouri, who, in 2014 fatally shot Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teenager, will not face any charges, the Washington Post reports.

St. Louis County’s top prosecutor, Wesley Bell, said at a news conference on Thursday that his office investigated the case, including witness statements, forensic reports and other evidence, over five months and decided there was not enough evidence to bring charges against Wilson.

“The only question is whether we can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a crime occurred,” Bell said at the conference. “The answer to that question is no.”

Related Story: Shooting Death of Unarmed Teen in Wis. Leads to Protests; Police Chief Apologizes

The 2014 shooting sparked protests across the state when it was revealed that Wilson chased Brown down the street and shot the young man at least six times. Wilson claimed he killed Brown in self-defense.

The Justice Department has also declined to press charges.

The killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, also at the hands of police officers, continues to spark protests across the country as the officers who were involved try to get their charges dismissed.

Former officer Tou Thao’s defense lawyer will ask the judge to dismiss the charges against his client at a hearing on Sept. 11, the Press Herald reports. Video from the scene shows Thao and two other officers, Thomas Lane and J. Kueng, standing by as Floyd said he couldn’t breathe while pinned to the ground under former officer Derek Chauvin’s knee.

Lane’s lawyer also requested that his case be dismissed.

Chauvin is charged with second-degree murder, third-degree murder and manslaughter, as well as tax evasion. Thao, Lane and Kueng are charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder and manslaughter. All four officers were fired.

Last week, the Washington Post reported that a Minnesota judge lifted a gag order in the criminal case against the four men.

In order to honor Floyd, his family gathered on Tuesday in Virginia to see a hologram transposed over a statue of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee as part of the George Floyd Hologram Memorial Project.

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