Ferguson case shines light on grand jury system
A Ferguson grand jury’s controversial decision on Monday has shed light on the judicial system in the U.S.
A grand jury in Ferguson, Missouri, decided not to indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for shooting and killing unarmed teen Michael Brown. The decision has lead to demonstrations across the country. Protesters burned down businesses and lit cars on fire overnight in the St. Louis suburb.
The St. Louis Country Prosecutor who made the announcement urged the public to trust the grand jury. He said the group of 12 people has seen all the facts.
States have different protocols when it comes to utilizing a grand jury. El Paso and Teller counties’ District Attorney, Dan May, explained in Colorado it’s at the prosecutor’s discretion.
He said he primarily uses grand juries for cold cases, self defense cases and officer-involved shootings. Back in 2011, he asked a grand jury to weigh in on an officer-involved shooting in El Paso County. The grand jury found the officer was justified.
May said he finds that if a grand jury will indict a person, a jury will later find that person guilty. At the same time, if a grand jury chooses not to indict someone, a jury will later find that person not guilty. He said that is why a grand jury can be an effective tool.
“Why waste a year or two efforts preparing for trial when we can find out up front what our citizens think,” said May.
May said a grand jury operates as a separate entity. There are investigators that its members can call on to collect more evidence. The grand jury can also subpoena information that law enforcement agencies might have a more difficult time getting a hold of in an investigation. Also, people can refuse to talk to police officers but they can’t refuse to speak with a grand jury.
“If I might have a gang murder, or some other gang crime, where there is a code of silence, we can put people in front of the grand jury and force them to talk so at least we can find out what happened and break that code of silence,” said May.
Protesters outside of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday they are outraged by the Ferguson grand jury’s decision.
“It cements what I believe and I believe that I need to make this type of change. I think this is very wrong, it’s an injustice that is going on,” said demonstrator Nebeu Abraha.
On Tuesday, the National Bar Association’s president, Pamela Meanes, said in a press release that the organization is not pleased with the grand jury’s decision.
Meanes called for the federal government to open an investigation into Wilson’s actions and charge him federally with a crime.
