Late Monday, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch announced that a grand jury had voted it would not indict police Officer Darren Wilson in the August death of Michael Brown in Ferguson. Protests began soon after the announcement in Ferguson and St. Louis, followed by acts of arson and violence.
Tuesday on "St. Louis on the Air," we tried to get a better idea of how the communities are reacting and what is planned.
Guests
- Patricia Bynes (@patricialicious), Democratic committeewoman of Ferguson Township;
- David Klinger, criminal justice professor at the University of Missouri–St. Louis and a former Los Angeles police officer;
- The Rev. F. Willis Johnson (@FWillisJohnson), pastor of Wellspring Church in Ferguson;
- Archbishop Robert Carlson (@abp_carlson), archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis;
- Christopher Shearman, president of the South Grand Community Improvement District;
- St. Louis Public Radio reporters Chris McDaniel (@csmcdaniel) and Nancy Fowler (@NancyFowlerSTL).
Highlights from Tuesday's conversations:
"This is just absolutely devastating," @Patricialicious says. She says police officers didn't act during fires. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"This certainly isn't justice. I don't think anybody deserved this," @Patricialicious says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"I don't expect this to be just one night. I think we need to look and see if this happens again. It's unfortunate," @Patricialicious says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"Please don't just sit back and let the rest of the city burn," @Patricialicious says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"What I can do is reach out to the community that was devastated by this that was not involved in burning things," @Patricialicious says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"This is beyond heartbreaking. I almost don't have words for this," @Patricialicious says of last night's reaction to #FergusonDecision.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"I'm not quite sure what clergy could do," @Patricialicious says. The people who burn things aren't going to church Sunday, she says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
.@csmcdaniel has been combing through the grand jury evidence. You can too: http://t.co/DfqfYlyMLq #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
There are more than 5,000 documents and @csmcdaniel says he's been through about 600 so far. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
Wilson testified that Brown was a threat even when he was running away. https://t.co/E7mjJaTtTv pic.twitter.com/Pycf6nuRM5
— Chris McDaniel (@csmcdaniel) November 25, 2014
Wilson on why he believed he had to take out his gun: https://t.co/Jafu2p0rhK pic.twitter.com/088VDh9KMC
— Chris McDaniel (@csmcdaniel) November 25, 2014
The grand jury asks Wilson about his hospital visit: pic.twitter.com/ASZEAfpgKb
— Chris McDaniel (@csmcdaniel) November 25, 2014
Wilson says the first two times he pulled the trigger, nothing happened. https://t.co/r8zDUzk9Lo pic.twitter.com/QglkTuuyGX
— Chris McDaniel (@csmcdaniel) November 25, 2014
After the struggle in the car, Wilson says Brown runs. pic.twitter.com/rhU6QwOHRn
— Chris McDaniel (@csmcdaniel) November 25, 2014
As a police officer, David Klinger shot and killed a man who had stabbed his partner.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
It was "the most critical few seconds of my life," David Klinger says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"I continue to be not only disappointed, but after walking through the community today ... even more saddened," @FWillisJohnson says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"You can't help but just ask why," @FWillisJohnson says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"We've been saying don't riot, don't loot. We've been saying we need to be respectful," @FWillisJohnson says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"There was clergy present" last night, @FWillisJohnson says. "We were providing resource and respite." #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
When he returned to #Ferguson, "I was met by armored vehicles and officers," @FWillisJohnson says, and was unable to get to his home.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"There's a higher moral road we can take and ground we can achieve," @FWillisJohnson says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
Judge warned grand jury against doing independent investigation. Told them to ask for info. https://t.co/TR03oBztyl pic.twitter.com/Bx2TrTky5O
— Brent Jones (@brentajones) November 25, 2014
#DarrenWilson described #MichaelBrown as "superhuman," @csmcdaniel says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
Inbox: @GovJayNixon issues statement, plans use of additional Mo. Nat. Guard resources #Ferguson #FergusonDecision pic.twitter.com/kxGBfUbxvL
— STL Public Radio (@stlpublicradio) November 25, 2014
"We were up in Ferguson having a prayer service actually before the announcement," @abp_carlson says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"In the long-range, you want to encourage people to deal with the issues behind the issue," @abp_carlson says of the clergy's role.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"In the long run, if we're going to deal with systemic racism, we have to listen to each other," @abp_carlson says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"We have to continue to pray because God can do things we can't," @abp_carlson says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
.@abp_carlson will celebrate Mass for Peace & Justice @cathedralstlmo, 5pm. All are welcome. Live stream and info at http://t.co/zUNSiqDU9y
— Archdiocese of STL (@archstl) November 25, 2014
.@NancyFowlerSTL was at the news conference held by @TheRevAl and #MichaelBrown’s family. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
.@TheRevAl: "(Grand jury) has broken out hearts but not our back."
— Nancy Fowler (@NancyFowlerSTL) November 25, 2014
.@TheRevAl has scheduled a civil rights meeting next week in Washington, D.C., @NancyFowlerSTL says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
.@TheRevAl compares Wilson finding to initial acquittal in Rodney King.
— Nancy Fowler (@NancyFowlerSTL) November 25, 2014
.@TheRevAl: "This is not our first rodeo, McCulloch" referencing next federal step, Rodney King and others.
— Nancy Fowler (@NancyFowlerSTL) November 25, 2014
"You could see just pillars of smoke" in #Ferguson this morning, @NancyFowlerSTL says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
Since early this morning, people have been working to clean up after last night's protests and destruction, @NancyFowlerSTL says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
.@NancyFowlerSTL met a family that was cleaning up. The father told her "there's a lot more than glass broken here." #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"We had so many people out last night showing their support for South Grand, for the neighborhood," Christopher Shearman says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
Regardless of the grand jury decision, protests were planned on South Grand, Christopher Shearman says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
There was broken glass and vandalism last night on South Grand, Christopher Shearman says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
More demonstrations are expected tonight on South Grand, Christopher Shearman says. He says people are supporting the neighborhood.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
#DarrenWilson testified that he did not have a Taser and that he usually didn't carry one because it was too clunky, @csmcdaniel says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
Tasers have come under fire from civil liberties groups as a torture device, David Klinger says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"Tasers are not 100 percent. Gunfire is not 100 percent," David Klinger says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
#DarrenWilson was carrying mace and a baton, @csmcdaniel says. #FergusonDecision
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
"Most police officers are never confronted with a situation where someone is going to try to kill them," David Klinger says.
— St. Louis on the Air (@STLonAir) November 25, 2014
Wilson didn't think he needed to go to the hospital until his assistant chief said he should. https://t.co/CaPK2eUl64 pic.twitter.com/l6EMIYDtBB
— Chris McDaniel (@csmcdaniel) November 25, 2014
“St. Louis on the Air” discusses issues and concerns facing the St. Louis area. The show is produced by Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer and hosted by veteran journalist Don Marsh. Follow us on Twitter: @STLonAir.
