The Murder Of Michael Brown

The shooting of sparked a nation-wide movement not only demanding justice for Mike Brown, but also protesting the racial discrimination deeply embedded in the criminal justice system as well as various institutions in the larger American society. Furthermore, jfdkjfjdakljk something about international recognition. Similar protests and riots have been springing up in other cities since 1960s, and police killings of unarmed black men happen once every 28 hours (Kahle, 2014). However, Michael Brown’s killing has led to the most sustained uprising against police violence in at least two decades, centered among the African American residents of Ferguson, and has rallied significant nationwide support as well as international attention (Kahle, 2014; Taylor, 2014). The killing of Michael Brown is by no means an isolated event, and presence of racial tensions, especially in the St. Louis area, was already present long before. The large-scale pushback that the killing of Michael Brown has set in motion, then, seems to have been the last straw, prompting the eruption of decades of pent up frustration at a racist and oppressive system. That being said, what are the previous straws that have slowly pushed the black community in Ferguson to the breaking point? What are the factors that have caused these tensions to boil over and erupt into such a large-scale upheaval? This paper will explore some of the

In the summer of 2014, 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. After the shooting, there had been conflicting reports by police and eyewitnesses about what exactly happened. Officer Wilson insist Brown was confrontational throughout the encounter, while eyewitnesses say Brown has his hands up trying to surrender before he was shot and killed. Following the Grand jury’s decision not to indict officer Wilson over the shooting of Michael Brown and similar cases of officer-involved shootings and brutality such as the death of Eric Garden in Staten Island, New York, politicians, family advocates, civil rights activists, and law enforcement officials have called for police across the country to adopt the use of body-worm cameras. Although there are many who feel police body cameras present a challenge to privacy and safety issues for both cops and civilians, by recording police-citizen encounters, it increases transparency and accountability of officers and the video recorded by body cams protect any false accusations, police misconduct, officials can get clear evidence of what happened instead of relying on hearsay.

Just this April, the city’s Police Accountability Task Force found that the Chicago Police Department has “no regard for the sanctity of life when it comes to people of color.” Chicago’s population is 31.7% white, 32.9% Black, 28.9% Latino, and 5.5% Asian. However, the Task Force reported that the city’s police officers shoot Black residents at significantly disproportionate rates. Between 2008 and 2015, of all people injured or killed in police-related shootings, 74% were Black, 14% were Hispanic, 8% were white and less than 1% were Asian. The report found almost identical numbers when it came to statistics regarding the use of Tasers. The report also analyzed all people stopped by police during the summer of 2014 and found they were 72% Black,

The murder of a 14-year old young African American boy named Emmett Till in 1955 resulted in widespread attention to the injustice and violence prevalent in Mississippi. The murder of Emmett Till would resonate for many black Americans, primarily those in the South, who saw no end to white violence. For many, the image of a young boy’s crushed skull demonstrated the reality of the crisis in the South and the mistreatment of blacks, and inspired a new, steadfast fighting spirit. Emmett Till’s murder, which galvanized the emergence of the Civil Rights Movement, struck fear among white individuals as the systems in place began to take a turn. White supremacy was built into the foundation of the United States and as blacks strived to integrate, white Mississippians in turn feared the idea of a black planet and what would ultimately result if the formerly enslaved individuals would gain equal opportunities such as school integration, voting rights, and equal working conditions and how it would disrupt the social dynamic that kept white individuals on top. In addition, fear of sexual relations between races was widespread as white people, primarily white men, felt a sense of responsibility to keep their women pure, just as Bryant did, and feared that black individuals eagerness to integrate was done so in order to further sexual relations with white women, which was both subjugating and violating to white men and women alike.

On August 14, 2014, the infamous case of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, took place. A police officer shot an unarmed black teenager after an incident which was clouded in unclear details. At first, no one really knew whether the officer had been in the right to shoot Brown, or what the circumstances were for either side of the incident. However, eventually, the details started to not matter. The events around Michael Brown’s case became the spark that ignited a nationwide movement to fight against police brutality towards minorities, specifically African Americans. Protesters of police violence toward minorities created a phrase that was used all over the country after Brown’s death: “hands up, don’t shoot”. Many have used the events behind Brown’s death as a springboard to consider what makes a criminal. One side of the issue claims that race directly affects criminality, while others believe class to be the cause of criminality.

With so many incidents occurring between law enforcement and civilians, it’s about time we have our officers wear body cameras. Law enforcement wants to use body cameras, many politicians are in favor for them, Civil-rights groups are advocating them, and communities that already have a strong police presence in their neighborhoods are requesting that the police get cameras now. With the uproar of law enforcement and the death of many black American’s, body cameras can be very useful. There is always that missing link when trying to put these horrible moments back together. Far too many times we end up with the suspect dead and only get one side of the story. With the use of body cameras, we can now get more insight on the events that happen (Boyd, 2015).

The body cameras will record of what occurred and this camera will be the tool which will make it clear whether the officer was justified in using force and also it will prove the fact that the officer was correct. Everyone has a right to act in self defense. The video from the body camera presents an unbiased account of the events. This is a very important fact because nowadays when police officers make an assert of a criminal we see that most of the criminals are African American which makes them biased. The body cameras has no motive to lie and it has no stake in the outcome. It merely records the event as it happens. If a police officer acts lawfully, then he should not be blamed and accused wrongfully. The officers have the right to defend themselves and not suffer the punishment which they do not deserve. The usage of the body camera will not only provide the officers defense but it will be this strongest witness which will not be argued with. There are some drawbacks to the use of body cameras such as privacy concerns for both officers and the citizens when they encounter each other. The storage of data capturing images of innocent people, the possible tampering with the images, and the

Since these events, however, law enforcement body cameras have been the talk of the nation. With regards to the case concerning the death of Michael Brown, many individuals across the country sternly believe that if there had been actual footage of the shooting that day, Officer Wilson would have been indicted for his actions. With that said, since this specific incident, 30 out of 54 Ferguson police officers have actually began wearing body cameras (Ponsi). Some proponents argue that body cameras will not help to indict officers or even hold them accountable for their actions. These individuals, of course, refer to the death of Eric Garner as an example of this.

On Saturday August 9, 2014 in the town of Ferguson, Missouri, an 18 year old man named Michael Brown was shot ten times and killed by a police officer. The police officer’s name is Darren Wilson. He was 28 years old at the time this tragic even took place. Many Americans, both black and white believe that officer Wilson is guilty of first degree murder when he shot Michael Brown, and other Americans believe he acted in self-defense. Because of the fact that the officer is white and Michael Brown was black, the case has stirred up plenty of controversy and differences in opinions nationwide.

”(Police Cameras). On the other hand with the new president coming into offices. It will make it more easy for corrupt police officers to abuse their authorities even more. Not only will they have more reason to pull over African Americans and Hispanic but, it will make it more easy for them to get away with racial profiling. Therefore this is a reason on why police officers should wear body cameras and make it mandatory for them to wear it.

Every year around four hundred black people are killed by police (Lee). Most of the police officers killing these people are white. This is not a new thing, white officers killing black people has been happening for many years. The most recent killings of black people have resulted in anger from the public and many riots and protests have occurred. One death that caused many riots and protests was the death of Michael Brown. Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri. In Missouri many riots occurred, as well as many riots and protests across the country. Many people are angry, they don’t think this sort of thing should be happening in 2015. To prevent more black people from getting killed by police officers, there needs to be better watch on officers, like body cameras.

Former NFL Star, Heisman trophy winner, Orenthal James Simpson, better known as O.J. Simpson, has a lengthy history of encounters with law enforcement. He was incarcerated when he was fifteen for gang related fighting (“O.J. Simpson” Contemporary). In 1989 he pleaded no contest to beating and threatening to kill Nicole Brown, his wife at the time, and faced minimal consequences (Mydens). In 1995, after a yearlong criminal trial, he was acquitted of the murder of Nicole Brown and her friend Ron Goldman, and later found liable for the murders in a civil case in 1997. His final account with the law, that defined his destiny, was in 2007 when he was arrested in Las Vegas on ten felony charges. The final case went to trial in 2008, when he was

From time to time, the lynching of the blacks has never been cleared. Below is the case that clearly shows the insufficient reason why this young teenager was killed. An article “Timeline: Michael Brown shooting in Ferguson, Mo.”, from the “USA Today” news describes the death of Michael Brown, an eighteen year old teenager who was shot by a police officer. Brown was shot after the robbery case had happened in a convenience store.

Michael Brown, Tamir Rice, and Eric Garner are a few of the victims of police brutality. All of them died in the hands of policemen because they posed a “threat” and due to the color of their skin, they were seen as dangerous. Even when they pleaded for their lives, the police did not care and continued to murder them. Rice, a 12-year-old boy, was shot because two police officers received a dispatch, “of a black male sitting on a swing and pointing a gun at people,” but instead of handling the situation correctly, as soon as they arrived they shot him. By the time they realized the gun was a toy gun, it was too late. Rice had no time to react, let alone offer an explanation. Tamir Rice died at the hospital the following day. Furthermore, as of May 2017, “at least 492 people have lost their lives at the hands of American police… At least three different unarmed 15-year-old black boys have been shot and killed by law enforcement in this past month alone” (Daily News). The fact that 492 people have lost their lives due to police brutality is outrageous especially when among them are young people of color. A study published by the American Journal of Public Health revealed that “black men are nearly three times as likely to be killed by legal intervention than white men” (CNN). Instead of feeling a sense of protection from officers, many people of color become terrified when encountered with an officer. To make matters worse, most of the guilty officers never receive a conviction. In fact “the odds of an officer being convicted for murder in a police shooting is approaching lottery ticket levels” (Daily News). It is unbelievable to know that an officer has the same chance of getting convicted as he does winning the lottery. The lack of convictions allows for other officers to do the same because they

Body Cams In America, police brutality has been a subject that has been a hot topic of discussion for some time now. Many people have strong opinions on what they believe is best for the citizens and for law enforcement. A big question for many is, “how can we find a solution to this ongoing problem?”