On Monday, a grand jury in St. Louis County declined to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the August killing of unarmed 18-year-old Michael Brown.
The legal team representing Wilson issued a statement in response to the grand jury’s decision shortly after it was made public. Neither Michael Brown nor his loved ones were mentioned in the statement.
The grand jury’s decision not to indict Officer Darren Wilson was made public today in St. Louis County. We have always maintained, and the grand jury agreed, that Officer Wilson’s conduct on August 9 was lawful and within protocol.
It was only fitting that a team of prosecutors present their findings to the St. Louis County grand jury in a case of this magnitude. A jury comprised of randomly selected local residents heard testimony and reviewed the case files. The grand jury deliberated and reached a unanimous verdict that there was insufficient evidence to indict Officer Wilson on criminal charges.
Officers in the force frequently face tense situations that call for them to make tough choices quickly. Officer Wilson did his job as he had been taught and as the law required. We know that a lot of people will want to second-guess the grand jury’s verdict. We ask that any and all expressions of opinion be made in a civil and constructive manner.
As an aside, Officer Wilson would like to express his gratitude to those who have supported him. Officer Wilson and his family are very grateful for all of the ongoing support they have received. Any further comment on this matter will be made in the appropriate venue, away from the media.
At a press conference on Monday evening, Prosecuting Attorney for St. Louis County Robert McCulloch revealed the grand jury’s verdict. The reporter then asked McCulloch if he had any message for Brown’s loved ones, and McCulloch responded, “What they’re going through breaks my heart. They lost a young man, a young life, no matter what the circumstances were.”