A lie in the Darren Wilson defense that just won't go away. (Ferguson)

[gollygee]

Goes into detail with Google Maps images at link.

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/11/19/1346078/-A-lie-in-the-Darren-Wilson-defense-in-the-shooting-death-of-Mike-Brown-that-just-won-t-go-away

Mike Brown was not killed 35 feet away from Darren Wilson's SUV.

His final fall was at least 108 feet away from Darren Wilson's SUV. This 300 percent difference is actually a very big deal and is a significant part of Darren Wilson's defense. The St. Louis-area police have continued to advance this lie for over 103 days since Mike Brown was killed on Canfield Drive on the afternoon of August 9 in Ferguson, Missouri. Here we will methodically expose this lie and examine just why it's so important.

On this past Monday, Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency in Missouri in anticipation for some level of unrest regarding a decision from the grand jury in the Darren Wilson case. Covering this decision, and the case in general, CNN authoritatively states that the Mike Brown was found 35 feet away from Darren Wilson's SUV. Watch just the first 20 seconds of this video to see how Erin Burnett frames the case,

[gollygee]

1. This could have started as a mistake

The police might have initially meant to say 35 YARDS rather than feet. But it's been repeated and used as the reason why he was acting in self defense over and over and over again.

[KingCharlemagne]

2. The key question in a nutshell: how is someone 100+ feet away from you

with nothing in their hand a threat requiring the use of deadly force??????

Where are all the police apologists now??????

[Lurks Often]

3. Likely to have no significant bearing on the case

What is relevant is how far away was Brown from Wilson when Brown was shot. The distance from where the SUV was stopped and where Brown was shot only tells us (roughly) how far Brown ran.

[logosoco]

4. It seems like important information to me.

The way some people are talking is that wilson had no choice but to shoot Brown in "self defense" because he was in the SUV trying to take the gun (which I STILL want to know when and why wilson took it from the holster). If Brown was THAT far from the vehicle, the self defense story doesn't wash.

To me, it gives reasonable doubt, and while I know this is not a trial, surely those jurors will see the doubt and see that this case needs to go to trial.

[Lurks Often]

5. Again, it is how far away Brown was from Wilson that matters

not where the SUV was.

Now if Brown was the 108 feet away from Wilson when he was shot, that changes things quite a bit, although perhaps not as much as many would like. Certainly 108 feet away pretty much rules out the self defense claim.

However Missouri law does allow the shooting of a fleeing felon, however the law is sufficiently gray, that I am not sure whether or not Wilson can use that in his defense if it goes to trial.

Here is one legal analysis: http://legalinsurrection.com/2014/08/did-mo-law-allow-for-deadly-force-arrest-of-mike-brown/

[logosoco]

6. That is a great link! Thanks!

So, it sounds like basically it is the cops word here. Now I have other questions, and quite frankly, I don't trust the "official" answers. It took too long for them to come out with the story.

Now I need to find out some other things, like what was the call on the radio (and do we even know for sure Wilson knew about this at the time?). Is robbery always a felony?

Honestly, I feel like just sitting down and crying because it really is looking to me like the laws are set up in the cops favor and this guy, along with many others, get away with murder on a regular basis.
I wish there were laws that ANY shooting automatically goes to trial. As a tax payer and a human being, that seems fair!

[Lurks Often]

7. The alleged felony probably isn't what happened at the store

IF Brown attacked Wilson as alleged, that's likely the felony.

I've had use of force training, both military and a course taught by a long time police officer and national instructor on the legalities of use of force. I also went through something like the link. It's amazing how fast things can turn to shit without warning. I'll also note that sometimes during the simulator training nothing happens.