Police Cite Threats in Deciding Not to Name Officer Who Shot Missouri Teenager

[alp227]

Source: NY Times

FERGUSON, Mo. — The chief of police here said Tuesday that he had reconsidered his decision to release the name of the police officer involved in the fatal shooting of an unarmed African-American teenager and would not do so because of concerns about the officer’s safety.

The Ferguson Police Department had said it would release the officer’s name by noon on Tuesday, but then it reversed itself after it said that threats had been made on social media against the officer and the city’s police.

“The value of releasing the name is far outweighed by the risk of harm to the officer and his family,” the police chief, Thomas Jackson, said in announcing a decision that was quickly criticized. The officer has been placed on administrative leave.

The change came amid another day of protests in the St. Louis suburbs where the teenager, Michael Brown, 18, was shot several times on Saturday by an officer as he and a friend walked from a convenience store. The circumstances remain in dispute. The police say Mr. Brown hit the officer and tried to steal his gun; Mr. Brown’s family and friends deny that.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/13/us/ferguson-police-cite-safety-risk-in-decision-not-to-name-officer-in-shooting.html

[whereisjustice]

1. and police buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear,

which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear, which causes the police to buy more guns out of fear which causes people to buy more guns out of fear,

[bravenak]

11. Yep.nt

[avebury]

2. They will not be able to hide the officer's name forever.

He will end up in court, either criminal or civil.

[politicat]

20. Age if not legally, then it will still get out.

I really don't think the Anon cell that gave the ultimatum is playing. They've already released some data, so they can get in.

Bad move, Ferguson. But we knew that.

[Historic NY]

3. They can't hide it from every legal proceeding..

and they can't supress the paperwork in those proceedings.

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. I guess now they know how people in Ferguson feel.

[Psephos]

5. "To Protect and Serve..."

...the interests of the police.

Increasingly, we are the enemy. That's how they see it.

[easychoice]

6. NBC said THe Town looked like a "Police State"

NBC said police state in reference to the cops in that town.
I damned near fell off my desk chair when the 5 p.m. guy said it.

[alcibiades_mystery]

7. This Ferguson police force is utterly beyond belief

They make the LAPD of the Rodney King era look above-board and transparent.

The St. Louis County police are aiding and abetting these actions, too. They won't release the autopsy. They won't say how many shots were fired. They won't say how many times young Mr. Brown was hit. They won't interview direct witnesses, including the third person on the scene. They won't release the name or any details of the shooter. Then they shut down news helicopters and block press access. They tear gas people in their own backyards.

What the fuck is going on over there?

[cstanleytech]

9. "What the fuck is going on over there?" Two words, cover up. nt

[VanGoghRocks]

22. Your final question is positively iconic.

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

8. Has a police officer ever arrested a fellow officer that he's witnessed committing a crime?

Has a police officer ever drawn his weapon on another officer he's seen drawing his gun unjustifiably and ordered him to "freeze"? Has a police officer ever shot and killed a fellow officer who appeared to be in the act of murdering a citizen? If so, I wonder how long that officer would last on the force.

[cosmicone]

18. Only in a TV show. n/t

[bluestateguy]

10. Anonymous can find out who it is

or a whistleblower could emerge

[Kelvin Mace]

12. Gee, when was the last time the police

withheld the identity of a murder suspect to protect him?

[gvstn]

13. Put him in protective custody, ie. jail

(For his own safety.) Just like anyone else that shoots a an unarmed kid walking down the road.

They haven't said how many bullets were fired, how many bullets hit Michael Brown or anything else of consequence. Cruisers have cameras in them--show the fight/struggle if there was one. They are just gathering all the evidence and then concocting a police report to fit the evidence. The initial report should of been filed within a few hours of the incident. It has been four days. They really are looking corrupt and yet doing nothing to counteract that but acting more corrupt.

[Gore1FL]

14. Everything happened behind the dash camera, unfortunately. n/t

[gvstn]

15. I'm wondering about this.

I seem to remember two cases where a suspect sitting in the back of a cruiser shot himself with a concealed gun even after being searched and handcuffed, both in the past year. Both times there was footage of the guy in the back of the cruiser. So I am beginning to think there may be more cameras then we know of in police cars.

[littlewolf]

17. from what I have heard, no dash cams

they have em. just not installed yet

[gvstn]

19. That seems crazy in this day and age.

Much like no personal cams on police. They simply don't want them.

I saw this story the other day and looking at the dates it was well over a year before video surfaced. I wonder what the police initial investigation concluded before video showed what actually happened? http://www.ctpost.com/local/article/2-cops-plead-guilty-in-park-stomping-5541511.php

[Downwinder]

21. Protective custody is not necessary,

charge him like anyone else and put him in jail awaiting trial.

[cascadiance]

16. And Kathy Malloy along with Mike Malloy noted that no one is taking statements from witnesses!

That there are plenty of witnesses that witnessed the crime, including Brown's buddy that was standing next to him, but no one from any law enforcement agency will even talk or take statement from them. Like... They don't want it to be on record that this guy murdered this kid! Well, it's not stopping them from talking to the media I guess. Sounds like a crooked "investigation" when even the investigators won't interview witnesses.

[GliderGuider]

23. The cop didn't know Michael Brown's name either. That didn't protect him, did it? nt

[marble falls]

24. "Serving and protecting the murdering one of their own." Nice motto for a patrol car door.

[1StrongBlackMan]

25. I do not have a problem with the police ...

with-holding naming the Officer that pulled the trigger from the public ... so long as the name is given to the investigators. The name will come out at the criminal trial ... if they find the likelihood of wrong doing; or in the Civil suit, if not.

[benld74]

26. BOTH 1st person accounts I have seen,,,

point to the police being in the wrong on this.

[Uben]

27. What they're probably doing.....

...is scrubbing all the racist shit he has put on the internet before they name him. That way it can't be used against him or the department. They ARE this cynical!

[Strelnikov_]

30. Agree.

They want to let things calm down before it is revealed that this was a cop with a questionable background.

[liberalhistorian]

28. Well, isn't that special and

considerate of them!

And yet, notice how we are now learning everything there is to know about poor Michael Brown, who'd just received his diploma a few days before his murder. The press is falling all over itself to dig up and print everything possible about him, yet none of them even ask why they aren't allowed to know anything about the cop who murdered him? No one bats an eye over that?

[blkmusclmachine]

29. Won't release officer's name. (Police) State Secrets.

[Aristus]

31. Good thing for him that he has a shield to hide behind.

His victim wasn't so lucky...