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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSt. Louis prosecutor McCulloch roasted online for indicting everybody but Darren Wilson
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/st-louis-prosecutor-mcculloch-roasted-online-for-indicting-everybody-but-darren-wilson/#.VHQCRIsd75U.facebookSt. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch (D) was criticized as much on Monday night for the decision not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson as for his 20-minute statement leading up to it.
Instead of immediately announcing that Wilson would not be prosecuted for shooting and killing 18-year-old Michael Brown this past August, McCulloch opened by blaming social media and the media in general for supposedly pushing a distorted narrative of the shooting.
The Huffington Post called McCullochs statement bizarre, while CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin described it as an extended whine that was completely inappropriate.
Five Thirty Eight reported that the grand jurys decision was a statistical rarity; out of 162,000 federal cases in 2010, grand juries opted not to indict in just 11 instances.
McCulloch was also blasted online even before he finished his remarks:
Cha
(297,228 posts)Thanks hue
hue
(4,949 posts)lovemydog
(11,833 posts)and thought it was whiny and self-serving. Blaming social media? Stuff like this has been happening long before cell phones and internet!
He did not acknowledge, perhaps even to himself, the inherent conflict of interest in being a prosecutor sworn to uphold the interest of the people and a law enforcement official who relies on police for his cases.
He should have recused himself.
Cha
(297,228 posts)to have done that..
Ferguson Prosecutor Robert McCulloch Gives Bizarre Press Conference
Social media isn't the problem," author Maureen Johnson said. "Shooting children is the problem."
CNN legal expert Jeffrey Toobin called the press conference "an extended whine" and "entirely inappropriate and embarrassing."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/24/bob-mcculloch-ferguson_n_6215986.html
Speaking of not acknowledging.. I read Darren Wilson didn't say one word to the Browns in his statement.
riversedge
(70,218 posts)Man from Pickens
(1,713 posts)riversedge
(70,218 posts)hue
(4,949 posts)freebrew
(1,917 posts)I can say that most of the "D's" here just hate the R's. The anti-gun movement is hurting the Dems here.
Also, since it's pretty much a rural state, M$M propaganda seems like Cronkite to most here(trustworthy).
Can't say it's right or wrong, just the way it seems here.
Not much in common with each other, city vs. rural, east vs. west, etc.
Moostache
(9,895 posts)The politicians are equally insane, the religious nut jobs are everywhere, the education system is in shambles and the population is home turf for the right wing kooks. Throw in the fact that the racial and class divides in St. Louis are evident from the very first time you EVER talk to one of the "natives" (there's a very specific reason the local yahoos ask "where did you go to high school?", and its NOT because they think you were in one of their classes...)
St. Louis is a powder keg and if the local cops think the answer to the violence is more show of force, tear gas, tanks and military gear, they are in for a rude awakening. Go back to the fearful cops yelling at the protesters August (the "bring it" guy and the sniper complete with his nifty leather shooting guns and scoped rifle on the top of the tank, and the white cop threatening to kill people - at least HE got fired before he could actually follow through on his threats). There are hundreds of great cops here....caring, loyal, dedicated public servants...but they won't cross the thin blue line and they won't hold the racists and abusive asshats among their ranks accountable. They may think its loyalty, but in fact it is stupidity and allows anger to paint the entire force instead of being focused on the abusive members of it.
I hope that this thing gets resolved with an independent investigation and a lot closer scrutiny of Murderer Wilson's story. Especially the parts about "demons" (and he knows this how, exactly? is he maintaining that he regularly SEES demons? is he admitting that he has hallucinations but was not removed from active duty? Is seeing demons a per-requisite for patrolling black neighborhoods while being a white cop?), or why he refused to carry a taser (comfort? REALLY? Its "not very comfortable"? so lethal force is the "only" option? or just the one that provided him with the least amount of discomfort while performing what he clearly sees a deadly job?)
The right wing lunatic radio hosts around here are having a field day stoking the fear centers of their largely white listening audiences and the real sad thing is that the people being manipulated and stoked either don';t realize it or simply don't care.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)told us about the good cops and the problem with that thin blue line. I think that can be said across the nation. Unreasonable loyalty.
Dustlawyer
(10,495 posts)jwirr
(39,215 posts)PatrynXX
(5,668 posts)if we had a Conservative Party and a Progressive party things would work so much better
everything that they did in MO was geared to provoke a massive riot. technically they failed. It was rather restrained ....
L0oniX
(31,493 posts)unless we need his vote. - Turd Way
ReRe
(10,597 posts)... just like Jay Nixon and Claire McCaskill. All far right-wing DINOs.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)riversedge
(70,218 posts)asleep during his rant....
Had a long day--but was anxious to watch it.
ladjf
(17,320 posts)TBF
(32,060 posts)I wasn't aware he was the defense atty for Wilson.
Oh wait.
It was appalling. The entire build up all week was appalling. Smh.
lonestarnot
(77,097 posts)3catwoman3
(23,987 posts)You could tell before he finished his first sentence, what he was going to announce.
We both noticed, without prompting each other, that when McCulloch spoke of the long list of the diverse characteristics of the grand jury (age, occupations, etc, etc), the one he did NOT make mention of was race.
We were also both shocked at his tone deaf words regarding how unfair the proceedings had been to the grand jury members - how they had given up their lives inorder to serve on the jury. Astonishing poor choice of words, considering there is a dead 18 yr old who truly did give up his life.
Enthusiast
(50,983 posts)McCulloch should have recused himself.
Madmiddle
(459 posts)Coup, corruption is the law of the land. As this country slides into more and more open corruption justice is becoming a thing only for the rich.
santamargarita
(3,170 posts)Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)geardaddy
(24,931 posts)The DA was endorsed by the police union. He's just returning the favor.
bigwillq
(72,790 posts)by McCulloch's statement. Awful, awful statement.
gordianot
(15,238 posts)For that matter Jay Nixon his big rival is in the same boat. It is safe to say the African American voting block which Democrats rely on is righteously upset. Since McCulloch is locked in placed he should become a priority for replacement next election.
jwirr
(39,215 posts)his education never covered the blind men describing the elephant by each touching a separate part of the elephant.
I do not understand how he can stand himself. He did not do his job and because of that the community he is supposed to protect from injustice is in shambles this morning. Police riots are the pits.
gordianot
(15,238 posts)What an inflated, self righteous, sanctimonious, ass. I was especially impressed by the local media hacks who addressed him in the familiar as "Bob". He knew he hit the big time and was throwing a match into gasoline. May small time St. Louis Prosecutor "Bob" suffer the same fate as Mayor 9/11.
azmom
(5,208 posts)He was so obvious, it was a joke. The fix was in. We all know it.
ncjustice80
(948 posts)The man has failed Ferguson, the American people ( in particular our oppressed minorities), and the Democratic Party.
If so he needs to be told to resign and barred from running under (D) ever again.