The fire Bob McCulloch started A series of decisions by the St. Louis County Prosecutor culminated in disaster in Ferguson.
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St. LouiS AmericAn The
CAC Audited NOV. 27 – DEC. 3, 2014
COMPLIMENTARY
stlamerican.com
A community cries in Ferguson
Vol. 85 No. 34
Heartbreak among the unrest Protestors mourn as non-indictment is announced By Kenya Vaughn Of The St. Louis American
Photo by Lawrence Bryant
“Hands up, don’t shoot” remained the symbol of the Ferguson protest movement, even during its most violent night to date.
Damon Davis’ conscious messaging of pasting the handsup sign on boarded-up businesses did not deter looters in the chaos following the announcement of the grand jury decision on Monday, November 24.
“Defend himself from what?” Lesley McSpadden exclaimed as she listened to a radio broadcast of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch. “From what?” It was part of the prosecutor’s attempt to justify the grand jury’s decision not to indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson for the August 9 shooting death of her son Michael Brown Jr. Tears fell from her face and rage echoed in her voice as she stood with protestors in front of the Ferguson Police Department on the night of Monday, November 24. “They want him back Photo by Wiley Price in Ferguson,” she said of Wilson. “I can’t get Lesley McSpadden cries out in protest after hearing nobody back. They wrong. Y’all know y’all wrong,” the grand jury decision. she said, pointing to the police department. And if it’s anybody out here that don’t think so, I don’t give a [expletive].” She was once again forced to grieve before the world as she listened to the radio broadcast – and it was as if she learning that her son was killed all over again. “Everybody want me to be calm, but do you know how those bullets hit my son?” McSpadden said. “Do know what those bullets did to his body … as they entered his body? Ain’t nobody had to live through what I had to live through.” See UNREST, A7
Hundreds protest in Shaw 21 arrested after grand jury announcement Photo by Lawrence Bryant
Town erupts in chaos following grand jury decision By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American A St. Louis County grand jury chose not to indict Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of unarmed black teen Michael Brown Jr., announced St. Louis County Prosecutor
Robert P. McCulloch on Monday, November 24 in a courtroom in Clayton, the county seat. The 12 jury members heard more than 70 hours of testimony from about 60 people, including Canfield Green residents who witnessed the shooting on August 9. Police officials have said that Brown
By Rebecca Rivas Of The St. Louis American
and Wilson had an altercation inside the police car, before the teen reached for Wilson’s weapon. However, according to some eyewitnesses, the teen had surrendered at the time of the fatal shooting, regardless of whatever altercation
Hundreds took to the streets in the Shaw and Tower Grove neighborhoods on Monday, November 24, as they marched down both lanes on South Grand Boulevard and even shut down Interstate 44 for more than 30 minutes. Chanting, “This is what democracy looks like,” the mostly young crowd expressed both rage and sorrow over the grand jury’s non-indictment decision in the Officer Darren Wilson case. At about 10:30 p.m., the crowd swelled even more, as protestors who escaped the tear gas in Ferguson arrived to join the Shaw action. The area has become a second home to the Ferguson protest movement, after the shooting death of VonDerrit Myers Jr. on Oct. 8. Like Michael Brown Jr., Myers was 18 when he was shot and killed by an off-duty St.
See CHAOS, A6
See SHAW, A7