The NATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION questions grand jury decision, calls on DOJ to act

[Ykcutnek]

WASHINGTON, DC – The National Bar Association is questioning how the Grand Jury, considering the evidence before them, could reach the conclusion that Darren Wilson should not be indicted and tried for the shooting death of Michael Brown. National Bar Association President Pamela J. Meanes expresses her sincere disappointment with the outcome of the Grand Jury’s decision but has made it abundantly clear that the National Bar Association stands firm and will be calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to pursue federal charges against officer Darren Wilson. “We will not rest until Michael Brown and his family has justice” states Pamela Meanes, President of the National Bar Association.

President Meanes is requesting that the citizens of Ferguson, Missouri not allow this decision to cause an unnecessary uproar in the community that could lead to arrests, injuries or even deaths of innocent people. “I am asking for everyone to remain as calm as possible and to join in solidarity as we continue to support the family of Michael Brown and put our legal plan into full effect” says President Meanes “I feel the magnitude of the grand jury’s ruling as Ferguson, Missouri is only minutes from where I reside”, adds President Meanes.

Over the last couple of months, the National Bar Association has hosted Town Hall meetings informing attendees of their Fourth Amendment (Search & Seizure) constitutional rights, whether it is legal to record police activity, and how citizens should behave/respond if and when they interface with police officers. “The death of Michael Brown was the last straw and the catalyst for addressing issues of inequality and racial bias in policing, the justice system, and violence against members of minority communities,” states Pamela Meanes.

The family of Michael Brown requested that District Attorney McCullough step aside and allow a special prosecutor be assigned to the investigation to give the community confidence that the grand jury would conduct a complete and thorough investigation into the tragic shooting death of 18 year old Michael Brown. The grand jury’s decision confirms the fear that many expressed months ago — that a fair and impartial investigation would not happen.

“The National Bar Association is adamant about our desire for transformative justice. While we are disappointed with the grand jury’s ruling, we are promoting peace on every street corner around the world. The only way to foster systemic change is to organize, educate, and mobilize. We are imploring everyone to fight against the injustice in Ferguson, Missouri and throughout the United States by banding together and working within the confines of the law,” states President Meanes.

http://us7.campaign-archive1.com/?u=b493e6c4d31beda32fdaf8e2d&id=73514e334b

[badtoworse]

1. I'd be interested to know the specifics of any federal charges that would or could be brought.

[noiretextatique]

3. federal investigation is ongoing

so we just have to wait and see. when this type of racist violence, which is what i would was happening in the south in the 60's the fed had to step in. several KKK members/cops were tried for civil rights violations for the murders they committed.

[1StrongBlackMan]

9. The problem is ...

in order to bring such charges, the DoJ would have to be able to prove that wilson shoot Michael BECAUSE of Michael being Black (or that it was a contributing factor) ... This is where Anonymous' claim that wilson is/was a part of a "Goon Squad", i.e., L/E that have connects to the kkk, is/will prove important ... should they come up with the proof.

[noiretextatique]

11. i hope it comes out

it seems that place has a lot of KKK members.

[99th_Monkey]

57. That pollice dept. is clearly rotten to the KKKore, and needs to be dismantled

and then what? At the very least the dept. black/white ratios should reflect the community it "serves and protects".

[jwirr]

26. There are limitations on the DOJ proving he was shot because he was a black man. What about the

investigation into the community by the same fed department? What can they accomplish with that? It investigates the whole administration including the police department.

I also know that the family can sue for a wrongful death. Will that be against Wilson, the FPD and the city?

Are these the only means of getting justice now that the GJ has failed?

[GGJohn]

38. Any civil suit will have to be against the city or the FPD, Wilson has immunity as a police officer.

[jwirr]

47. To bad.

[GGJohn]

49. Agreed, he should be eligible for a civil suit.

[Leopolds Ghost]

63. I'd like to believe that, but they haven't demonstrated any strong access to undisclosed facts here

What with releasing the name of the wrong police officer (who wasn't even an officer) and all... and for the wrong reasons... but maybe there's other "research" being done on this by more responsible parties out there... I dunno.

I'd like to believe that there's a conspiracy by KKK to infiltrate the police but given how red exurban Missouri is, especially on race, or perhaps how red most of rural America is PARTICULARLY BECAUSE of race (look at Kentucky's Democratic candidate proclaiming herself a Hillary Democrat as if to imply she could never vote for a black man over a white woman in 2008, or rural MD turning out to vote against a black person in the governor's race there) I suspect it doesn't take a conspiracy.

Not when you have first responders getting on Washington Post bulletin boards (never mind reddit!) in the wake of Katrina bragging about how they had the power back on while people were still dying across the river and how glad they were "those people" weren't being allowed to cross the bridge and escape and potentially "loot our community".

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

2. excellent it is time for all decent patriotic Americans to stand up for what is right

[Stallion]

4. What is the National Bar Association?

the recognized national organization of Attorneys is the American Bar Association (ABA). I've practiced law for 30 years and never heard of it.

[johnnyreb]

5. nationalbar dot org

The National Bar Association was founded in 1925 and is the nation's oldest and largest national network of predominantly African-American attorneys and judges. It represents the interests of approximately 60,000 lawyers, judges, law professors and law students.The NBA is organized around 23 substantive law sections, 9 divisions, 12 regions and 80 affiliate chapters throughout the United States and around the world.
http://www.nationalbar.org/about-us.html

[padfun]

6. Its a national bar for black attorney's and such.

It's been around for a long time

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bar_Association

[1StrongBlackMan]

10. Where did you go to Law School and/or practice ...

to NOT have come across the group? Every Law School and major city in the U.S. has a Chapter.

[1StrongBlackMan]

18. That's probably because ...

looks like one of those groups of the perpetually aggrieved. I've never heard of my AA friends or colleagues mention it.

We pick up on stuff like that.

[handmade34]

42. ...

[jwirr]

28. Apparently you do not realize that some groups have every right to be aggrieved. Especially about

oppression.

[heaven05]

36. well, that answer says a lot about you.

your AA friends and/or colleagues???? right, I guess

[noiretextatique]

43. perpetually aggrieved?

i think you are referring to the teabaggers.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

61. You Betcha!

[Ykcutnek]

20. Sorry, I didn't mean to imply it was the ABA...

But I admit I did have them confused when I started this thread.

[C Moon]

7. Considering the reputation of the police there...isn't it possible that the jurors were

made to feel intimidated—which affected their vote? I'm sure there was a huge police presence at that building.

[brooklynite]

53. No - these were not FERGUSON citizens...they were ST. LOUIS COUNTY citizens.

It's a County Grand Jury.

[C Moon]

54. I figured that, but they live in the county, and I'm sure there was a great police

presence there. I think it could be used as a tool to sway jurors.

[MadDAsHell]

8. "The grand jury’s decision"

"The grand jury’s decision confirms the fear that many expressed months ago — that a fair and impartial investigation would not happen."

As an attorney myself I strongly dislike the wording on this. This seems to imply that a fair and impartial investigation can only come to one conclusion/decision: the one we want.

If our standard for whether a fair and impartial investigation occurred is whether we like the final outcome, then what's the purpose of having a legal system at all?

If the National Bar Association purports to represent those in the legal profession they're not doing a very good job with this statement.

[1StrongBlackMan]

12. I guess where one stands depends on where one sits ...

the facts, if not the conduct of the "prosecutor", suggest that anything other than a "fair and impartial" process occurred here (again).

[noiretextatique]

13. do you think the investigation was fair and impartial?

clearly, the group doesn't think it was. and i think that perception is a huge part of the problem. the police, the medical examiner, and the prosecutor did not do much to change that perception. in fact, they created the perception.

[1StrongBlackMan]

14. True ...

And the "prosecutor's" press conference sounded a lot like a defense attorney's closing argument.

[noiretextatique]

15. it certainly did

and Mike Brown, like Trayvon Martin, was "responsible" for happened to him. if only he didn't look like a "demon" while "defying" a white man

[gollygee]

17. Demon + hulk

who grunted. I can't believe that level of dehumanization of a victim was presented by a prosecutor at a grand jury. Darren Wilson wasn't indicted but Michael Brown appears to have been.

Shameful.

[noiretextatique]

23. truly shameful

and it clearly shows you what his agenda was: to blame the victim for his own death. and blame the social media and anything and everything else for FAILING to do his job.

[MadDAsHell]

19. The investigation, no.

I don't know anything about the individual members of the grand jury but I suspect they did the best with the information they had, but the process of gathering information, etc. leading up to their deliberations appears to have been shoddy as hell.

The issue expressed in my post is with a loud, impactful and definitive statement on behalf of tens of thousands of legal professionals of color, whose wording actually does a dis-service to the work done by those in its membership. As a person of color I could be in the National Bar Association. I chose (and actively choose) membership in the American Bar Association instead because of examples like this; the NBA consistently says things that seem to more represent a mindset than it does a group of people.

[noiretextatique]

22. i am confused

the investigation was not fair or impartial, and you agree that it wasn't...then how could the grand jury possibly return a fair and impartial ruling based on evidence from an unfair and partial investigation?

[MadDAsHell]

27. Talking about the shoddy investigation process is one thing...

Saying that a grand jury's decision confirms that the process wasn't fair and impartial is another thing, which is exactly what the NBA said:

""The grand jury’s decision confirms the fear...that a fair and impartial investigation would not happen."

I'm simply saying that as a legal professional it's improper and misleading to imply that any legal decision that is not to our liking is confirmation that the legal process was somehow unfair, corrupt, or impartial.

[noiretextatique]

32. i see what you mean now

i think you are splitting hairs, though, since you admit the investigation was not fair or impartial. it seems to me: they were right. i am black myself, so i do understand the mistrust of the system. it has never really worked very well for us.

[MadDAsHell]

34. Fair enough, admittedly I am splitting hairs...

but only because words are meaningful and have consequences. This isn't just a random comment by a single individual; it was made on behalf of tens of thousands of legal professionals and as such should have been carefully considered before being released.

As I mentioned I am not a member of the NBA, but predictably many of my peers assume I am. I do not wish to be part of a blanket statement that implies that all legal professionals of color believe that only preferred legal outcomes are legitimate.

[heaven05]

39. all you so-called

legal professionals have done nothing but muddy the water during this whole process and you're in your finest hour now. Shameful behavior from a 'legal professional'. Shameful!!!!!!

[MadDAsHell]

46. I work for Iowa Legal Aid strictly assisting those with limited financial means...

And I do my very best to give these folks the high quality services they deserve. Please take your abuse and shaming of the legal field elsewhere.

[heaven05]

48. right

I wouldn't shame the legal profession or abuse the legal profession. What's wrong with you? geez

[MadDAsHell]

50. You threw an entire class of people under the bus because...

you don't like 1 of the 3000+ county prosecutors in this country.

Yes, that's shaming, abusive, and unnecessary.

Grow up.

[heaven05]

52. class, says it all

Last edited Tue Nov 25, 2014, 06:48 PM - Edit history (1)

not shaming the legal profession per se. You should try to be mature yourself. I wouldn't want you in court with me with your obfuscation. More than 1 I don't like or trust. This 'justice system' is corrupt and putrid and the laws biased and applied unequally. You can sound like the victim under the bus, but you're driving a bus that is an accident waiting to happen and lets racist murderers walk free in MANY states. Good luck on your chosen profession.

[Bluenorthwest]

65. You do understand that both Barack and Michelle Obama's chosen profession was 'lawyer' and that

they met while working at a law firm called Sidley Austin, don't you? The poster you are attacking works for a legal clinic for poor people. Sidley Austin is a global mega firm with 18 offices serving corporate and very wealthy clients generating a billion in income a year.

[heaven05]

69. okay

I'm not attacking that person, I disagree with their conclusions about Michael Brown. I give a wit less about BO and MO and where they met or who they worked with.....hope the person working for poor people finds the satisfaction they are looking for. They can still be wrong about this case and I still won't trust any lawyer any further than I can throw them. I was fffffed over in a very important case because I couldn't come up with some goddam money for that lawyer, that was requested AFTER I had already paid a large amount. This request was 2 days before my hearing and at a time I was financially struggling. I was just dumped by this individual. Had to settle for the pittance offered on the case. It has affected my whole life. So I don't really care who works where and with whom as lawyers, I just know they are not to be trusted.

[staggerleem]

41. I spent a month on a Grand Jury ...

... a couple of years ago, and I can tell you that the way the prosecuting attorney chooses to present the evidence can make the difference between an indictment and exoneration. It's been ABUNDANTLY clear that this prosecutor is about as far from impartial as a person can get. He chose to de-humanize the victim.

When the National Guard was activated & deployed to Ferguson on Friday, I was about 95% sure that the "No Indictment" decision had already been reached. Within a minute of the start of last night's press conference, that 5% of doubt was erased.

[noiretextatique]

44. well...i never expected an indictment

and that prosecutor should never have presented the case. if there ever was a need for a special prosecutor...this was it. welcome to DU

[jwirr]

30. So it is okay with you that McCullah did not recuse himself, that they think conflicting testimony

is enough to decide that there should be no trial? And you call that fair and impartial?

[MadDAsHell]

37. You can read my other replies in this thread to see what I'm ok with and not ok with..

they're fairly clear.

[0rganism]

21. that DA sorely needs to be disbarred

That's a major takeaway from this situation -- the DA is way too tight with the cops to the point of being absolutely unwilling to push for an indictment, aka doing his job. Disbarring him would be a fair start to what's looking like a lengthy process of reconciliation.

[gordianot]

24. +1000 whenever asked what I think my answer.

[asjr]

25. I would like to know who was jury head. Nine white and three black is not

what I would consider an "equal" jury. There is no doubt in my mind how this case was handled. This has been a tragedy for our entire country. There must be something that can be done to reverse the choice of prosecutor when something like this happens again--and it will.

[Lurks Often]

31. The demographics of the grand jury are consistent with the county's demographics

The Grand Jury pool is supposed to reflect the demographics of the area, so it will be for St Louis County as a whole, not just the town of Ferguson.

http://www.stlouiscopa.com/Divisions.aspx?ID=151
http://www.mow.uscourts.gov/district/jury/grand_jury_service.html
http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C500-599/5400000021.HTM

The master jury duty list, from which grand jurors and regular jurors are selected is made up from a combination of registered voters and those that have a driver's license.

http://www.courts.mo.gov/hosted/circuit13/juryinfo/juryfaqs.htm

The grand jury was 25% black, which means they are proportionately representing the demographics of St Louis County

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_County,_Missouri#Demographics

[asjr]

35. Thanks for the info.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

29. Remember when Conservatives were calling the National Bar Association "Liberal"?

Mainly because they didn't like some of the asshole judges that were on their wish list.

[grossproffit]

45. I believe you're referring to the ABA, the America Bar Association. eom

I had never heard of the NBA until today.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

51. I had,....but as a sports thing.

[grossproffit]

55. Very quick witted!

I walked right into that one. LOL!

[ctaylors6]

33. can someone please help me with a question?

I posted this somewhere else, but I'm frustrated I can't find more information about this. I've started reading the transcripts, and McCulloch isn't the one questioning the witnesses; two other people are - Ms. Whirley and Ms. Alizadeh.

After some googling, I found and read this article:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/in-atypical-approach-grand-jury-in-ferguson-shooting-receives-full-measure-of-case/2014/09/07/1dec6ffe-339b-11e4-8f02-03c644b2d7d0_story.html

It says: "McCulloch declined to step aside, but he is not presenting evidence to the grand jury, which usually means he won’t try the case himself, Magee said. But he is supervising the two attorneys in his office — Sheila Whirley and Kathi Alizadeh — who are presenting to the grand jury."

The article is dated 9/7. Does anyone know if Whirley and Alizadeh presented all the evidence or if McCulloch stepped in at some point? I'm not saying it made difference to outcome, but it just surprised me that I hadn't heard about this before today. I can't find very much information about the 2 assistant prosecutors and their role. It seems like every article refers to McCulloch only like these other two don't exist.

Thank you so much!

[grasswire]

40. Remember that the National Bar Association is not the same as..

...the American Bar Association.

[rhett o rick]

56. Pres Obama and Eric Holder will do nothing. nm

[99th_Monkey]

58. This is AWESOME! I love that they announced this immediately.

The Bar Assoc could see what a sham this was probably more clearly than most,
they totally saw this coming and had already quietly decided internally before the
announcement by the President of Backstoppers that raised over $400,000 for
Officer Darren Wilson .. oh, I mean that racist posing as "The Prosecutor"

[kelliekat44]

59. It would be really nice if the American Bar Association joined them. But we know that won't happen n

[Cha]

60. Good, the more the merrier-& the DOJ investigation is on going. For those who don't know it's AG

Holder and his boss the President.

[blkmusclmachine]

62. McCullough sure seemed giddy in his presser. What's up with that???

He could barely contain himself. Almost laughing at times.

[Enthusiast]

64. Kicked and recommended a whole bunch!

[blackspade]

66. It's pretty bad when the National Bar Association....

comes out against a DA.

[Quixote1818]

67. K and R

[libodem]

68. Prayers are being answered

Maybe God isn't dead.