Darren Wilson Resigning From Ferguson Police Department After Michael Brown Case Decision
Darren Wilson is ready to resign from the Ferguson police force following the decision not to indict him on any charges for the death of Michael Brown in August. The grand jury decision not to indict the officer sparked renewed protests in Ferguson as well as major cities across the country.
Neil Bruntrager, Wilson's lawyer, spoke to CNN Wednesday about Wilson's plans to leave the police force after six years as a cop.
"It's not a question of if, it's a question of when. He's on paid leave, and there are discussions that are going on right now to separate from the department in an amicable fashion," the attorney told CNN. "Realistically, he can't go back to being a police officer...There's no illusion about any of this. But it's the way in which he leaves ... that's important to him on different levels."
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Still, the decision did not come without much thought. Attorney Danielle Thompson told The Washington Post that Wilson initially wanted to continue his career as a police officer in Ferguson.
"At first [his thinking] was, 'I want to go back, I'm a cop, I want to still be a cop,'" Thompson told The Post. "It took some time for him to realize that wasn't exactly going to be what happened."
Another attorney, James Towey cautioned Wilson against doing so.
"I think I expressed to him, 'Do you realize your first call [back on the job] will be to a blind alley where you're executed?' He took a pause for a minute, thought about it and said, 'Oh.' That is the reality," Towey told The Post.
While CNN reports that Wilson has gone into hiding, Bruntrager revealed the extent of the threats on the officer's life.
"There were death threats out against him. There were bounties that had been placed upon his life," the lawyer told CNN. "He's had to learn to live in a way that makes him completely unnoticeable. It's an odd way to live your life. But for him, it's all about his family."
