Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson Negotiating Release From Police Force; Michael Brown's Father Urges Peace Ahead of Verdict
Ferguson officer Darren Wilson is reportedly negotiating his way to leave the force in order to protect his colleagues from further retribution, reports stated on Friday.
"It's fair to say that neither he nor his defense team expect an indictment," Jeff Roorda, business manager for the St. Louis Police Officers' Association, said after meeting with Wilson.
As the town of Ferguson waits for the grand jury's verdict, Michael Brown, the unarmed teen shot by Wilson in August, has been remembered in protests. His father recently released a video online, calling for calm no matter what the grand jury decides.
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"No matter what the grand jury decides, I do not want my son's death to be in vain," Brown Sr. said. "I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St. Louis region better for everyone. Hurting others is not the answer."
However, he did call for the public to "continue to lift your voices with us and work together to heal and create lasting change for all people regardless of race."
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency and called up the National Guard, citing the "possibility of expanded unrest." The emergency status will remain in effect for 30 days and has been seen by some as an aggressive move given that the verdict has not even been announced yet.
The case has brought to light several issues of unrest and distrust between the public and authorities. The FBI announced that it expects violence and/or acts of aggression in the wake of the announcement. After Brown was shot, protestors took to the streets to show their dissatisfaction with the way the case was being handled.
Wilson has always maintained that he shot Brown in self-defense, but Brown's family and the public have stated that the teen was brutally murdered in an act of police aggression.
The grand jury's verdict could come as early as this weekend.
