Michael Brown Case: Grand Jury Tweet Sparks Outrage; 'Leak' Investigated, Could Jeopardize Trial
Prosecutors in St. Louis County, Missouri, are investigating a recent tweet claiming the grand jury in the Michael Brown case will likely not indict Ferguson officer Darren Wilson.
On Wednesday a Twitter user posted an alarming tweet about the case, and while it has not yet been deemed authentic, authorities are investigating possible misconduct amongst the grand jury.
"I know someone sitting on the grand jury of this case There isn't enough at this point to warrant an arrest. #Ferguson" the alleged tweet read.
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Some critics immediately slammed the user for sharing what appeared to be "leaked" information about the case, while others urged the public to wait before jumping to conclusions.
The tweet has since been deleted, but the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office confirmed it is "looking into" the alleged breach, reported The Washington Post.
Should prosecutors find any wrong doing amongst the 12 jurors, a new jury panel may be sought, thus requiring the trial to restart. The trial began on August 20 and the jurors, nine white and six black, are being presented with every shred of evidence as it comes.
On September 16, Wilson, who has been in hiding since he shot and killed 18-year-old Brown on August 9, appeared before the grand jury and testified for four hours, reported the St Louis Post-Dispatch.
Yesterday Ed Magee, a representative for St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert P. McCulloch, confirmed that the investigation is now complete.
"The investigation has been basically completed that is being conducted by both the FBI and St. Louis County PD," Magee told CNN.
Magee previously said jurors' conflicting schedules have already delayed the hearing process and he estimated that the investigation will wrap up in "mid October."
"There's 12 grand jurors [and] their term finishes today so we have to be able to locate and find time when all 12 of them are able to get together," he previously told the Christian Post. "There's only certain times that they're able to match up all their schedules [and] that we're able to get them in. But we have a lot of time scheduled between the next month."
Wilson shot Brown, who was unarmed, up to six times, however, he has not been arrested. This has sparked nationwide protests from supporters of the Brown family.
Protesters are demanding justice for the Brown family in the form of the arrest of Wilson. Supporters claim the shooting death of Brown was unprovoked, but police have painted a very different picture.
