Parents of Michael Brown Call for Non-Violence Should Darren Wilson Be Cleared; Hoping Grand Jury Will Indict
The parents of Michael Brown have called for peaceful protests when a St. Louis County grand jury decides the fate of officer Darren Wilson, who fatally shot their son.
Michael Brown Sr. and Lesley McSpadden traveled to Geneva earlier this week, where they spoke at a United Nations human rights conference. They have asked for the UN to help them in getting justice for their late son, who was shot by Wilson on Aug. 9 in Ferguson, Missouri.
"Me and his mother have come to the U.N. to get redress for our son," Brown Sr. told a news conference after a session of the U.N. Committee on Torture which held a regular review of the U.S. record. "There couldn't be a better place to do that."
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Since the shooting death of 18-year-old Brown, who was unarmed, protesters have taken to the streets of Ferguson everyday due to racial unrest, demanding justice in the form of Wilson's arrest.
The Ferguson police officer claims he shot Brown in self defense and the jury could reach a verdict as early as this week, according to the St. Louis Prosecutor's Office.
Darryl Parks, an attorney for Brown Sr. and McSpadden, said that while the family is still holding out hope that Wilson will be indicted, they have asked that protesters respond in a non-violent way should he be cleared of any wrongdoing.
"The Brown family continue to call for non-violence. They continue to feel the Grand Jury will do the right thing," Parks told reporters in Geneva.
Michael Baden, the former medical examiner for the city of New York, will testify before the St. Louis County grand jury on Thursday. He previously said Brown was shot at least six times, including twice in the head, and that some of the shots were from a distance which could prove to be crucial information in the case.
Brown and a friend encountered Wilson, a six-year police veteran, while walking in the middle of a street in Ferguson. The officer reportedly demanded that they use the sidewalk when trouble ensued.
What exactly transpired during the incident remains a point of contention. Brown supporters claim the shooting was unprovoked but Wilson has painted a very different picture.
Immediately after the incident there were violent outbreaks and looting in Ferguson, which resulted in many arrests and several businesses were forced to close. Many residents fear this could be repeated if Wilson is cleared.
"We are getting prepared for war," resident Ronald Ward, 33, told CBS News. "And that's just crazy."
Local gun stores have reported a spike in sales of guns and ammunition and Ferguson Mayor James Knowles recently said authorities must "prepare for the worst."
"I think you have to prepare for the worst, but I think we all hope the best out of people," Knowles said.
