State of emergency declared by Governor ahead of Ferguson (Mike Brown) verdict!

[Prometheus]

It should also be noted that Texas is the only state that actually requires a grand jury as part of the process. If the prosecutor really wanted Wilson on trial, he could just do it directly.

[theKit]

This is all sorts of fucked up. I don't get it. Even if you kill someone in self defense, most of the time people still see some jail time so why is this even an issue? If you're a cop and so incompetent that someone can just walk up to your shit and take your gun you deserve to at the very least be fired for sucking at your job.

[starvingniglet]

most of the time people still see some jail time

I don't think this is true at all. 

If you're a cop and so incompetent that someone can just walk up to your shit and take your gun you deserve to at the very least be fired for sucking at your job.

'being a cop' and 'having a gun' are not magical talismans that change the laws of reality and physics.  A guy with a ball bat or a knife is far more dangerous in the real world than whatever 'grand theft auto' world you seem to think we are living in.  It is also very wise of you to armchair quarterback for the officer, who was actually there, while you sit on your fat ass and wiggle your fingers about it on the internet.

[theKit]

  It is also very wise of you to armchair quarterback for the officer, who was actually there, while you sit on your fat ass and wiggle your fingers about it on the internet.

Yes, the one whose on trial for murder.

[starvingniglet]

Yes, the one whose on trial for murder.

in a perfect world, your kind would be ran off into the woods by the productive members of society

[Spectre]

Yes, the one whose on trial for murder.

in a perfect world, your kind would be ran off into the woods by the productive members of society

don't you know if you're on trial you MUST'VE done it

[Prometheus]

Yes, the one whose on trial for murder.

in a perfect world, your kind would be ran off into the woods by the productive members of society

don't you know if you're on trial you MUST'VE done it

The sad thing is, a lot of people genuinely feel that way. That's why federal prosecutors have a 97% conviction rate, and why they keep pulling innocent people off of death row.

The system is broken in both directions.

[starvingniglet]

going in front of a jury is sort of a retarded thing to do unless you have a great lawyer and the stars align just right for you....but then again, pleading out is another sort of retarded....I paraphrase prometheus when I say you are fucked either way

[MoaningLisa]

I bet there will be a trial.

stupid people who don't understand how the system works out there rioting...

[aldra]

Jesus they should just hang the cop out to dry. It's not like he'd be the first possibly innocent person to take one for civil unrest's sake. Riots, property damage and the casualties it'll cause are just not worth one fucked up cops life

But there's more to it than just the immediate outcome. Allowing the justice system to make decisions based on popular opinion sets a dangerous precedent which, if followed, would lead to much worse consequences than some riots. It's like the "don't negotiate with terrorists" thing.

except that the US often does negotiate with terrorists

[Lanny]

except that the US often does negotiate with terrorists

Well the point wasn't really contingent on the US negotiating with terrorists or not, I was just pointing out that making the decision not to indict even if it might cause a riot can be justified by the same logic that a policy of not negotiating with terrorists would. That is to say the immediate outcome may seem desirable in both cases but it sets a precedent that could lead to something much worse. It wasn't a claim about how US justice and politics operate, but rather a normative claim that we ought not to make decisions in the justice system based on popular opinion.

[Suicidal Fish]

This thread needs Tacho

#RascalKing

[aldra]

#NiggerKing

[Lanny]

#Train

[SlayerJ27]

Awww Lawsy!!  The coloreds are fixin' to go bananas.  This will turn out just like the Zimmerman verdict.  You couldn't flim-flam tha Zim-Zam, and you can't dif-fil the Willy Nil.