State of emergency in Missouri as grand jury mulls slaying of black teen in Ferguson
As a grand jury may be nearing a decision about whether to charge a white police officer in the controversial slaying of an unarmed black teen in Ferguson, the Missouri governor on Monday declared a state of emergency.
That will allow the Missouri National Guard to help keep order around the courthouse in Clayton and the Ferguson police department, where demonstrations are expected if Darren Wilson is not indicted, according to CNN, Reuters and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The executive order also provides for the state highway patrol, St. Louis County police and St. Louis metropolitan police to work together as a unified force and puts the county police in charge of any protest-related disorder in Ferguson and the St. Louis area.
Rioting occurred during the month after Michael Brown was shot to death, and authorities in Missouri and elsewhere throughout the country are gearing up for possible protests, depending on what the grand jury does.
“In the days immediately following Michael Brown’s death, peaceful protests were marred by senseless acts of violence and destruction,” Gov. Jay Nixon said last week. “That ugliness was not representative of Missouri, and it cannot be repeated.”
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Are police in Ferguson violating the Constitution?”
ABAJournal.com: “Online petition urges Michael Brown law requiring cops to wear cameras; what about privacy concerns?”
ABAJournal.com: “DOJ denounces ‘irresponsible’ leaks in Ferguson police-shooting case”
