What's this? This is an unbiased just-the-facts news timeline ('newsline') about Michael Brown, created by Newslines contributors. Become a contributor
121 postsOn August 9, 2014 Brown was shot and killed by a Ferguson, MO police officer, after a convenience store robbery. The shooting sparked protests in Ferguson and throughout the nation.
Police must allow peaceful protests after the coming decision by a grand jury in the Brown case. Alba Morales, criminal justice researcher:
Respect for protesters’ rights should be at the heart of an effective law enforcement response to any demonstrations in Ferguson. While Missouri understandably wants to be prepared for the risk of unrest, state and local officials need to make clear that abuses like those in August are unacceptable.
In wake of a grand jury decision, protesters are headed off by police officers in riot gear. They arrest six protesters after they attempt to block a street. Demonstrators:
Indict that cop.
Civil rights activist, Sharpton is on high alert regarding the grand jury decision in the case of Brown.
We have been planning for vigils and non-violent demonstrations when the Ferguson grand jury hands down its ruling, which is expected to come any day. I have pledged to the mother and father of Brown that I will be there with them when the decision is announced.
Muslim groups increase their efforts to assist protests comparing the death of teenager Brown to the death of a radical Islamist shot during an FBI raid in 2009. The Muslim groups use social media, conference calling and traditional outreach methods to get their message across. Executive Director Council on American-Islamic Relations, Dawud Walid:
The reality is that this country, in law enforcement, be it local, state or federal law enforcement, people with guns have always seen black men and black people as threats.
Anonymous hacks into KKK websites and social media accounts.
The attack is retaliation for KKK threats to use lethal force against protesters in Ferguson, Mo. Anonymous won’t tolerate racism in any form, or the suppression of the right to protest. We are not attacking you because of what you believe in, as we fight for freedom of speech. We are attacking you because of your threats to use lethal attacks against us at the Ferguson protests.
Nixon declares a state of emergency and activates the National Guard in advance of a grand jury decision regarding Brown’s death. Nixon:
The National Guard would assist state and local police as needed, in case there is civil unrest when the grand jury’s decision is announced.
A Missouri chapter of the Ku Klux Klan threatens to stop Ferguson protesters. They hand out fliers labeling protesters as terrorists and want to take action into their own hands. KKK leader, Ancona:
The organization’s threats to Ferguson protesters have boosted our recruitment.
Protesters stage a peaceful protest in St. Louis where they lie dead on the streets. They lie down on chalk marked areas and pretend to be shot. Protest leader DeRay McKesso:
Now we are organized. We are strategizing. And we are going to bring our message to the power structure.
St. Louis gun dealers notice a rise in sales as local residents wait for a grand jury decision on whether to indict the Ferguson police officer who fatally shot teenager Brown. Metro Shooting Supplies is selling two to three times more weapons than usual an average of 30 to 50 guns each day. Store owner Steven King:
We’re selling everything that’s not nailed down. Police aren’t going to be able to protect every single individual. If you don’t prepare yourself and get ready for the worst, you have no one to blame but yourself.
McSpadden and Brown Sr. return to St. Louis after speaking at a United Nations Committee regarding human rights. Brown Sr. speaks to a small group gathered at the airport thanking them for their support:
The trip to Geneva was beautiful, I had a chance to express the loss and the things that are going on in Missouri.
McSpadden, Brown Sr. and several activists present a report to the United Nations, alleging the shooting of their son by Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson and police tactics used against protesters in the following days violate the U.N.’s anti-torture convention. The report also requests for Gov. Jay Nixon to apologize to protesters and the resignation of Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson. Human rights attorneys:
The report addresses the torture and/or cruel inhuman and degrading treatment of protesters and those killed by law enforcement.
McSpadden and Brown Sr. speak about their United Nations trip to Geneva, Switzerland, their overall mission and police brutality. McSpadden:
We have been received very well, they have given us a lot of love and support since we have been here and everything seems to be positive. It is a great experience.
McSpadden and Brown Sr. travel to Geneva, Switzerland to address the members of the United Nations about bringing international awareness to the shooting death of their unarmed son. They speak about police brutality and the latest events happening in Ferguson.
We need the world to know what’s going on in Ferguson and we need justice, we need answers and we need action. And we have to bring it to the U.N. so they can expose it to the rest of the world, what’s going on in small town Ferguson.
Brown’s mother, McSpadden finds her mother, Pearlie Gordon and cousin, Tony Petty selling t-shirts in a restaurant parking lot. The family members fight over merchandise related to his death and McSpadden is hit in the face with a metal pipe. Eyewitness:
Ms. McSpadden jumped out of a car, accompanied by another unidentified person, and yelled you can’t sell this [expletive]. The assault suspect took the merchandise and about $1,400 in cash.
Wilson secretly marries his girlfriend Spradling who is also a Ferguson police officer. The informal wedding is performed at an Overland courthouse. St. Louis County Courthouse sources:
The couple went unnoticed when they applied for a marriage license.
New details provided by unidentified sources which support Officer Darren Wilson’s story of what happened that day emerge in St. Louis. The details reveal that Brown struggled with Wilson in his patrol car and that Wilson’s gun went off in the car before a brief foot chase ensued. Ferguson resident, Patricia Bynes:
There is no way there should be reports from all these anonymous sources and these leaks ….This is supposed to play out in the courts and the justice system, and not the media. The whole damn system is guilty as hell.
An official autopsy shows that Brown was shot in the hand at close range and also confirms that tissue from Brown was found on the exterior of the driver’s side of Wilson’s vehicle. An accompanying report also shows marijuana in his system. St. Louis medical examiner, Dr. Michael Graham:
Someone got an injury that tore off skin and left it on the car. That fits with everything else that came out. There’s blood in the car, now skin on the car, that shows something happened right there. The detection of THC in the postmortem blood of Brown really indicates his recent use of marijuana (within a few hours) and that he may or may not have been impaired at the time of his death.
A witness who saw the killing of Brown from start to finish adds more evidence and speaks to the grand jury.
Wilson’s police SUV stop near Brown and Johnson as they were walking in the middle of Canfield Drive. I heard Wilson say something to them, but not what. Wilson drove past them, then backed up. I had been on the right side of the police SUV and did not have a clear view of what happened on the opposite, driver’s side. There was a tussle going on I believes I saw Wilson’s hat fly off. I heard a shot and saw Brown run, followed by Wilson. Wilson aimed his handgun at Brown and yelled: Stop! Stop! Stop! Brown did stop, mumbled something he could not clearly hear and took a step toward Wilson. When he stepped foot on that street, the officer told him to stop again, and he fired three shots. When Brown got hit, he staggered like, Oh, and his body moved. Then he looked down. His hands were up like this (he gestures with arms out to the side and palms upward), and he was looking at the officer and was coming toward him trying to keep his feet and stand up. The officer took a few steps back and yelled, Stop, again, and Brown was trying to stay on his feet. He was 20 to 25 feet from officer, and after he started staggering, (Wilson) let off four more rounds. As he was firing those last rounds, Brown was on his way down. We were thinking, Oh my God, oh my God, brother, stop, stop. He was already on his way down when he fired those last shots. Wilson didn’t have to kill Brown. It went from zero to 100 like that, in the blink of an eye. … What transpired to us, in my eyesight, was murder. Down outright murder.
Reflection and Resistance is being held in St. Louis. at the University’s Chaifetz Arena. Author and professor Cornel West, rapper-activist Tef Poe, poet and activist Suheir Hammad, and Rabbi Susan Talve of St. Louis’ Central Reform Congregation are in attendance. Activist:
Our country can no longer deny the epidemic of police violence facing black and brown communities.
Activists and protesters march through downtown St. Louis and rally at Kiener Plaza in the center of downtown. Protest organizers:
To show our strength as we stand united against police violence, both here in Ferguson and across the country and to send a message of Not One More.
