In addition to Byers tweet (who is an STL crime beat reporter and with that comes some loyalty issues), there are tons of "My friend's husband is a cop and he says" copy-and-paste/screencap jobs being spread around, some in private messages, some openly. I believe it was the Wednesday after the looting there was this warning going around that gangs of black men were going to strategically attack white areas and everyone should stay in their homes that night. Unreal. But there is also a lot of evidence related "information." My brother assures me DW was in the hospital for days with both eyes swollen shut, and his law enforcement friends told him this.
While I know racism is a very huge problem, this Family of Police game of telephone is what's making some people who may have been on the fence with this particular incident say "Let's wait for the facts." I see the big problem with "Wait for the facts" from evidence that the man's friends collected and also see that he does not look "nearly unconscious" in the video taken right after the shooting with cell phones. But the smirking "just wait" vibe coming from certain sources is making it hard to discuss among locals.
I posted earlier about an officer friend who has been in Ferguson most everynight and how he said intel had done their jobs well and have all sorts of photos of MB that would tarnish his image. A specific photo he referenced was the one I posted about with cash in his mouth pointing a gun. This had been proven not to be MB. These are no different than any other workplace or high school rumor. These officers have no clue. Wilson would have to be the dumbest client ever to talk to anyone besides his lawyer about this. Also, most if not all the pro Wilson FB posts I see link back to the Gateway Pundit, which is a blog with very questionable ethics and sources, if not completely made up, long before MB was shot.
I'm sure that is the case, but when people hear things from a police officer friend or a family member, they are taking it to mean that they are posting info straight from the evidence room. And if you are close to a person in LE, you don't want to be seen as a complete fool should all of this new evidence suddenly appear proving he's innocent. It's much more appealing to tell your other friends that you have insider information and talk about how stupid other people are.
I was glad to see the FBI come in and take testimony and evidence. I think some people were probably scared of the way the County PD set upon the neighborhood. Obviously, I wasn't there, but I've heard it described as seeming like they were being intimidating. I'm wondering what happens if the FBI knows of evidence that it turned over to County, and then the prosecutor doesn't take it to the grand jury. The civil rights case can only be regarding what happened at the scene of the shooting, I believe. Not necessarily the fairness of the officer's trial.
Fact or fiction? 1 gofundme for Darren Wilson was set up by ferguson police department?
2 mike brown's friend recanted his story?
3 police confiscated the bullet from mya as evidence, but still haven't interviewed her? Is it suspected she was shot by police? Her shooting seems really suspicious to me too.
The 10+ witnesses comes from this tweet from a Post Dispatch reporter
@christinedbyers: Police sources tell me more than a dozen witnesses have corroborated cop's version of events in shooting #Ferguson
Which was followed up with this post
@christinedbyers: On FMLA from paper. Earlier tweets did not meet standards for publication.
She has not made a tweet since
In addition to Byers tweet (who is an STL crime beat reporter and with that comes some loyalty issues), there are tons of "My friend's husband is a cop and he says" copy-and-paste/screencap jobs being spread around, some in private messages, some openly. I believe it was the Wednesday after the looting there was this warning going around that gangs of black men were going to strategically attack white areas and everyone should stay in their homes that night. Unreal. But there is also a lot of evidence related "information." My brother assures me DW was in the hospital for days with both eyes swollen shut, and his law enforcement friends told him this.
While I know racism is a very huge problem, this Family of Police game of telephone is what's making some people who may have been on the fence with this particular incident say "Let's wait for the facts." I see the big problem with "Wait for the facts" from evidence that the man's friends collected and also see that he does not look "nearly unconscious" in the video taken right after the shooting with cell phones. But the smirking "just wait" vibe coming from certain sources is making it hard to discuss among locals.
Fenton did get remarried. The craziest part is that after all her bitching about feminism and not getting married again she had a gigantic wedding and her dad even walked her down the aisle. She didn't invite anyone because she was worried she'd be judged for doing a 180. There were lots of hurt feelings.
You're cute.
Yes, I've been on PCE. Not much anywhere lately because I'm supposed to be logging hours. Kill me now.
My Facebook feed is intolerable right now, but I feel like Twitter leans conspiracy too quick (although every time I've thought there was some nuance in this case, it's disappeared), so I'm curious. Can anyone think of a legitimate reason Darren Wilson would not have filled out an incident report, other than the Fifth Amendment?
Okay that is what I thought. I find it disgusting but obviously a clear message to the community.
Lurker as well but with related background to answer the question. You aren't supposed to cover the body. It can interfere with the crime scene. They should've thought of other ways to hid him but a sheet over him, before CSI can process, is not standard protocol. That's mostly just in the movies
Aren't there pop up tents that don't touch anything but hide the view?
Well, they already disregarded the freedom to speak and assemble, and the freedom of the press. It was only a matter of time before they came for the churches.
Freedom to petition is next. Those working the voter registration booths or attempting to go near legislative offices better watch out.
Oh they're way ahead of you on that! Already been called "disgusting and completely inappropriate."
From twitter. This must be Officer GoFuckYourself?
I called the number posted on Twitter about this, and only got a dispatcher, but I still gave her an earful with my voice shaking. If anyone else finds any numbers, throw them my way. I'm registered to vote in the next county (at my parents house, and I can see houses in STL County from my house), but I'm still giving them a 314 number to call and my full name, so maybe it will hold more water.
I'm skimming here and trying to work at the same time (ha!), but I read a statement from a reporter that I can totally see as true: the cops out there are only getting family & friend support, and aren't really aware of any negative reaction besides what reporters are telling them, and certainly don't realize it's international news or starting to impact our standing in foreign policy matters.
The African American newspaper is currently kind of organizing a special ops team to oust a Communist group from Chicago causing most of this. He got a photographer embedded with them and apparently they have grenades. twitter.com/chriskingstl
Yes. I have felt that from the beginning. The first thing I posted on fb was that we were watching history unfold before us. I really do think this is a turning point of some kind.
Which speaking of... I have felt like I'm shouting into a void. I'm white. I come from a place of extreme white privilege. I know that, but I think I at least have my eyes open. I have been so disappointed from the lack of response from almost anyone I know. Comments I've gotten have been like, "What's is happening in Ferguson?" The only other friend of mine who is tuned in is married to an African from Burkina Faso and has a biracial daughter about five years old. I'm just incredulous that people don't even know what is going on? Are you kidding me? This has so many levels of controversy. This is a current event that should every single american completely enraged about one issue or another. And yet everyone is all... oh, here's a video of dogs in a swimming pool. It's frustrating.
Every word you posted is exactly why it won't be a turning point.
People have ice bucket challenges to worry about you know.
I'm not mad at Nelly or T.I. They do have a point.
I agree in some ways, disagree in others. Isn't waiting what everyone else has done? And how does that work out? And in this case, I appreciate the scrutiny brought to the process.
On the other hand, the looting ruins everything. I know it's not my place to tell people whose lives are actually at risk how to react. But integrity is damaged, internally and with other allies.
I read somewhere he didn't. Possibly another customer in the store did? Let me look into that.
ETA
bottom half of page 6
it says "(blank) then calls 911. Meanwhile (blank) comes out from behind the counter"
I cannot find the article I read where it says he didn't call, so I may be talking out of my ass.
I would say the plot thickens if the clerk exaggerated a report of a minor buying tobacco into a robbery.
Anyone have the link? About carding him for tobacco? Layers, dude, like a damn onion. I can't keep up.
A customer in the store reported it to the police. The clerk didn't make the call. The report wouldn't have been written by the time of the radio call, I don't think; it was based on the 911 call about theft and maybe the shoving.
fenton did you see the rally outside ksdk in support of the cop/boycott of channel 5? Nary a black face to be seen
Sent from my DROID2 GLOBAL using Tapatalk 2
There were many more white people than in Ferguson (which I have mixed feelings about), but the march was led by the Organization of Black Struggle, and there were plenty of black people there, too. . The organizer on the scene has also been in Ferguson nonstop: twitter.com/Nettaaaaaaaa
I think this is something that the police family community is telling themselves without any shred of truth in it. They want to make themselves feel better that one of their own had a justification for doing what he did.
I know there are many, many police families who do not feel this way.
I hope you're referring to the Ferguson PD community and not the PD community at large.
In my case, I am talking about the local police communities. Not just Ferguson, though. Especially since there have been so many departments on the scene; their brother or husband is out there, they don't care about anyone else's risk, just that one person. So when there is any statement against County PD or a rock thrown, they get worried and defensive.
If anyone is interested in finding more sources on Twitter, here's my running list of locals: twitter.com/Jennifrrrrr/lists/stl The last 50 follows have been all related to this in particular (thank god this is happening after the 500-account limit was raised), but there are good ones before that, too. Not everything insightful is getting the Ferguson hashtag.
And not on my list but I have been checking in on twitter.com/DLoesch just to see what she's saying, some of which has been not what I expected. But I am trying to go beyond my own usual filters for information.
I also have @charlesjaco1 While I am not a big fan of his, he knows this city very well and being out of work he isn't tied to one media outlet or another (ie one demographic or another)
I've exchanged a few comments with him...I do think he is trying to be objective without discounting the long-term struggle in Ferguson.
This is happening now. I'm torn on this...is it white people showing up to a gov't building that's safer than going to Ferguson? Or taking the fight to local gov't in a way that a majority-AA crowd could not do without being assaulted? twitter.com/nanecam
Has it been mentioned at all that the police friends & family grapevine in St. Louis is telling everyone that the cop was severely beaten and once the investigation is done, that's going to come out? I heard from "a friend of a friend" source that the cop's face was jacked up badly.
I will accept this as a remote possibility since I wasn't there, and if it is true, the Ferguson Police Chief should be strung up and crucified for withholding that from the public for some kind of smug-as-fuck gotcha moment.
This would be hard to swallow b/c there was no ambulance that came right away to check out Michael or the cop, right? I mean "severely" beaten would likely require an ambulance for a cop right away. Maybe I'm wrong.
My brother in particular knows a guy who knows a guy....he says the story is that the name wasn't released b/c the cop was in the hospital for days and vulnerable.
He looks fine standing up at the crime scene, so I know this is BS. But I do think this helps explain at least some of the support for Wilson locally. At least that's what I'm telling myself since my boyfriend's dad is a cop and his mom Liked that Support Darren FB page. Sigh.
If anyone is interested in finding more sources on Twitter, here's my running list of locals: twitter.com/Jennifrrrrr/lists/stl The last 50 follows have been all related to this in particular (thank god this is happening after the 500-account limit was raised), but there are good ones before that, too. Not everything insightful is getting the Ferguson hashtag.
And not on my list but I have been checking in on twitter.com/DLoesch just to see what she's saying, some of which has been not what I expected. But I am trying to go beyond my own usual filters for information.
Has it been mentioned at all that the police friends & family grapevine in St. Louis is telling everyone that the cop was severely beaten and once the investigation is done, that's going to come out? My heard from "a friend of a friend" source that the cop's face was jacked up badly.
I will accept this as a remote possibility since I wasn't there, and if it is true, the Ferguson Police Chief should be strung up and crucified for withholding that from the public for some kind of smug-as-fuck gotcha moment.
That would be in direct contradiction of what was released by the police earlier in that they said his face was bruised/slightly swollen.
I'm just... appalled? maybe at the us vs them mentality that the (local) police community is taking with this.
It's not just the cop community. People who don't ever have to deal with racial issues want to get back to their Dancing with the Stars. I keep seeing local FB posts (not people I'm friends with now but grade school, high school, family members I barely tolerate) saying, "So tired of this, they should grow up and go home. Let things get back to normal." I am floored. I knew there was systemic, and subtle racism at play in these communities, but cover has been blown and I am reeling in disbelief. I can't believe I lived among these people. I feel sick.
Has it been mentioned at all that the police friends & family grapevine in St. Louis is telling everyone that the cop was severely beaten and once the investigation is done, that's going to come out? My heard from "a friend of a friend" source that the cop's face was jacked up badly.
I will accept this as a remote possibility since I wasn't there, and if it is true, the Ferguson Police Chief should be strung up and crucified for withholding that from the public for some kind of smug-as-fuck gotcha moment.
I refuse to believe the police chief released that store robbery video but didn't realize information that concluded the cop got the piss beat out of him.
Exactly. So if it happens, heads should fucking roll. Holding onto to something like that, if it exists, would be near-fully responsible for the decades-worth of damage that's being done to this city.
Has it been mentioned at all that the police friends & family grapevine in St. Louis is telling everyone that the cop was severely beaten and once the investigation is done, that's going to come out? I heard from "a friend of a friend" source that the cop's face was jacked up badly.
I will accept this as a remote possibility since I wasn't there, and if it is true, the Ferguson Police Chief should be strung up and crucified for withholding that from the public for some kind of smug-as-fuck gotcha moment.
I haven't been here in awhile, but I'm a nervous wreck and obsessed with this, and just remembered you guys probably are, too.
I forget if there are any other St. Louisians in here. I moved to Dallas a year and a half ago, but was planning to go back to STL in a year or two. So now I'm just sick because at the end of the day, I don't know what this will do to the metro area long term. St. Louis City leadership makes me hopeful, but a good chunk of the county might as well be Alabama in the 50s right now, and it's fucking heartbreaking. I feel like if there were a handful of racists before, the entire county PD is going to be poisoned now. This may cause progress elsewhere, and I get that's important, but this is setting things back decades for some.
Wilson may be indicted, but I am doubtful it will make it past the grand jury stage. My Facebook feed has quite a bit of celebration that the autopsy exonerates him. People have their minds made up.
I can see why you felt the way you did. My son is 13 and I happened to see some of his texts to his buddies and they were FULL of fucks and other profanity. He's never sworn in front of me and I'm certain he understands there's a time and a place. But my stomach dropped, I guess from disappointment? It's one of those things (like trying cigs) that you expect might happen eventually, but still aren't ready for.
What's wrong with saying fuck at age 13? I'm pretty sure F-bombs were standard by age 11.
To follow up on an important matter I'm sure you are all worried about, my Caribbean Nester Vicki clarified that her ex stretched his balls over HER face, not his own. I'm sorry I misinformed you! She also wants everyone to know this was NOT done in a sexual manner.
I'm about to head home. I loved my time up here in Grapevine. I'll for sure make then next gtg. I had a BLAST
I felt kind of bad we all only hung out for a few hours even though you drove all that way. This weekend is god awful for me since I'm working all day both day on our website redesign, but if we do this again, I will come to wherever you are and pregame with you. Especially in Grapevine with hella wineries everywhere.
Thanks for letting me come, dudes. I only really hang out with my BF and his work friend couples, and I needed a ladies night like whoa. I'm down to clown again any time!