The Charles Barkley Rant on Ferguson Grand Jury Decision That You Won’t Believe You’re Just Now Hearing

[spookyturtle 9,465]

I don't agree with getting mouthy with cops at all. Just pointing out that telling someone to get on the sidewalk as a cop should have been just that. There's no need to use that type of language. And as a grown man, if you use that tone with me, I don't care who you are, I'll ask what your problem is.

But the kid obviously went beyond asking the cop what his problem was. Sometimes being a smartass isn't the wisest way to react. This kid did a dumb thing, he challenged the cop and evidently in an aggressive manner. He just stole cigars by being an intimidating smartass. Not a good attitude to have.

[Operator 1,927]

It's cool. This was first reported when the story broke.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/inconsistencies-what-happened-during-michael-brown-shooting

Dorian Johnson: Brown stole the Cigarillos from the Ferguson Market and then the two of them were walking toward their apartments as Wilson passed. Wilson told them to "Get the #### on the sidewalk."

Thanks, that's an interesting graphic at the end. It really shows that many people can observe the same situation and draw different conclusions. For instance witness number 12 gave three different answers on how many shots were fired.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

But the kid obviously went beyond asking the cop what his problem was. Sometimes being a smartass isn't the wisest way to react. This kid did a dumb thing, he challenged the cop and evidently in an aggressive manner. He just stole cigars by being an intimidating smartass. Not a good attitude to have.

Or, it could have been the other way around. No one really knows. He stole some cigars by strong arming a store clerk. Doesn't mean he went up and decided to deck a police officer. You have kids that are meek as hell, then turn around and mow down folks with weapons.

Thanks, that's an interesting graphic at the end. It really shows that many people can observe the same situation and draw different conclusions. For instance witness number 12 gave three different answers on how many shots were fired.

That's the part that bothers me. This is why I want body cams on police.

[spookyturtle 9,465]

Or, it could have been the other way around. No one really knows. He stole some cigars by strong arming a store clerk. Doesn't mean he went up and decided to deck a police officer. You have kids that are meek as hell, then turn around and mow down folks with weapons.

According to the Grand Jury, it doesn't seem to have been the other way around. It seems that there was not enough evidence to charge the cop.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

According to the Grand Jury, it doesn't seem to have been the other way around. It seems that there was not enough evidence to charge the cop.

I know, but the grand jury isn't infallible. Like I said, I wasn't there.

[LibCampFireClub 635]

A grand jury only need to find probable cause. No matter how much Van Jones believes there is probable cause, the evidence simply shows there wasn't any.

[B_J 2,752]

It's cool. This was first reported when the story broke.

http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2014/11/inconsistencies-what-happened-during-michael-brown-shooting

Dorian Johnson: Brown stole the Cigarillos from the Ferguson Market and then the two of them were walking toward their apartments as Wilson passed. Wilson told them to "Get the #### on the sidewalk."

Seriously? I think it's been shown that Dorian Johnson is about the least credible witness possible. You can't really be using him to support your statements?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Seriously? I think it's been shown that Dorian Johnson is about the least credible witness possible. You can't really be using him to support your statements?

I'm not. Just showing what was said in the beginning. I've been cussed out before by a police officer for just walking to the store. So it's not out of the ordinary.

[B_J 2,752]

I know, but the grand jury isn't infallible. Like I said, I wasn't there.

None of us was there. But why are you choosing to support the Brown side instead of the Wilson side?

What we know: Brown did steal cigars, he did hit Wilson, the gun was fired in the car with Brown's hand next to it, Brown was shot and killed, not while running away but while facing Wilson.

If this is all we know; why do you choose to support Brown instead of Wilson? If I just had to go by the character of the individuals involved, I would choose Wilson.

Don't try to change this into, "it's not about this particular case, it's about the relationships between cops and blacks in general". It is about this case. If you want to have the discussion about the relationship between cops and blacks, then choose a better case to rally around. This is not the one to garner any sympathy from open-minded people.

[B_J 2,752]

I'm not. Just showing what was said in the beginning. I've been cussed out before by a police officer for just walking to the store. So it's not out of the ordinary.

It doesn't matter what was said in the beginning; all that matters is what is believable. Somebody on here mentioned that, if a cop says to get out of the middle of the street, then do it. But then you changed it to the cop cursing at them. But that story comes from the most unbelievable person around. So, why even mention it? Why bring it up unless you are just trying, for some reason, to paint the cop as the bad guy. There is no reason to believe that unless you just really, really want it to be true. Sorry, none of the rest of us are going to believe it.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

None of us was there. But why are you choosing to support the Brown side instead of the Wilson side?

What we know: Brown did steal cigars, he did hit Wilson, the gun was fired in the car with Brown's hand next to it, Brown was shot and killed, not while running away but while facing Wilson.

If this is all we know; why do you choose to support Brown instead of Wilson? If I just had to go by the character of the individuals involved, I would choose Wilson.

Don't try to change this into, "it's not about this particular case, it's about the relationships between cops and blacks in general". It is about this case. If you want to have the discussion about the relationship between cops and blacks, then choose a better case to rally around. This is not the one to garner any sympathy from open-minded people.

I didn't say I supported either side. I said I wasn't there. The same goes for you. You seem determined to support Wilson as with quite a few people. Because 16 out of 29 witnesses said Brown hands were up when he was shot and was running away.

But is it about character? Do you know Wilson personally? Because I don't, so how can I judge his character? Brown robbed a store. That's a crime. I don't know what was said when him and Wilson met up, but I know from experience that some cops in majority black neighborhoods aren't peachy keen when they approach someone. It took for me to almost be killed by one that I learned not to ask questions like what did I do or why are you stopping me when I've done nothing wrong.

I don't support Brown. I support doing stuff by the book. And there are a few things done in this case that don't add up to me. But that's my opinion.

[Rob L 3,811]

Thanks, that's an interesting graphic at the end. It really shows that many people can observe the same situation and draw different conclusions. For instance witness number 12 gave three different answers on how many shots were fired.

My brother is a former deputy prosecutor and he frequently references how totally unreliable eyewitness accounts are and that there are scientific studies to back up the concept.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

It doesn't matter what was said in the beginning; all that matters is what is believable. Somebody on here mentioned that, if a cop says to get out of the middle of the street, then do it. But then you changed it to the cop cursing at them. But that story comes from the most unbelievable person around. So, why even mention it? Why bring it up unless you are just trying, for some reason, to paint the cop as the bad guy. There is no reason to believe that unless you just really, really want it to be true. Sorry, none of the rest of us are going to believe it.

Even a broken clock is right twice a day. He could be a lying sack or he could be telling the truth.

[B_J 2,752]

I didn't say I supported either side. I said I wasn't there. The same goes for you. You seem determined to support Wilson as with quite a few people. Because 16 out of 29 witnesses said Brown hands were up when he was shot and was running away.

But is it about character? Do you know Wilson personally? Because I don't, so how can I judge his character? Brown robbed a store. That's a crime. I don't know what was said when him and Wilson met up, but I know from experience that some cops in majority black neighborhoods aren't peachy keen when they approach someone. It took for me to almost be killed by one that I learned not to ask questions like what did I do or why are you stopping me when I've done nothing wrong.

I don't support Brown. I support doing stuff by the book. And there are a few things done in this case that don't add up to me. But that's my opinion.

I am determined to support the facts. 16 out of 29 is about 50/50, that's why I didn't include the hands up as a fact. I did include the part about facing Wilson because that is what the autopsy shows, making it a fact.

I, of course, don't know Wilson personally, but there has yet to be anything shown that makes him look like a bad character, unless you for some reason want to believe Dorian Johnson. You don't have to look hard to find something that makes Brown look like a bad character.

Doing stuff by the books also means trusting in the legal system. You know, the whole grand jury process. How about supporting that?

Whether you will admit it or not, it is obvious to everybody that you are choosing Brown over Wilson. I don't really know why. All cops are not Satan wrapped in white skin.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Johnson declared on TV, in a clip played for the grand jury, that Wilson fired at least one shot at his friend while Brown was running away: “It struck my friend in the back.”

One woman, who said she was smoking a cigarette with a friend nearby, claimed she saw a second police officer in the passenger seat of Wilson’s vehicle. When quizzed by a prosecutor, she elaborated: The officer was white, “middle age or young” and in uniform. She said she was positive there was a second officer

Another witness had told the FBI that Wilson shot Brown in the back and then “stood over him and finished him off.”

Another man, describing himself as a friend of Brown’s, told a federal investigator that he heard the first gunshot, looked out his window and saw an officer with a gun drawn and Brown “on his knees with his hands in the air.” He added: “I seen him shoot him in the head.”

All lies picked up by the media to inflame the situation ... CNN and MSNBC needs ratings