Michael Brown’s family is ‘beyond outraged’

The family of an unarmed African-American teenager who was shot dead by US police says they are “beyond outraged” at the police’s attempts “to assassinate the character of their son” in order to “justify the execution style murder.”

Six days after 18-year-old Michael Brown was fatally shot by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, the Ferguson police released the name of the officer on Friday but at the same time released surveillance video of a convenience-store theft, labeling Brown as the “primary suspect” in the incident.

Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson told reporters on Friday that the officer who fatally shot Brown did not stop him because he was suspected in the store theft but because the African-American teenager was “walking down the middle of the street blocking traffic.”

The “robbery does not relate to the initial contact between the officer and Michael Brown,” Jackson added.

Brown’s family and their lawyers released a statement on Friday, saying instead of releasing “the photographs of the officer that executed” Brown, the Ferguson police are trying to divert people’s attention away from his “execution style murder.”

Read the full statement below:

Michael Brown’s family is beyond outraged at the devious way the police chief has chosen to disseminate piece mil information in a manner intended to assassinate the character of their son, following such a brutal assassination of his person in broad daylight.

There is nothing based on the facts that have been placed before us that can justify the execution style murder of their child by this police officer as he held his hands up, which is the universal sign of surrender.

The prolonged release of the officer’s name and then the subsequent alleged information regarding a robbery is the reason why the family and the local community have such distrust for the local law enforcement agencies.

It is no way transparent to release the still photographs alleged to be Michael Brown and refuse to release the photographs of the officer that executed him.

The police strategy of attempting to blame the victim will not divert our attention, from being focused on the autopsy, ballistics report and the trajectory of the bullets that caused Michael’s death and will demonstrate to the world this brutal execution of an unarmed teenager.

Benjamin L Crump, Esq.
Anthony D. Gray, Esq.
Daryl D. Parks, Esq.

Brown’s death sparked protests across the United States. In Ferguson, police clashed with protesters and fired tear gas. Several arrests were made and the Ferguson police used helicopters and armored vehicles.