Killing of Black teen in US exposes underbelly
As the week that began with a controversial grand jury decision in the Michael Brown-Darren Wilson case draws to a close, and the holiday season in America moves into full gear, it is a matter of relief that the situation in Ferguson, and indeed around the US, is gradually calming down. For the past three months, Ferguson, a small town of just about 21,000 people in the mid-western State of Missouri, had been the epicentre of racial tensions, which were aggravated by faultlines between law enforcement agencies, the local political leadership and the public at large.
On August 9, Michael Brown, an unarmed Black teen, was shot dead by Darren Wilson, a White police officer, in broad daylight. While Mr Wilson claims that he acted in self-defence following a nasty physical confrontation with Brown, the deceased's family and supporters argue that the police officer's actions were malicious, reckless and racially motivated.
On Monday, a nine-member grand jury, which had met 25 times and heard more than 70 hours of testimony from 60 witnesses, decided not to press charges against Mr Wilson. This served as the catalyst for the latest round of rioting and violence, even though peaceful protests, picketing and clashes with police alike — not just in Ferguson but across the country and even outside American missions abroad — have continued throughout the three months between the shooting and the grand jury decision.
From a strictly legal perspective, the grand jury's decision was not unexpected. It is extremely unlikely for police officers to be held guilty for using deadly force in the course of duty as the law gives them ample scope to chart the best course of action, which is usually based on decisions taken in a split second. In fact, it is hard to imagine how the second investigation into this case, conducted by federal authorities, will produce results that are any different from the State investigation.
The federal case is looking into possible constitutional violations but, here too, it will be extremely difficult to prove that Mr Wilson willfully violated Brown's rights. A third investigation, by the Department of Justice, into the entire Ferguson police department, may bring about procedural tightening and policy changes — for example, Ferguson police’s heavy-handed response in the aftermath of the shooting should come for scrutiny as also the larger issue of ‘militarisation' of police forces.
But the biggest concern here is one of racism. Ferguson is a Black-majority town governed by White politicians and secured by White police officers. Moreover, Michael Brown's killing comes less than three years after Trayvon Martin, another Black teen, was similarly shot dead by a White neighbourhood watch captain in Florida. Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama has done well, despite being goaded, not to add his voice to the controversy by taking sides. Had he waded into the issue, things could have taken a turn for the worse.