Police Brutality Ferguson Essay

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Words: 699
Pages: 3
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Christina Varghese
CL English 101
May 4, 2015
Mixed Essay Police Brutality: Ferguson Case Have you ever sat down on a concrete pavement before? While doing so, have you ever seen an innocent ant crawl by you? It doesn’t harm you or pose a threat but you feel entitled to use your feet to harm it and kill it. Well, this scenario equates with many modern news about police brutality. It’s the wanton use of excessive force, usually physical, by a police officer. It simply means that police officers use their authority and power to harm without cause. So can it be said that police brutality is bullying? I don’t see why not. The biggest case in media recently was the investigation of the Ferguson case. Michael Brown was an eighteen year old black teenager that was killed on August 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri. He was unarmed, and was suspected of stealing cigarillos in a store nearby. He began to walk down a couple of streets but was unaware that pilfering a box of cigars would lead to his demise. A twenty-eight year old white Ferguson police officer, Darren Wilson, heard the description of the thief from the store and positioned his S.U.V to block Michael and also traffic. Michael stood at the window of the vehicle. An altercation between Officer Wilson and Brown occur and the officer fires two shots from inside the vehicle. One grazed Brown’s thumb, while the other missed him. By instinct, Brown begins to run and Officer Wilson follows him on foot. Brown stops eventually and turns toward Officer Wilson, who stopped as well. Brown begins to move toward Officer Wilson and he began to shoot Brown several more times. Brown’s fatally wounded, and later dies.
Many rumors and justifications have been made on both Brown and Officer Wilson’s behalf but no conclusion can suffice the death of an innocent, black man. Now, take a moment to analyze the situation with me. Was this a form of police brutality? Did this happen because of the color of Brown’s skin? I believe the answer to both questions in this case are rhetorical. This shooting of Michael Brown not only became a cry of help for modern day racism, but also plays a significant role in the protests and riots against police brutality today. The Ferguson case was taken to court and no charges were filed. However, Wilson resigned from the police force with no severance. He would never be a police officer again. Brown did have several other offenses on his record from before, but it doesn’t change the fact that he was predominantly innocent now. Brown stole a pack of cigars. People steal on a daily basis, but does that mean someone should be
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