Did Michael Brown Cause His Own Death in Ferguson, Missouri?

I think there are many out there that have this fear about the Michael Brown murder in Ferguson, MO., that, the riots and mayhem it caused in that little town might be proven incorrect and premature. Of course, at the time, nearly all of us, automatically felt the police officer, Darren Wilson, was guilty of killing an unarmed black teen about ready to go to college. Most of us thought Michael Brown was unarmed and he had done nothing that would warrant the stop and an officer pulling out his gun and killing him. Of course, in a town where most residents are black and the police officer and force is white, the echoes and screams of racism went around the world. Then, many angry and discontented people living with piss-poor lives began to use the death as a reason to riot and destroy property and harass those who supported the officer's version. Skin color had superseded emotion and common sense and justice. For many, it still does. For them, justice is about skin color and if they had their way, they would lynch the white man.

Then, Darren Wilson, had testified in a close, confidential hearing. While it is suspicious, it happens all the time around the country. A public hearing would simply become a loud, obnoxious, calamity because of pent up anger. But from the start, Darren Wilson has stayed with his story about the initial confrontation between MB and himself that none of the witnesses did observe in a clear manner. The officer stated that he was pinned in his SUV and in fear of his life while MB and himself struggled for control of the officer's gun. This all came about because Wilson had stopped his car and attempted to get out when MB pushed Wilson back into the car. During this scuffle, MB reached for the officer's gun. During the struggle for the weapon, the gun went off twice. Police forensics show that the first bullet struck MB in the arm, the second shot, missed. MB's blood was found on the gun and on the interior door panel of the Chevy Tahoe SUV. MB's blood was also on Wilson's uniform. During the struggle, MB had punched Wilson several times in the face causing the officer's face to swell.

This confrontation set the stage of emotion and fear in Wilson's mind. Less than a minute before, Wilson drove up along MB and friend just to tell them to get off the street where they were walking and get on the sidewalk. After all, they were walking in the middle of the street. MB may have usually been a big teddy bear around family and friends, but MB had already stole cheap things from a store down the road and used his large size to intimidate the shop owner. Of course, Wilson did not know this when he pulled up. So, imagine when Wilson pulled up with a simple request and suddenly found himself being threatened and assaulted when MB attacked him through the open window.

Witnesses state MB seemed to be fleeing after the confrontation. So, Wilson, after the close call that threatened his life, pulled out the gun and ordered him stop. Wilson's warning was all too brief, granted, but MB continued ignoring Wilson and that is when the first aimed shot hit MB. This does not account for why Wilson fired more rounds that ultimately killed MB. The only explanation is Wilson's own paranoia and fear for his life.

MB had reason to fear the police and that was his state of mind. If you steal from a store and flee, one tends to be paranoid of police. MB, no doubt thought Wilson had received information about this and overreacted when Wilson pulled up. Of course, if you are a criminal, the worse thing to do is to bring attention to yourself. Yet, MB did this by walking in the middle of the road. Kinda stupid. The cigars he stole certainly were not worth his life. So, this whole thing began with MB's attitude and actions. Had he not stole cigars, he would not be paranoid. Had he simply walked along the side of the road or on the sidewalk, Wilson would have driven by. Had MB simply complied with Wilson's request, MB would be in college. Instead, MB's choices caused his own death.

The federal government has investigated the shooting for violation of civil rights and concluded nothing was violated. The racism card played by the black community is invalid. Bullshit. There is a good chance that Wilson will not be charged with a crime, he may lose his job, though. If that happens, is Ferguson going to react violently again? To what end? Just let it go.

It is clear that the mental state of both actors in this tragic event are key to how each reacted.