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Witness 10 proves Darren Wilson had a reasonable belief he needed to shoot Michael Brown
The Washington Post's The Volokh Conspiracy ^ | December 1, 2014 | Paul Cassell

Posted on 12/02/2014 2:17:31 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Missouri law allows a person to use deadly force defending himself when he has a “reasonable belief” he needs to use deadly force. The law goes on to define a reasonable belief as one based on “grounds that could lead a reasonable person in the same situation to the same belief.” Unsurprisingly, Officer Darren Wilson testified to the grand jury that he reasonably believed he needed to use deadly force to defend himself against Michael Brown. But the clinching argument on this point is that other reasonable people — i.e., some credible eyewitnesses — agreed with Wilson.

In previous posts, I have discussed how the grand jury process was fair, how Officer Wilson’s testimony covered the bases of Missouri self-defense law, and how the physical evidence bolstered his credibility. In this post, I turn to eyewitness testimony — which The Post has helpfully collected in this story. It would be difficult to discuss in detail the testimony of all of several dozen eyewitnesses. But a defendant raising self-defense need not show that his interpretation was the only one; rather he need only show that it was a reasonable one — i.e., a conclusion a reasonable person could reach based on all the facts.

Against that backdrop, I want to review in detail the testimony of one seemingly reasonable and neutral observer — Witness No. 10. If his objective assessment was that Officer Wilson acted appropriately, that would be strong evidence demonstrating that Wilson’s belief was reasonable....

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; US: Missouri
KEYWORDS: banglist; darrenwilson; ericholder; ferguson; lawenforcement; michaelbrown; missouri; selfdefense
There will be no "civil rights" trial of Darren Wilson, just as there never was one for George Zimmerman, no matter what General Holder may hint at.
1 posted on 12/02/2014 2:17:32 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

that isn’t what holder wants.

he wants to exploit this to set up entirely different law when it comes to cops dealing with black suspects/criminals. he wants to establish special privileges for black crimimals.


2 posted on 12/02/2014 2:21:26 AM PST by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Secret Agent Man

In the end, he might “want” a silk blindfold and a name-brand mentholated cigarette, but he’ll probably just get an old, dirty rag and a generic smoke.


3 posted on 12/02/2014 2:24:21 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (The question isn't who is going to let me; it's who is going to stop me.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

The problem with a civil rights trial is the Feds have to show Darren Wilson’s actions was colored by racist motives.

That’s very difficult to prove. You can flip that around and argue Michael Brown hated Wilson because he was white. Why else would he go after him?

By any reasonable belief, that is a hate crime.


4 posted on 12/02/2014 2:46:41 AM PST by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Comedy gold.


5 posted on 12/02/2014 2:49:15 AM PST by Squeako (The radicals are the wolves. The moderates are the wolves in sheep's clothing.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Thank you witness 10 for having the courage to speak the truth. And for forging ahead despite the intimidation, and the ‘smoke and mirrors’.


6 posted on 12/02/2014 3:10:02 AM PST by Thidwick
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Now that the facts are out...oh wait its too naive to believe the MSM will report the fact based narrative when the lie feeds into their leftwing objective!


7 posted on 12/02/2014 3:13:51 AM PST by RginTN
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Don’t count on it. Obama knows he can keep racial fires going by stoking this situstion.

He and his administration are as culpable as the thugs in the street in sacking Furguson.


8 posted on 12/02/2014 4:11:32 AM PST by ZULU (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qLDFiQcjlY Impeach Obama in 2015 !!!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Holder has to keep the animals happy until another shiny object can be found to wave in front of them.


9 posted on 12/02/2014 5:06:08 AM PST by billyboy15
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To: Secret Agent Man

I think Holder et al want to make it dangerous for police to even arrest Negroes- for anything at all. Negroes are being molded into a thug class such as the Soviet Union used against the law abiding citizenry in the USSR to keep them off balance. Non political criminals were treated leniently and sometimes ignored because they afflicted those who would be middle class in a civilized society, kept them in line. In the camps the non politicals were the prisoner bosses. The Communists called them “social allies.”


10 posted on 12/02/2014 5:10:06 AM PST by arthurus
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To: Secret Agent Man

I think Holder et al want to make it dangerous for police to even arrest Negroes- for anything at all. Negroes are being molded into a thug class such as the Soviet Union used against the law abiding citizenry in the USSR to keep them off balance. Non political criminals were treated leniently and sometimes ignored because they afflicted those who would be middle class in a civilized society, kept them in line. In the camps the non politicals were the prisoner bosses. The Communists called them “social allies.”


11 posted on 12/02/2014 5:10:25 AM PST by arthurus
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

This is in WaPo???


12 posted on 12/02/2014 5:18:24 AM PST by arthurus
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Witness 10 was afraid that Brown might have killed the police officer inside the car when he heard the firing of a single shot. (The ballistics evidence shows two shots were fired at the car, so that is a point of difference.)”

Wilson also said he fired one shot in the car, but it is rather easy to explain why he thought that.

Likely both shots were in rapid succession, which would sound like one shot inside the car. Also the noise from that first shot in the car would be deafening, anyone that has ever fired a gun in a closed area knows this, especially a handgun. You wouldn’t hear anything for awhile after that first shot.


13 posted on 12/02/2014 5:20:20 AM PST by Beagle8U (If illegal aliens are undocumented immigrants, then shoplifters are undocumented customers.)
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