Ferguson Police Chief Is Out; Leaves With $100K Severance Package

File this under "Gee, that took too long."

Via Buzzfeed:

Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson resigned Wednesday in a “mutual decision” between him and city administrators, Mayor James Knowles said during a news conference.

Jackson, who led the department during at the time of Michael Brown’s fatal shooting, city unrest, and a federal report that criticized local law enforcement for rampant racial discrimination and a focus on generating revenues over public safety, will walk away with a severance package worth roughly a year’s salary, Knowles added.

Jackson’s severance package will pencil out to about $100,000, Knowles said. That’s despite leading the department for only about five years. Ferguson’s former city manager, John Shaw, received a similar severance package when he resigned this week.

Department Of Justice To Recommend 'No Charges' Against Ferguson Police Officer

According to the New York Times, the Department of Justice has apparently concluded it's investigation into civil rights charges against Darren Wilson, the police officer who shot and killed Ferguson, Missouri teen Michael Brown. Reports say no charges will be will filed against the officer.

The investigation by the F.B.I., which is complete, found no evidence to support civil rights charges against the officer, Darren Wilson, the officials said.

A broader civil rights investigation into allegations of discriminatory traffic stops and excessive force by the Ferguson Police Department remains open, however. That investigation could lead to significant changes at the department, which is overwhelmingly white despite serving a city that is mostly black.

The state authorities concluded their investigation into Mr. Brown’s death in November and similarly recommended no charges.

There is a high legal bar for bringing federal civil rights charges, and federal investigators had for months signaled that they were unlikely to do so. The Justice Department plans to release a report explaining its decision, though it is not clear when.

Missouri: Officer Darren Wilson Resigns From Ferguson Police Department

Darren Wilson, the Missouri police officer who killed an unarmed black teen, has resigned, his lawyer says. http://t.co/Jk67R2RBs5

— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) November 30, 2014

Officer Darren Wilson Speaks to ABC News About The Shooting Death Of Michael Brown

In an exclusive one on one interview, Officer Darren Wilson, who shot and killed unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, on August 9th, tells ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that he never shot towards Brown’s back.

In addition, Wilson says that he feared for his life because the teen reached into his car, and grabbed for his gun.

Wilson said that he was sorry that Brown had died, but “he would not do anything differently that day,” according to Stephanopoulos. “He did what he was trained to do. He was simply doing his job.”

When asked if the incident “would have gone down any differently if Michael Brown were white,” Wilson reportedly replied "Absolutely not," adding that he has a "clean conscience."

Watch the preview below, and for more tune in to ABC World News Tonight

Michael Brown's Family Makes Public Statement: "Profoundly Disappointed"

The family of Michael Brown issued a statement in reaction to the news that no charges would be brought against Officer Darren Wilson for the shooting death of the teenager:

"We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions.

While we understand that many others share our pain, we ask that you channel your frustration in ways that will make a positive change. We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen.

Join with us in our campaign to ensure that every police officer working the streets in this country wears a body camera.

We respectfully ask that you please keep your protests peaceful. Answering violence with violence is not the appropriate reaction.

Let's not just make noise, let's make a difference.

Michael Brown's parents will hold a press conference Tuesday at Noon.

Statement From Officer Darren Wilson's Attorneys On Ferguson Shooting

"Law enforcement personnel must frequently make split-second and difficult decisions. Officer Wilson followed his training and followed the law."

No Indictment In Ferguson Shooting Death Of Michael Brown

Prosecutor McCullouch rambled on and on for several minutes at the beginning of his announcement blaming "social media" for making the case difficult to resolve.

BREAKING: Missouri prosecutor says no probable cause exists to file charges in #Ferguson shooting. http://t.co/LupvQ1K4d8

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) November 25, 2014

Things Could Get Ugly Down In Missouri Soon

Missouri governor activates National Guard before grand jury decision on Michael Brown shooting: http://t.co/v4iYoO8sgj
— Yahoo News (@YahooNews) November 17, 2014

Mo. governor activates National Guard in advance of Ferguson grand jury decision about shooting of Michael Brown http://t.co/iLWYjjGwy2

— The Associated Press (@AP) November 17, 2014

NY Times Reports Officer Who Killed Ferguson Teen Feared For His Life

MSNBC's Steve Kornacki and Amanda Sakuma discuss the recent New York Times article which reports that Police Officer Darren Wilson's version of events in the deadly shooting of teenager Michael Brown says he was pinned in his car by Brown and feared for his life.

This version of the shooting doesn't jive with other witnesses at the scene.

A grand jury in Missouri is currently deliberating whether or not to indict Officer Wilson on any charges. An announcement from the grand jury is expected sometime between mid-November and January.

Possible audio recording of Michael Brown shooting surfaces

It is possible a recording of the actual shots fired at Michael Brown may have just surfaced.

According to CNN, an unidentified man, who has since been interviewed by the FBI, may have inadvertently  recorded the incident in which Michael Brown was shot by Officer Darren Wilson earlier this month.

The most interesting aspect of the short recording is what appears to be two separate, distinct sets gunfire from Officer Darren Wilson's weapon.

From CNN:

In the recording, a quick series of shots can be heard, followed by a pause and then another quick succession of shots.

Forensic audio expert Paul Ginsberg analyzed the recording and said he detected at least 10 gunshots -- a cluster of six, followed by four.

The man who recorded the shooting was talking to someone on video chat when the sounds of gunfire erupted in the background. The Daily Mail added:

Lopa Blumenthal, the attorney for the unidentified man who recorded the alleged gunfire nearby said that she believed the audio shows, if it is authentic, that Officer Wilson had a clear 'point of contemplation' while pulling the trigger and aiming at Brown."

Watch a portion of the report on CNN below:

(via The Wire)

First autopsy indicates Michael Brown was shot six times

At the request of Michael Brown's family, a former New York City chief medical examiner has performed an autopsy on the body of the slain teenager.

From The Daily Beast:

In a press conference Monday, Baden said two of the gunshot wounds hit Brown's head in a position indicating he may have been bent over. (The other four wounds were his arm.)

All of the shots but the ones to Brown's head were survivable, Baden said, adding that the wounds could be consistent with eyewitness testimony that Brown was trying to run away from Officer Wilson.

Brown family attorney Benjamin Crump said "The family would rather the invesigation be done independently of local authority becuase they feel there will not be justice for their child."

Missouri Gov. Nixon disagreed with the release of convenience store robbery video

Gov. Nixon of Missouri addresses the latest developments in the Michael Brown shooting debacle, including the release of video allegedly showing Brown stealing cigars from a shop.

Nixon said he and the Justice Department disapproved of the video's release as it only served to somehow disparage the character of the shooting victim.

We and our security team and the highway patrol didn’t know that was going to be released, and I don’t think the Attorney General knew that. Quite frankly we disagree deeply I think for 2 reasons. Number one to attempt in essence to disparage the character in the middle of a process like this is not right. It’s just not right. And secondarily it did put the community and, quite frankly, the region and the nation on alert again. These are old wounds, these are deep wounds in these communities and that action was not helpful.

LGBT Advocacy Groups issue letter in support of slain Missouri teenager Michael Brown

18 year old Michael Brown

LGBT advocacy groups like the Human Rights Campaign, The Trevor Project, GLAAD, Center for Black Equity, Inc., PFLAG National and more have issued a statement in support of slain Missouri teenager Michael Brown and his family.

The shooting death of Brown has inflamed racial tensions across the country. The letter calls for a swift and thorough investigation.

When communities experience fear, harassment and brutality simply because of who they are or how they look, we are failing as a nation. In light of the recent events in Missouri, it is clearer than ever that there is something profoundly wrong in our country.

The lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community cannot be silent at this moment, because LGBT people come from all races, creeds, faiths and backgrounds, and because all movements of equality are deeply connected. We are all part of the fabric of this nation and the promise of liberty and justice for all is yet to be fulfilled.

The LGBT community stands with the family of Michael Brown, who was gunned down in Ferguson, Missouri. We stand with the mothers and fathers of young Black men and women who fear for the safety of their children each time they leave their homes. We call on the national and local media to be responsible and steadfast in their coverage of this story and others like it--racialized killings that have marred this nation since the beginning of its history. We call on policy makers on all levels of American government not to shrink from action, and we are deeply grateful to Attorney General Eric Holder and the Department of Justice for their immediate commitment to a thorough investigation.

At this moment, we are inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies ... but the silence of our friends.”

The letter is signed by the following:

ACLU
AIDS United
Center for Black Equity, Inc.
Courage Campaign
Equality Federation
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD)
GLAAD
GMHC
GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality Human Rights Campaign
National Black Justice Coalition
National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR)
National Center for Transgender Equality
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Minority AIDS Council
National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA) PFLAG National
Pride at Work, AFL-CIO
Soulforce
Southerners on New Ground (SONG)
Trans People of Color Coalition
Transgender Law Center
Trevor Project