The U.S. Department Of Justice announced Wednesday that it will not bring civil right charges against former Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson, in the shooting death of Michael Brown.
The Wall Street JournaL noted that the DOJ said it will not prosecute Wilson in the fatal shooting of the unarmed black teen last year. However, the department did criticize the Ferguson police force for “racial bias” and released a report outlining unconstitutional police treatment of black citizens in the city.
Prosecutors said the treatment, which can include traffic stops for no reason and tickets for walking in the street, are all tactics to generate revenue for the town.
“Ferguson’s law-enforcement practices are shaped by the city’s focus on revenue rather than by public safety needs,’’ the 102-page report said.
As previously reported, on Aug. 9, Brown was fatally shot by Wilson during a confrontation. In November, a grand jury decided not to bring charges against the officer. That announcement sparked nationwide protests and Wilson retired from the police department.
Brown’s parents released a statement saying that while they are “saddened” by the latest decision, they are “encouraged” about the DOJ holding police accountable for some of the past actions against minorities.