NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund Seeks Investigation of Darren Wilson Grand Jury Proceedings by 21st Judicial Circuit in Missouri January 5, 2015 Today, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund (LDF) submitted a letter to Judge Maura McShane, the Presiding Judge of the 21st Judicial Circuit in Missouri, requesting that the court conduct an immediate and thorough investigation of the grand jury proceedings that resulted in the non-indictment of former Ferguson, Missouri police officer Darren Wilson. The letter has been endorsed by its local partners Mound City Bar Association and Ferguson Legal Defense Committee. The transcripts of the grand jury proceedings reveal questionable prosecutorial tactics that compromised the integrity of the proceedings. As a result, we are asking the court to restore public confidence in the St. Louis County justice system by conducting an investigation, convening a new grand jury, and appointing a special prosecutor pursuant to Missouri law. For the past several weeks, LDF has worked in concert with lawyers and legal experts from Missouri and across the country, including the Mound City Bar Association, to read and analyze the grand jury transcripts. “Our review of these proceedings has raised grave legal concerns, including knowing presentation of false witness testimony, erroneous instructions on the law, and preferential treatment of Mr. Wilson by the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. These and other issues raise questions about the integrity of the process and the lawfulness of the prosecutors’ conduct. This process sets a bad precedent for our judicial system and diminishes the high standard that stewards of the law are supposed to uphold,” said Sherrilyn Ifill, LDF’s President and Director-Counsel. Statement From Vincent Southerland, Senior Counsel: “Now is the time to restore trust and confidence in the criminal justice system and ensure that justice is truly served in this case, no matter what the ultimate outcome.”
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 05:07:47 +0000
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