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The Michael Brown narrative surfaces again

Summary:

The 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, remains a polarizing event in U.S. racial and political discourse. Brown, an 18-year-old Black man, was killed by Officer Darren Wilson after a violent altercation following a robbery. Despite investigations clearing Wilson, activists and politicians continue to frame Brown as a martyr for social justice. The case fueled nationwide protests, misinformation campaigns, and enduring debates about police accountability and racial bias.

What This Means for You:

  • Critical Media Literacy: Verify claims about high-profile cases with primary sources (e.g., DOJ reports) to avoid misinformation.
  • Community Impact: Understand how narratives shape public policy—Ferguson’s consent decree altered local policing despite exonerating evidence.
  • Political Tooling: Recognize how historical incidents are leveraged for contemporary agendas, such as fundraising or legislative pushes.
  • Future Outlook: Expect continued politicization of similar cases; prepare for renewed media cycles around anniversaries.

Original Post:

On August 9, 2014, in Ferguson, Missouri, Michael Brown, an 18-year-old, 6’4” nearly 300-pound thug wannabe was shot and killed by a Ferguson police officer. Ferguson, and the nation, have never fully recovered. Every year around August 9 leftists continue to portray Brown as a holy social justice martyr, and this year it was the turn of the Illinois Lt. Governor:

Illinois Lt. Governor's tweet

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And Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL):

Rep. Wilson's tweet

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Both used photos of a sullen Brown in his high school graduation robe. That’s because every other photo of Brown on social media depicts his thug ideation: guns, pot, booze, gang signs, obscene gestures and the rest. They harsh the narrative of a brilliant young Brown full of promise and about to enter college or a technical school. If true, no one has ever produced the slightest evidence of it.

At my home blog, I’ve covered the Brown case, currently amounting to 37 articles. The truth doesn’t resemble the narrative.

Brown, a recent high school graduate had no job and no apparent future. He and Dorian Johnson, began smoking pot early each morning and continued throughout the day. On August 14 they went to a convenience store, where Brown stole handfuls of cheap cigars—“blunts”—they planned to hollow out and fill with pot, apparently Brown’s favorite method. Brown roughed up a far smaller clerk, committing strong armed robbery.

A short time later, Ferguson Officer Darren Wilson came upon the pair as they were walking down the middle of a road. That alone was cause for Wilson to stop and cite them. Wilson asked them to walk on the sidewalk. Brown responded with obscenities. Wilson pulled over and as he opened his door, Brown slammed it on him and began brutally beating him through the open window. Brown tried to get Wilson’s gun. Wilson barely managed to retain it, and in the struggle it discharged, barely grazing Brown’s hand. Johnson and Brown ran.

Wilson ordered them to stop, but rather than fleeing, Brown turned, put his head down, and made a berserker charge at Wilson, who while continuing to tell Brown to stop, fired 10 rounds, the final round to the top of Brown’s head dropping Brown at Wilson’s feet. Wilson, who fully cooperated in the investigation, explained Brown’s attack made him feel like a five-year-old trying to fight Hulk Hogan. He reasonably believed if Brown got to him, he’d be killed.

Race hustlers took full advantage of Wilson’s lawful self-defense. Ferguson suffered looting and rioting that has destroyed property values to this day. Johnson claimed Brown was killed execution style while on his knees with his hands up, crying “don’t shoot,” a lie racist politicians and the media gladly adopted. It never happened.

The FBI investigated and the local prosecutor convened a grand jury. Unlike most such proceedings, he provided every bit of evidence which was also made public. What they, and the FBI, learned was revealing.

Numerous witnesses, virtually all black, spun lies so bizarre some were darkly funny. One woman told her FBI interviewers one of her relatives was FBI and realizing they knew she was lying, tried to break their tape recorder. Eventually, most admitted they hadn’t seen anything and were making it up. None of their lies were supported by the physical or forensic evidence. One black witness, a convicted felon, did see everything and told the truth.

With the narrative failing, NPR invented a statistical fallacy: if 51% of witnesses say something, it must be true. That’s nonsense. What matters is whether a witness was able to have seen what they claimed, if their accounts are supported by evidence and whether they have any personal credibility. In the Brown case, virtually none did.

Even though many witnesses lied to the FBI and before the grand jury, none were prosecuted. Prosecuting black people would have obliterated the narrative.

The Obama/Holder DOJ, the most corrupt in history until the Biden’s Handlers/Garland DOJ, people who desperately wanted to hang Wilson, had to admit Wilson acted lawfully. They couldn’t file a criminal or civil rights case, though they did force a consent decree on the little Ferguson police force.

Not long after his death, Brown’s family and relatives got into a public brawl over the proceeds for Michael Brown-branded merchandise they were hawking.

Democrats still find Michael Brown politically useful in keeping the hateful, racist narrative alive. The only lesson Americans can profitably learn from his life and death is he isn’t worthy of praise or emulation.

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Mike McDaniel is a USAF veteran, classically trained musician, Japanese and European fencer, life-long athlete, firearm instructor, retired police officer and high school and college English teacher. He is a published author and blogger. His home blog is Stately McDaniel Manor. 

Extra Information:

DOJ’s Ferguson Report details investigative findings and federal oversight implications.
NYT’s Ferguson Timeline contextualizes the aftermath and media coverage.

People Also Ask About:

  • Was Michael Brown surrendering when shot? Forensic evidence and credible witnesses refuted the “hands up” narrative.
  • Why wasn’t Officer Wilson charged? Grand jury and DOJ found his actions legally justified under Missouri’s self-defense laws.
  • How did Ferguson’s economy change post-2014? Property values plummeted due to riots; businesses relocated.
  • What was the consent decree? A 2016 agreement mandating Ferguson PD reforms, criticized as politically motivated.

Expert Opinion:

Former law enforcement analyst James Dudley notes: “The Ferguson case exemplifies how incomplete narratives can distort public perception of policing. The disconnect between evidence and activism underscores the need for transparency in high-profile incidents to rebuild trust.”

Key Terms:

  • Michael Brown Ferguson shooting facts
  • Darren Wilson grand jury evidence
  • Ferguson police consent decree impact
  • Hands up don’t shoot myth debunked
  • Obama DOJ Ferguson investigation



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