JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Not much is normal about the Missouri grand jury responsible for deciding whether to charge a suburban St. Louis police officer for fatally shooting Michael Brown.
Not the length of deliberations, not the manner in which it has heard evidence, not the way in which its work could be made public.
• Extra time: At the time of Brown’s shooting, a St. Louis County grand jury already had been hearing cases and was scheduled to disband Sept. 10. A judge extended the jurors’ service until January, the maximum amount of time allowed. Whereas a typical case might be presented to a grand jury in a single day, this case has stretched over three months.
• No specific charge: It’s fairly common in Missouri for a prosecutor to first file a complaint charging an individual with a crime, then go to a grand jury asking it to indict the person for that offense. In this case, St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch hasn’t suggested any particular charge against Officer Darren Wilson.
• Numerous witnesses: Often, a grand jury hears testimony from one or a few people. In this case, McCulloch has said “all witnesses with any relevant evidence” were being summoned to testify.
• Record keeping: There often is no record of exactly what’s said in Missouri grand juries. In this case, however, McCulloch’s office has said the proceedings are being recorded and transcribed.
• Secrets made public: What’s said in a grand jury typically remains secret under Missouri law. If Wilson is not indicted, McCulloch says he will ask a judge for permission to release the grand jury evidence as soon as possible.
