People walk past a collapsed building, where protesters and looters rampaged businesses following the grand jury decision in the fatal shooting of a 18-year-old black teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., on Tuesday. (Jewel Samad, AFP/Getty Images)
Re: “Protesters in Denver decry grand jury decision in Ferguson,” Nov. 25 news story.
All questions of police misconduct, excessive use of force, or race aside, the Ferguson grand jury simply did not do its job, which was only to determine if there was “enough evidence” to go to trial. If a grand jury is presented with more pages of testimony than the average trial jury, simple logic dictates that there is enough evidence.
As a 47-year-old white woman who has served on a grand jury in the past, I am deeply disappointed in this failure of our justice system.
Ann Hatzakis, Denver
This letter was published in the Nov. 26 edition.The grand jury made its decision not to indict police Officer Darren Wilson based on solid evidence. The aftermath of riotous destruction, looting, and turning over of police cars was disgusting. Racism wrongly came into play.
In a town that is predominantly black and has a white police force, it only seems natural that a white officer in the line of duty would take action against a black criminal resisting arrest and posing a danger to the officer. Racial activists say changes are necessary. It is clear that the lesson to be learned here is to have respect for the law and property of others, and this starts in the home early with small things.
All those rioters need to face legal action and make restitution to the innocent business owners for damage incurred.
Vera R. Boyd, Denver
This letter was published in the Nov. 26 edition.The anger and violence in the black community has little to do with Michael Brown and Ferguson. Ferguson was the spark that fueled long-time resentment and feelings of victimization in the black community. The current divisiveness involves a very complicated history between blacks and whites. When will we all work toward a more productive outlook and pool our resources for the good? We are all Americans.
Kay Robbins, Denver
This letter was published in the Nov. 26 edition.
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