News reports related to the Ferguson, Mo., grand jury and its impending decision on whether to indict officer Darren Wilson for the killing of 18-year-old Michael Brown frequently forget one thing: Wilson and the Ferguson police department’s side of the story.
Brown was unarmed when he was shot dead by Wilson in late August. Some witnesses claim Brown was killed with his hands in the air. Wilson and Ferguson police, however, say a struggle between the two parties took place before the shooting and that Wilson acted in self-defense.
Several news outlets on Monday reported that the grand jury has reached a decision on whether to indict Wilson. In many of those reports the detail that Brown was unarmed is clearly stated but that Wilson says he acted in self defense is not.
Outlets that neglected to provide Wilson’s version of events: the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Huffington Post, ABCNews.com, CBSNews.com and NBCNews.com.
The Los Angeles Times, CNN.com and USA Today did include Wilson’s side in their reports.
Ferguson is a city on edge as it waits for the grand jury’s decision, with local police anticipating intense protests and possible riots. That some news agencies aren’t providing the public with a full understanding of the situation may only heighten anxiety both nationally and within the Ferguson community.
