Michael Brown’s father: Wilson’s account ‘sounds crazy’

MICHAEL BROWN’S PARENTS SPEAK ON THE TODAY SHOW

Michael Brown’s mother Lesley McSpadden, and father, Michael Brown Sr., reacted to Darren Wilson’s first public comments on the TODAY show Wednesday.

Wilson’s account “sounds crazy,” said Brown. McSpadden also said that Wilson’s “disrespectful” comments in his ABC interview “added insult to injury.”

“We plan on exhausting every legal avenue possible to give them some sense of justice,” Brown family attorney Benjamin Crump added.

UNREST CONTINUES IN FERGUSON TUESDAY NIGHT
 
A patrol car was set on fire and tear gas was used by law enforcement, but the night was far less intense than the night prior.
 
Peaceful demonstrations also took place around the country, including Los Angeles, New York and Washington, D.C, with dozens more planned in the coming days.
 
ERIC HOLDER: FEDERAL INVESTIGATION INTO FERGUSON CONTINUES
 
The Department of Justice’s civil rights investigation into the shooting death of Michael Brown will continue despite a St. Louis County grand jury’s decision to not indict Darren Wilson, Attorney General Eric Holder said Tuesday afternoon. Possible misconduct by the Ferguson Police Department is also still under investigation.
 

BACKGROUND

Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, 28, will not be indicted for the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown. Read the details of the grand jury’s decision here.

 Following the announcement, protests broke out in Ferguson and the surrounding St. Louis area. The National Guard and law enforcement officials attempted to keep the peace as looters and arsonists ignored requests from Michael Brown’s family and President Obama to keep protests peaceful. Read the details here.

RELEVANT LINKS:

Pelosi calls for an end to rioting

Obama: ‘There’s no way to say race relations are worse’

News outlets forget to include Officer Wilson’s side in reports

Obama to Ferguson: ‘Keep protests peaceful’

CNN: Darren Wilson’s grand jury testimony released

LA Times interactive: The key spots in the Ferguson protests

NBC News: Ferguson witnesses gave conflicting accounts

This live-blog will have the most recent updates at the top. Last night’s photos and videos are at the bottom.

JAY NIXON PROMISES RAMPED-UP POLICE PRESENCE (Tuesday 4:21 pm ET)

Gov. Jay Nixon promised Tuesday that the National Guard presence would be stepped up to preserve order in the St. Louis area.

700 troops were deployed Monday evening, and the number will swell to 2,200 for Tuesday evening, Nixon said.

FERGUSON MAYOR SAYS THE NATIONAL GUARD TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE (Tuesday 3:30 pm ET)

Ferguson Mayor James Knowles criticized Tuesday Missouri’s handling of the National Guard.

“As the unrest grew and further assistance was needed,” he said in a press conference. “The National Guard was not deployed in enough time.”

The mayor also said that Darren Wilson’s employment status remains unchanged. Wilson is on administrative leave from the Ferguson police department.

*****

Darren Wilson has given an interview to ABC News that will air this evening at 6:30pm ET.

Wilson reportedly says he wouldn’t do anything differently, according to a preview released by ABC.

NIXON SAYS MORE NATIONAL GUARD ON HAND TONIGHT (Tuesday 1:30pm ET) 

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said Tuesday that more National Guard troops would be in the St. Louis area on the second night after a grand jury decided not to indict Darren Wilson for killing Michael Brown.

“The violence we saw last night in areas of Ferguson is unacceptable,” Nixon said in a statement. “That is why today I am meeting with leaders from the Guard and law enforcement to ensure the protection of lives and property.” 

Nixon declared a state of emergency last week in preparation for the grand jury’s decision.

SHARPTON SLAMS FERGUSON PROSECUTORS (Tuesday 1:15 PM ET)

MSNBC host Al Sharpton slammed Tuesday the prosecution’s handling of the grand jury. “I’ve never seen a prosecutor hold a press conference to discredit the victim,” he said during a Brown family press conference.

Sharpton described the prosecution’s decision to release the grand jury’s decision at 8 pm as “irresponsible” and “provocative.”

He also said that he and other civil rights leaders have called an emergency meeting in Washington, D.C. next week to discuss boycotts, marches and demonstrations.

Sharpton likened the follow-up to the case to Rodney King.

“Before you think this is over, remember what happened in Rodney King,” he said, vowing not to give up in the face of a defeat in the legal system.

FERGUSON CLEANUP (Updated Tuesday at 11:40 am)

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PICKING UP THE PIECES (Updated Tuesday at 10:20 am)

 
CHAOS LAST NIGHT