A new documentary released this week claims to have video evidence that Michael Brown did not rob a convenience store in the hours before he was fatally shot by a Ferguson, Mo., police officer.
The video shows surveillance footage from the same convenience store the day before the shooting. Brown gives the store employees what appears to be a small bag of weed in exchange for two boxes of cigarillos. He leaves the cigarillos behind the counter and returns the next day to collect them.
When a different store employee refuses to let Brown leave with the cigarillos, Brown shoves him and walks out the door. Police released video from this incident as proof Brown was a suspect in a strong-armed robbery, which is why Ferguson Police Officer Darren Wilson stopped him on the street.
Jason Pollock, a documentary filmmaker who acquired the new tape, told the New York Times that this video proves Brown never stole anything from the convenience store. He took the cigarillos as part of a pre-arranged drug deal with store employees.
“They destroyed Michael’s character with the tape, and they didn’t show us what actually happened,” Pollock said. “So this shows their intention to make him look bad. And shows suppression of evidence.”
Sgt. Shawn McGuire, a spokesman for the county police, said in an email to the Times that footage of the earlier encounter had not been released because it was not relevant to the investigation.
The store employees also took issue with Pollock’s interpretation of the video.
“There was no transaction,” said Jay Kanzler, a lawyer for the convenience store and its employees. “There was no understanding. No agreement. Those folks didn’t sell him cigarillos for pot. The reason he gave it back is he was walking out the door with unpaid merchandise and they wanted it back.”
While the documentary sheds light on the events leading up to Brown’s death, it does not address what happened during the shooting itself.
Office Darren Wilson was cleared of criminal wrongdoing by a county grand jury and federal civil rights investigators. He claimed he was attacked by Brown and feared for his life, claims which were backed by physical evidence.
Brown’s family still contends the shooting was unprovoked, and they believe police released the video of the alleged robbery to demonize him.
Brown’s parents have filed a federal lawsuit against Officer Wilson, the city of Ferguson and the former Ferguson police chief. A civil trial is scheduled to start next year.
Even if this “interpretation” was correct, unless one of those clerks is the owner of the store, it’s still theft. You can’t “barter” with an employee with illegal merchandise, and they “give” you something out of the store that they do not own. It would still be employee assisted shoplifting.
If Michael Brown had followed his parent’s guidance he would’ve made it home alive. They told him again & again: “Don’t walk down the middle of the street on your way home from a strong-arm robbery … Use The Sidewalk!!”.
Seem to me that this Jason Pollock needs to be arrested for fabricating evidence and or inciting riots, whatever they can stick him with, these kind of malicious lie’s can not go unpunished if we ever hope to heal from all the abuse of the obama administration!
The video was heavily edited to change what actually happened.
Brown walked into the store, picked out two sodas, went to the counter and requested Cigarillos. As the clerk was ringing him up, he threw a baggie on the counter. The clerk picked it up, smelled it, handed it to another clerk, who also examined it, then put it back on the counter. An animated discussion between Brown and the main clerk ensued. Brown grabbed the bag with the sodas and Cigarillos, and started to walk out. The clerk called after him, and brown returned to the counter. More animated discussion, then Brown puts the bag with the sodas and Cigarillos back on the counter, picks up the pot, and stomps out.
That’s what the whole, unedited video shows.
The next day’s video shows Brown again ordering two boxes of Cigarillos and the clerk ringing him up, then Brown taking the smokes and heading for the door without paying. The store owner confronts him at the door, and Brown shoves him and threatens more serious violence, then leaves.
A cop down the street gets a call about a strong-arm robbery, sees two guys that fit the descriptions, and the rest is history.
The “documentarian” intentionally distorted the video.
Like being a drug dealer is better than being a robber.
This video CONFIRMS the robbers casing the store….nothing else.
Just to help set the stage,.. Jason Pollock the “documentary filmmaker” interned for Michael ‘eats’ Moore, so you know there will be no bias in the film. Another low-life independent filmmaker trying to make a name for himself by maintaining controversy when there is none.
Actually the video doesn’t shoe any exchange of drugs. It doesn’t show a violent encounter (as was reported by police to justify the officers stopping of mike), what we do know for a fact according to testimony that wasn’t revealed untIL recently was. The officer with a history of referring to the citizens he was serving as the N-word, stopped Mike for no real legit reason 1. He would not say for sure in court if Mike slammed the car door on him or if the door bounced off Mikes body given his proximity to the door. 2. He would not admit to seeing a weapon on him when asked and his defense objected implying his “weapon” was his hands even tho the cop had a height and size advantage and the fact hands arent weaponized when you are running away. 3. Instead of jus letting a smart mouth kid go he decided to shoot him in the back which he missed, at which Mike finally turned around and decided to come back and fight for his life against a cop seemingly bent on killing him anyway. 4. Then he shot him in the head and other places 5. Mike brown did NOT reach for his gun and even if he had his gun was secured with equioment that would have prevented it…so again his life was NOT in danger 6. Alleged weed use or selling, or being a smart mouth does NOT justify lethal force or murder…he should have kept his car door closed and called for backup to ARREST the boy…pure and simple to justify this cowardly stain on the majority of real cops who do the right thing is a problem…as much as we need to correct these angry entitled kids we need to hold these cowardly cops that create more trouble than they are wOrth or weed them out…certainly don’t let them hide behind the blue line.
If brown was “fighting for his life” as you say, why did he turn around an come back if the shot missed him? The natural reaction would be to run from the gun shots, not go towards it unless you were either armed or had other intentions.
Sarcasm…
The word is “””COMPLY””” when a police officer asks anyone to do something.
It is as easy as that.
a blanket policy of compliance is for sheep, would you comply when the man comes to take your guns away? Me either. Thankfully our fore fathers didn’t comply when they were told to follow englands religions and pay englands taxes, thankfully the colonials didn’t comply when the redcoats told them to surrender.
Adam, your example using our forefathers is not even REMOTELY the same thing. Whether the police are right or wrong YOU DO NOT HAVE THE OPTION TO RESIST. Plain and simple. If the police are wrong that’s for the courts to decide and maybe you have a big payday at the end of a civil lawsuit should a jury decide in your favor. Mister Ronald is correct your only option is to comply with lawful authority. Period.
Yes, comply, or have forced used upon you. The redcoats were entering colonial houses, forcing colonists to house them, feed them, etc. So we fought illegal behavior. If you commit crimes and are caught, you don’t have to comply. But if you’re killed, please tell your “friends and other gang members” to not riot and further hurt innocent people. Your attempt at an analogy or to draw a parallel is, I believe the professional term is, whacked.
“It doesn’t show a violent encounter “. The video and the testimony of the store clerk who was assaulted say differently. If there was even the hint of what you believe Obama’s Attorney General and DOJ would not have missed the opportunity to crucify Officer Darren Wilson; instead, they concluded as they did – and the findings are there for all who bother to read them. The sad truth is that too many people die needlessly, All they need do is comply with the orders given by law enforcement. If one has an issue, comply first and ask questions later.
Perfect example that a person can justify anything, piper.
Untrue.
Your use of facts, changed from what really happened is very imaginative. Forensic evidence proves you wrong at every step. Stop blathering and go out and find the person who really killed Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman, and vindicate O.J…..There, that ought to keep him busy…
The video was edited to appear that Brown didn’t steal anything but was conducting a drug deal. No matter because none of that has anything to do with his assault on a police officer, attempting to take his gun, and failing to obey lawful orders to stand down. So why one has anything to do with the other is beyond me. I also would like to know what the difference is between being a drug dealer and stealing cigars. Both are crimes, so Michael Brown was a criminal no matter what. This “documentary” maker is merely looking to make a name for himself and foment another riot in Ferguson. He’s despicable.
The media’s portrayal of a “gentle giant”. The witnesses originally claiming he was “gunned down”, Obama and Eric Holder’s rush to send in federal investigators to examine the “racially prejudiced” police department. Who is dividing this country racially? Just remember “racism is taught” !!!!!!!!!
Actually the video was edited by Pollack to attempt to portray it as a drug deal accepted, and a cover up by the District Attorneys office. When the District Attorney viewed it, he contacted Fox News, and a host arranged for the DA and Pollack to appear on the show to debate the video. The DA pointed out the edited portions misrepresenting what actually did happen. Pollack had a screaming hissy fit with the Fox host who questioned him about it, and generally acted like an ass, accusing her and seemingly, the entire United States (with the exception of him of course) of being bigots who want to murder people because of their race. The DA simply proved Pollacks\’ allegations and editing of the video as being both bogus and malicious. Seems some folks just love to try and mislead low information/misinformed people who are predisposed to holding deadly riots which harm their cause, to burn down their own businesses and continue creating racial unrest. Pollack seems to fit that bill. Just sayin\’.
Actually the video was edited by Pollack to attempt to portray it as a drug deal accepted, and a cover up by the District Attorneys office. When the District Attorney viewed it, he contacted Fox News, and a host arranged for the DA and Pollack to appear on the show to debate the video. The DA pointed out the edited portions misrepresenting what actually did happen. Pollack had a screaming hissy fit with the Fox host who questioned him about it, and generally acted like an ass, accusing her and seemingly, the entire United States (with the exception of him of course) of being bigots who want to murder people because of their race. The DA simply proved Pollacks’ allegations and editing of the video as being both bogus and malicious. Seems some folks just love to try and mislead low information/misinformed people who are predisposed to holding deadly riots which harm their cause, to burn down their own businesses and continue creating racial unrest. Pollack seems to fit that bill. Just sayin’.
Why are you all so quick to support support obama’s storm troopers? It was Obama that was trying to start a race war with the killing of Michael brown (he’d do anything to further his quest for power), this video actually proves that. Free country/free market… an adult should be able to smoke weed (no government should tell anyone what they can or can’t do with their body as long as it does not harm anyone else) and barter without a police state coming down on him and killing him because there was some confusion over a free market deal, the tax man wasn’t gonna get his cut, that’s probably the real reason Mike died.
You are so full of shit, your breath probably smells like a stockyard….ingesting drugs and alcohol to numb/damage the mind is fundamentally indefensible. To portray weed as a “victim-less” act/crime is to ignore all that happens in the chain of events before and after and the overall “big picture” effect on society….get a haircut hippie
All those ramifications are from the federal government wrongly trying to control a free market and people’s individual rights. Keep running with the flock sheep!
Interesting… Do you buy gasoline? Clothing? Have a diamond in your home?… Or any number of everyday products with violence and abuse at the other end of the line? Government policy creates these situations, in every single case.
Those are all great examples of the free market working itself out! Government regulations be damned. Gasoline, huge push by Americans to limit dependence on foreign oil through increased US production and alternative energy. Diamonds, once we learned about blood diamonds we stopped buying them because it was wrong. Good, reputable diamond dealers know where their diamonds are coming from and won’t by blood diamonds because they know people won’t buy them. Clothing, when we heard about sweatshops consumers got tough with the big companies doing it, giving rise to more buy American vigor and putting companies like Nikey on notice.
He was NOT shot for selling weed; he was shot after attacking an officer in his car, as the forensic evidence clearly showed. Whatever happened the day before between the corrupt store owner and the weed salesman is irrelevant to the case.
So instead of a robbery he was dealing drugs… This makes him look good how? Why did he leave his merchandise behind the first time?
This video raises questions but none of those questions are related to why he was shot, he still attacked a police officer and tried to get a hold of his gun. It certainly shouldn’t change any minds on what kind of person Brown was.
Yep
So glad this new video clears up the situation
If only we all knew that swapping weed for blunts was involved it would change everything 🙄🙄🙄
If only we could find a video him having breakfast three weeks before the shooting, that would break this case wide open.
The pot calling the kettle black, apples and organges,horse before the court…… two wrongs don’t make a right! He screwed up and paid the piper! Sorry, for lost of life!
SuperG is right. Mikey was shot because he assaulted a police officer and tried to steal his gun when he was stopped for aimlessly walking down the middle of the street. When he began to flee and the officer ordered him to stop. Mikey charged him, and the officer, acting in lawful self-defense, shot him. Beginning, middle, and end of the story. The tape, as the Sergeant correctly states, was irrelevant to the investigation, since what was being determined was whether the officer acted lawfully in shooting Mikey. The pofficer did not know about this tape, or the latter tape when Mikey strong-armed the owner and shoved him into a display.
The whole “documentary” is nothing but an attempt to incite racial violence. And if this is not hte filmmaker’s inent, then he is truly an idiot.
What does it matter? Mike did two things wrong the next day. He refused to obey the lawful order of a police officer, and he brought fists to a gun fight. That could be because of the huge amount of THC in his system, which the coroner identified, but he was stupid for whatever reason.
It couldn’t have been the weed…It’s a victimless drug. Say it ain’t so…..I’m sure Mike was on his way to help someone in need.Right after he punched another old man in the head, nearly killing him. As long as we’re watching Brown videos, are we playing that one? The one that shows propensity to commit assault. Like the assault on the store clerk..