# Ferguson, MO **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 12, 2014, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354 "2014-08-12T04:51:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 43
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/841 "2014-08-16T00:00:07Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > This is a classic Occam’s Razor example. A “gentle giant”, studious, law-abiding, never-in-trouble-with-police black 18-year-old, in the last 10-15 minutes of his life > > 1. robs a store > 2. has an altercation with a police officer that ends up shooting him dead. > > But no, those two events are not related at all. Just so I understand, the theory goes that he robbed a store, and then some short time later is walking casually down the street, obnoxiously impeding a police officer who has to yell at them to get on the sidewalk. And after refusing this order, approaches the officer and something something. Wouldn’t normal human behavior be to avoid law enforcement when one is on the lam? I can understand not taking off in a sprint, which might arouse suspicion, but Id at least get up on the sidewalk and keep my head down. Something doesn’t add up here, certainly not to the point where you can start claiming Occam’s razor leads to an obvious conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/842 "2014-08-16T00:01:16Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Consider this though…Brown did know about the robbery, and now he’s faced with a cop trying to stop him. Do you think Brown might have acted differently or perhaps tried to get away thinking that the officer did know about the robbery? Like, you’d think he’d not want to provoke a cop by refusing to move out of the way, right? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/843 "2014-08-16T00:07:22Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Like, you’d think he’d not want to provoke a cop by refusing to move out of the way, right? No, but it might play a role in supporting the claim that Brown got into a scuffle and went for the officer’s gun. ---
**Author:** ![Sicks\_Ate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Sicks\_Ate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sicks_Ate)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/844 "2014-08-16T00:11:18Z")
How the fuck is anyone going to think they can reach across a police officer seated in a car and grab his gun. My vote is the cop tried to draw with his finger on the holster of his Glock, and the butt got caught up in his gear which caused him to pull the trigger. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/845 "2014-08-16T00:11:25Z")
> [@Jay4](#): > > arent swisher sweets those really skinny cigars though? why would someone buy those to roll blunts with,not that i would know anything about blunts or rolling them The cigar of choice around here for rolling joints is Black and Mild. A very skinny cigar. No I don’t know why. Back when I allegedly may have known about such things rolling papers were used. But tobacco wraps have the added bonus of lung and mouth cancer so they got that going for them. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/846 "2014-08-16T00:12:22Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Like, you’d think he’d not want to provoke a cop by refusing to move out of the way, right? And yet apparently he did, by the interview testimony of the guy who was with him. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/847 "2014-08-16T00:13:44Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > How the fuck is anyone going to think they can reach across a police officer seated in a car and grab his gun. From all the different actions of Michael Brown that are being revealed, it doesn’t seem like he was the brightest of the bulbs. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/848 "2014-08-16T00:13:49Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > No, but it might play a role in supporting the claim that Brown got into a scuffle and went for the officer’s gun. I understand what you’re saying, and I’m pretending like I’m sitting on a jury listening to someone make that argument, and all it’s doing is confusing me. Why would he so nonchalantly put himself at risk of arrest and then suddenly do a complete 180 and try to kill a cop to avoid… arrest. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/849 "2014-08-16T00:17:11Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > From all the different actions of Michael Brown that are being revealed, it doesn’t seem like he was the brightest of the bulbs. But he was going to COLLEGE! ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/850 "2014-08-16T00:18:36Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Just so I understand, the theory goes that he robbed a store, and then some short time later is walking casually down the street, obnoxiously impeding a police officer who has to yell at them to get on the sidewalk. And after refusing this order, approaches the officer and something something. > > Wouldn’t normal human behavior be to avoid law enforcement when one is on the lam? I can understand not taking off in a sprint, which might arouse suspicion, but Id at least get up on the sidewalk and keep my head down. Something doesn’t add up here, certainly not to the point where you can start claiming Occam’s razor leads to an obvious conclusion. The video shows Brown doing to the shopkeeper what the cop said Brown did to him. The shopkeeper confronted Brown about stealing stuff, and Brown shoved him out of the way. The cop confronted Brown about jaywalking, and the cop says Brown shoved him back into the car. If you want to argue that normal human behaviour would be to avoid law enforcement, wouldn’t that start by not committing a highly visible, completely pointless crime like jaywalking? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/851 "2014-08-16T00:19:07Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > But he was going to COLLEGE! Not doing what he was doing, he wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/852 "2014-08-16T00:21:09Z")
Why in the Hell would they release the [officer’s name](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/us/darren-wilson-identified-as-officer-in-fatal-shooting-in-ferguson-missouri.html?_r=0)? I can’t imagine a single reason why that would be a good idea. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/853 "2014-08-16T00:22:57Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > The video shows Brown doing to the shopkeeper what the cop said Brown did to him. The shopkeeper confronted Brown about stealing stuff, and Brown shoved him out of the way. The cop confronted Brown about jaywalking, and the cop says Brown shoved him back into the car. > > If you want to argue that normal human behaviour would be to avoid law enforcement, wouldn’t that start by not committing a highly visible, completely pointless crime like jaywalking? Yes, exactly! Unless he didn’t view the robbery as a big deal, and wasn’t so concerned about getting arrested that he was willing to steal a cop’s gun to presumably commit murder over it. Jaywalking in front of a cop is not the sort of behavior you’d expect from someone who’s willing to _murder cops_ to avoid jail. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/854 "2014-08-16T00:23:05Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I understand what you’re saying, and I’m pretending like I’m sitting on a jury listening to someone make that argument, and all it’s doing is confusing me. Why would he so nonchalantly put himself at risk of arrest and then suddenly do a complete 180 and try to kill a cop to avoid… arrest. Let’s just assume for this post that Brown really did scuffle with the officer for his gun. What reasons would Brown have for doing that if not to avoid an arrest? ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/855 "2014-08-16T00:23:22Z")
> [@Sicks\_Ate](#): > > How the fuck is anyone going to think they can reach across a police officer seated in a car and grab his gun. More likely than someone sitting in a car being able to reach up and grab the throat of a 6-4 man totally out of the blue. Even if he was Officer Reed Richards and could physically do that who grabs a giant unprovoked? Remember this is an officer in a busy jurisdiction that has zero complaints of excessive force against him. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/856 "2014-08-16T00:23:30Z")
I heard it was Trade School. No cite, just overheard it in one of the press conferences today. Not that it matters too much. Now especially. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/857 "2014-08-16T00:23:35Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Not doing what he was doing, he wasn’t. Seriously? College is a _hotbed_ of illegal, immoral, and frankly stupid activities. Some even committed by whites! ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/858 "2014-08-16T00:23:49Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Why in the Hell would they release the [officer’s name](http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/16/us/darren-wilson-identified-as-officer-in-fatal-shooting-in-ferguson-missouri.html?_r=0)? I can’t imagine a single reason why that would be a good idea. Sunshine Law. The only way they could refuse to do so would be if a court approved non-disclosure. Court probably didn’t. [http://ago.mo.gov/sunshinelaw/faqs.htm#Q4a](http://ago.mo.gov/sunshinelaw/faqs.htm#Q4a) ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/859 "2014-08-16T00:25:12Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > And yet apparently he did, by the interview testimony of the guy who was with him. Right, exactly. So doesn’t that tell us something about his frame of mind? He may have been acting like a hooligan who just grabbed a couple of packs of smokes without paying, he’s certainly not acting like a grown man trying to avoid a felony conviction. The whole, “He assaulted a cop because he knew he’d just committed a violent robbery” angle just doesn’t jive with the casual jackass jaywalker. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354/860 "2014-08-16T00:25:15Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Seriously? College is a _hotbed_ of illegal, immoral, and frankly stupid activities. Some even committed by whites! Well, unless the prison to which he was going had some kind of college courses… Probably no college for him in the near future. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354.md?page=42) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ferguson-mo/695354.md?page=44)