Why are the two most recent witnesses to the Mike Brown shooting more "credible" than previous witnesses?

There have been at least 8 eye witnesses to the Mike Brown shooting who have gone public.  There even has been an audio recording of 11 gunshots that were recorded at the approximate time Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson shot and killed Mike Brown.  There has been no confirmation of the gunshots being those that killed Mike Brown, but there HAS been a confirmation as to the date and time of the recording.  All of the accounts of the witnesses who have gone public pretty much have been the same verbatim.  The aforementioned audio recording seemingly corroborates those accounts.  One by one, the accounts of the witnesses and the character of those witnesses have been dissected, picked apart and the credibility of the witnesses have been called into question. 

 

However, the most recent witnesses to have gone public seemingly have no such challenges.  Their account of the shooting pretty much mirrors the accounts of the other witnesses who have gone public.  These witnesses - two men - who were working at the Canfield Green Apartment complex approximately 100 feet from the scene have not been identified.  In the video below, you can hear one of the witnesses say "Man, he was going like this" as he simultaneously raises his hands in the air apparently signaling what he saw Mike Brown do as he was being shot to death.  WHAT, by now you must be wondering, makes these witnesses the most credible witnesses the public has been made aware of?  They are WHITE men.  Not just ANY men, either.  Both of these men live in Jefferson County, Missouri - a county that borders the southwestern edge of St. Louis County.  A county that has to be one of the most conservative counties in a state FULL of conservative counties.  A cop friendly, Republican slanted, "law and order" themed, southern drawl dominated county as they come in the heartland of America.  JeffCo, as some locals refer to it, does have one non-conservative distinction.  It is the methamphetamine capitol of the Midwest, BAR NONE.   Some, not so affectionately, refer to the county as "METHerson County". Jefferson County is LIGHT YEARS - politically and socially - away from North St. Louis County where Ferguson is.  These two "credible" witnesses have no connection at all to North County other than being sent on a job there on August 9.  So the natural instinct of these witnesses would more than likely be supportive of law enforcement.  The other witnesses who have gone public have all been BLACK, so their credibility was immediately questioned and dissected.  However, there are two guys who stereotypically can be referred to as "Joe Six Pack", aka "hard working" Americans who have no reason at all to be misleading about what they saw. The video of these witnesses are "in the moment" - the immediate aftermath of the shooting.  Check out the video below from a recent broadcast of Anderson Cooper 360 and I'll resume on the other side.

 

There are so many compelling components to the video you just watched.  The panel is made up of all lawyers - JeffreyToobin, Sunny Hostin and Neil Bruntrager.  Bruntrager is a lawyer for the St. Louis (city) Metropolitan Police Department's union (St. Louis Police Officers Association).  Toobin, after some ceremonial lawyer disclaimers, cuts to the quick and states that what the "credible" witnesses are describing is murder.  Sunny Hostin also cuts to the quick.  She asks WHY the two most recent witnesses have more credibility than the others.  She goes on to ask was it because they are white.  Of COURSE, that is why.  Bruntrager is the most compelling member of the panel.  Although his union won't represent Darren Wilson, Bruntrager is obviously partial to law enforcement officers.  He tries to divert attention from the obvious questions, but the look on his face says it all.  He also KNOWS the most recent witnesses to come forth publicly are "credible" and impeaching their testimony at trial would be a steep hill to climb.  In fact, it would be more like pushing a 500 pound wheel barrel up a 45 degree embankment.  Bruntrager insists on looking at ALL the evidence and for everyone to not jump to conclusions but again, his facial expression pretty much says it all.  When pressed by Sunny Hostin who asked if the "credible" witnesses were in fact credible, Bruntrager outright refused to answer.  He knows the jig is up and the proverbial noose is tightening around Darren Wilson's neck.  Because there is not one, but TWO "credible" witnesses that will be nearly impossible to impeach.  Never mind the accounts of the previous 8 witnesses who have gone public with accounts of the shooting.  Never mind the fact the audio of the gunshots recorded during the approximate time that Mike Brown was killed has been authenticated (Audio of gunfire in Michael Brown case authenticated by app company).  THESE are "credible" witnesses.  If they are to be believed, it really doesn't look good for Darren Wilson - regardless of how much money is in his defense fund.  Here's an excerpt from a report in USA Today: 

[One of the workers told CNN that he heard one gunshot, then another shot about 30 seconds later. "The cop didn't say, 'Get on the ground.' He just kept shooting." The man said Brown "had his ... hands up."

The man's co-worker, also unnamed, said that the officer, identified as Darren Wilson, "got about 8 to 10 feet away from him … I heard six, seven shots … it seemed like seven. Then he put his gun down. That's when Michael stumbled forward. I'd say about 25 feet or so and then fell right on his face."]

In addition to witnessing the shooting, these witnesses actually had a personal encounter with Mike Brown.  They engaged Mike Brown in a conversation that lasted approximately 30 minutes.  After the shooting one of the witnesses goes on to describe one of the grisly details of the shooting scene.  He said he could see Mike Brown's brain come out of his head.  How can these witnesses be impeached?  They can't.  Lawrence O'Donnell wondered the same thing on his  show "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell" on Thursday evening. 

There have been many damaged relationships since the Mike Brown shooting.  Not just along inter racial lines, but along INTRA racial lines.  There are many black people who didn't believe the credibility of the previous witnesses because they were black.  Those doubters will more than likely come around to reality now that "credible" witnesses have come forth.  There will still be some who will insist upon waiting on "all of the evidence" to come out.  Eyewitnesses are the strongest pieces of evidence available.  People are convicted on "credible" eyewitness accounts all the time.  What more will the doubters need to see? 

 

 

Sunny Hostin, Lawrence O'Donnell and myself have all asked WHAT makes these most recent witnesses "credible".  You probably have wondered the same. 

 

What answer have YOU come up with?

 

 

Peace, peace. 

 

 

Craig Riggins

 

Email: therigginsreport517@gmail.com

 

Facebook: The Riggins Report

 

Twitter: @CraigRiggins