On Jan. 4, 2015 in St. Louis, MO, the Black People’s Grand Jury voted 11 to 1 to indict former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson on charges of first degree murder in the August 9, 2014 shooting death of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old black civilian whose murder sparked on-going African rebellions in the city.

As the Lead Prosecutor Chairman Omali Yeshitela declared that black people “can and must take matters into our own hands” following the “no true bill” determination of the St. Louis County Grand Jury under prosecutor Robert McCulloch that failed to indict Wilson.

Zaki Baruti, President of the Universal African People’s Organization and attorneys Alex Morley and Aaron O’Neal also served on the prosecutorial team.

Twelve Grand Jurors from the local community were sworn in, including black educators, a writer, a social worker, a consultant, a contractor and a painter.

Extensive testimony with cross examination by the jurors presented the historical context for the killing of Michael Brown revealing a long-standing pattern of police violence against black people in the St. Louis area.

For more on the Black People’s Grand Jury see http://uhurunews.com