Charles Barkley Spouts Off About Ferguson

by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright December 1, 2014
All Rights Reserved.                                     

              Giving his stamp of approval to the Nov. 24 grand jury acquittal of 29-year-old Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson. 51-year-old former NBA All-Star player and TNT basketball analyst Charles Barkley called looters “scumbags.” Interviewed by Philadelphia FM radio station 97.5 “The Fanatic,” Barkley backed the grand jury verdict.  “The true story came out from the grand jury testimony,” said Barkley, knowing full-well that several legal analysts, including Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonin Scalia, called the Ferguson grand jury proceeding a mockery of justice,  Allowing Wilson to testify without cross-examination was inexcusable, inappropriate and violates everything known about proper grand jury proceedings.  Barkley told host Mike Missarneli that “key forensic evidence and several black witnesses supported Officer Darren Wilson’s story …” knowing the flawed grand jury proceeding.

            When Wilson fired 10 shots killing unarmed 18-year-old black teenager Michael Brown Aug. 9, he insisted to the grand jury that Brown lunged for his gun. No one could figure out how Brown got close enough to Wilson to “lunge for his gun,” realizing that Wilson somehow engaged Brown through an open window of Wilson police car.  After allegedly shoplifting a pack of Swishers’ Cigarillos from a Ferguson convenience store, Wilson was dispatched to the scene with a description of the suspect that fit Brown. Proceeding to the scene, Wilson got into an altercation that resulted in shooting Brown in the head.  Wilson told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos in an exclusive interview Nov. 25 that “he did the right thing.”  Wilson’s description to Stephanopoulos and the grand jury paralleled that of  29-year-old George Zimmerman who killed 17-year unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin Feb. 26, 2012.

            Wilson told the grand jury and Stephanopoulos that he felt like a five-year-old next to the Amazing Hulk, admitting that he was intimidated by Brown’s size.  Stephanopoulos didn’t ask Wilson why he didn’t wait for backup if he felt out matched by the larger Brown.  Barkley agreed with Zimmerman’s July 13, 2013 acquittal by a Sanford, Florida jury that upheld Florida’s “Stand-\your-Ground” law.  Both Zimmerman and Wilson claimed that their lives were threatened by unarmed black teens.  Both Zimmerman in 2012 and Wilson in 2014 claimed they were accosted by the teens, forced to defend themselves with lethal force.  Neither individual could explain why they acted alone as vigilantes when they were threatened by the situation.  While a real jury acquitted Zimmerman in 2013, the Ferguson grand jury overstepped its authority giving Wilson a pass over suspicious circumstances over Brown’s shooting.

            Barkley, who’s talked at times about running for governor of Alabama, knows the long history race relations in the South.  Ferguson’s police department led by Chief Thomas Jackson, now under a Justice Department investigation for racial profiling and discriminatory hiring practices, finds itself under the gun.  Jackson insisted that Wilson would be reinstated once the grand jury acquitted Wilson.  Shortly after the grand jury acquitted Wilson  Aug. 24 at 9: 15 p.m. Central Time, riots consumed Ferguson, torching buildings and businesses. “There is no excuse for people to be out there burning down people’s businesses, burning down police cars,” said Barkley, dumbfounded by the violence.  While there’s no excuse for violence, there’s also no excuse for shooting unarmed black teenagers.  Ferguson’s grand jury heard conflicting testimony and evidence but St. Louis prosecutor Robert McCullough should never have permitted Wilson’s testimony.  

            Barkley’s ready acceptance of the Ferguson’s grand jury verdict shows that he panders to a conservative audience, not looking at the big picture.  When unarmed teens are gunned down in American streets, for whatever reason, there’s reason to look carefully at the circumstances.  While Zimmer got off from second degree murder and manslaughter, Ferguson grand jury overstepped its authority not biding Wilson over to trial. Ferguson’s grand jury should never have heard Wilson’s personal testimony, no matter how convincing.  Barkley might accept the testimony and grand jury’s findings uncritically but others don’t have that luxury.  Wilson’s Nov. 29 resignation from the Ferguson Police Department comes not because he’s only too politically radioactive but because he’s incompetent, unfit for duty. No police officer can continue their job when they panic, shoot first, ask questions later and excuse their behavior.

About the Author 

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news.  He's editor of OnlineColumnist.com.and author of Dodging the Bullet and Operation Charisma.