Family: New tapes contradict Ferguson police officer's story

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Sunday, November 16, 2014
Family: New tapes contradict Ferguson police officer's story
The family of a teen killed by a police officer in Missouri says newly released video and audio tapes contradict the cop's version of events.

FERGUSON, Mo. -- Video and audio tapes of the day Michael Brown was shot and killed by Officer Darren Wilson have been released as the Missouri town of Ferguson anxiously waits for a grand jury to decide whether Wilson will be charged.



On Sunday, Brown's family responded to the newly released evidence. They say it seems to conflict with what police say transpired the day the unarmed teenager was shot to death by Wilson.



"Did they exaggerate his injuries to somehow try to justify killing this unarmed teenager in broad daylight?" asked Brown family attorney, Benjamin Crump.



Wilson claims self-defense, saying he was attacked by Brown. Ferguson police Chief tells ABC's Steve Osunsami there were visible injuries



"His face was swollen," he said. "So he'd obviously been hit or punched or something like that."



But Brown's family say Wilson appears to be unharmed on videos obtained by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, showing Wilson leaving the Ferguson Police Department just two hours after the shooting.



"The lack of injuries on the officer's face demonstrates that they exaggerated his injuries," Crump said.


Department officials declined to comment on the items released after an open records request which included audio of Wilson's radio traffic just before the shooting. The Brown family's attorney says the recordings show no connection between officers searching for a robbery suspect.



Police dispatch: "It's going to be a black male in a white T-shirt, he's running toward QuikTrip.



And then when Wilson, Unit 21, first reported coming across brown and a friend.



Wilson: "21... put me out on Canfield with two."



"The initial interaction between police officer and Michael Brown Jr. had nothing to do with the incident at the convenience store," Crump said.



Moments after that initial confrontation, something happened. Wilson fired his weapon, killing Brown.



Officer: "Get us several more units over here. There's going to be a problem."

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