Michael Brown protesters vocally called for the recusal of Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch Tuesday at a St. Louis County Council Meeting held in Clayton, Missouri. Protesters, led by Brother Anthony Shahid, gave Councilman Steve Stenger until noon Wednesday to denounce McCulloch. The meeting began with a recitation of The Pledge of Allegiance, and protesters emphasizing “with liberty and justice for all.”
Every seat within the chamber was occupied for the more than two-hour long meeting. Before opening the floor for public comments, Stenger attempted to make his own.
“This is truly your government and we are here to listen to your concerns,” Stenger said. “As a member of our community, I’m deeply troubled by how we’ve been torn apart.”
He was interrupted by inquiries regarding the whereabouts of Officer Darren Wilson, who abruptly disappeared after fatally shooting the unarmed teen on August 9. Protesters demanded his arrest.
One young man shouted, “I’ve been arrested more than Darren Wilson and I didn’t kill nobody!”
It was one of several outbursts that punctuated the meeting. After several minutes, Councilwoman Hazel Erby called for order.
“I have to say that I agree with you,” Erby said. “I respect your right to protest, but please let’s do it in an orderly fashion.”
A diverse group of protesters were allowed two minutes to speak. One woman commended Erby for standing with protesters and asked how many other council members had been on the frontlines in Ferguson. During his campaign against incumbent County Executive Charlie Dooley, Sunny Ford accused Stenger of being “pro black” but noticeably absent in the fight for justice for Michael Brown.
Ford reminded council members that McCulloch’s father had been killed by a black man and therefore “bias when it comes to this case,” she said. She proposed the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the case.
Theda Wilson, mother of then nine-year-old Christian Taylor Ferguson, offered another reason why McCulloch should recuse himself.
“Everybody knows there’s a cover up in my son’s case,” Wilson said.
Christian’s biological father, Dawan Ferguson, filed a missing persons report after claiming someone drove away in his SUV with the disabled child inside. Christian has been missing for 11 years. Wilson stated that although the incident occurred in St. Louis city, Circuit Attorney Jennifer Joyce gave the case to McCulloch.
“The same person that’s supposed to prosecute the Mike Brown case told me to my face that he knows that the father killed my son and that he wasn’t going to do anything about it,” Wilson said.
Local rapper and activist Tef Poe who’s been on the frontlines since day one took his turn at the mic, urging council members to be “on the right side of history” for posterity’s sake. He expressed outrage that children had been gassed during protests in Ferguson, and that they needed to be held accountable. He said that the time for dialogue is over; the time has come for answers and action.
Tef Poe said, “I know you can drive home to West County—places that I can’t drive without being harassed and pulled over, so it’s not relevant to you. But, guess what, the roosters have come home to roost.”
West St. Louis County includes more affluent municipalities like Chesterfield and Ladue. According to a 2013 Missouri Vehicle Stops report issued by state Attorney General Chris Koster, African Americans were more likely than any other minority to be stopped, searched, and arrested in Chesterfield.
Several members of Brown’s family were also in attendance including Brown’s uncle Pastor Charles Ewing, cousin Eric Davis, and Michael Brown Sr. Davis asked why Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson has not been fired for lying about why he released video footage of Brown that incited violence within the community. The footage showed Brown allegedly “robbing” and “strong arming” a store clerk shortly before his death.
Council members, particularly Stenger, appeared stoic and uncomfortable throughout the meeting. One man spoke for all protesters when he said they would no longer be used as political “pawns,” and they vowed to use their voting power. Freelance journalist Umar Lee spoke directly to Stenger, democratic candidate for County Executive, stating that Stenger ran a campaign of “insurgency” with McCulloch’s backing.
“A vote for Stenger is a vote for McCulloch,” Lee said. “If we want change in St. Louis county, we need to vote in Mike Brown.”
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