Charges dropped against 6 Ferguson protesters

Source: Associated Press

Charges dropped against 6 Ferguson protesters

Updated 11:54 am, Friday, January 22, 2016

FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Charges have been dropped against six activists who were arrested during a protest in Ferguson, just as their trial was about to begin. The case was expected to include allegations of police brutality, claims of missing evidence and discussions about the shortcomings of body cameras.

The charges had included property damage, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and third-degree assault. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1nD9Isk ) reports that Ferguson prosecutor Stephanie Karr dismissed the charges Thursday without explanation.

Later Thursday, the defendants filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Ferguson destroyed evidence and violated the constitution.

Protests were common in Ferguson after the August 2014 fatal shooting by a white police officer of 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black and unarmed. Officer Darren Wilson was not charged in his death, but the unrest prompted a U.S. Department of Justice report in March criticizing police and municipal court practices.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/crime/article/Charges-dropped-against-6-Ferguson-protesters-6776970.php