Grand Jury's Decision In Michael Brown Case Will Be Announced Monday

By Eyder Peralta / NPR

Published November 24, 2014 at 9:43 AM PST

This story was published more than 10 years ago.

Media satellite trucks convene outside the Buzz Westfall Justice Center in Clayton, Mo., on Monday, where a grand jury has been considering whether to indict a white Ferguson police officer who shot and killed 18-year-old Michael Brown, who was black.

A St. Louis County grand jury has reached a decision in the police shooting of Michael Brown this past August; their findings are expected to be announced Monday evening.

The news follows NPR's confirmation earlier Monday that the grand jury that's been reviewing possible criminal charges against Ferguson, Mo., police officer Darren Wilson over the death of the 18-year-old Brown had reached a decision.

As for the exact timing of the press conference, Bloomberg News says a news conference is being planned for 4 p.m. or 7 p.m., citing a person familiar with the matter.

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Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon, who declared a state of emergency in his state one week ago, flew to St. Louis today; he will reportedly address the media later.

After days and weeks in which activists called for both calm and justice — and many business owners in the area prepared for the worst — news of a pending announcement by St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch has led to wide speculation over how the public might react to the jury's decision.

Some businesses have gone to great lengths to ensure their stores in Ferguson remain safe — but as we reported this weekend, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch recently noted that the fallout from the police killing has brought far less damage to Ferguson than recent hailstorms brought to St. Louis.

At his regularly scheduled press briefing Monday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said President Obama was urging demonstrators to keep their protests peaceful.