Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson said last night that the police department is investigating whether comments made by Michael Brown‘s stepfather after the verdict incited a riot.
Last week when the grand jury verdict was released, revealing that Brown’s killer, Darren Wilson, would not be indicted for the murder and the case would not even go to court, mass rebellion broke in Ferguson. In the midst of the chaos, Brown’s stepfather, Louis Head yelled “Burn this motherf**ker down! Burn this bitch down!” His reaction was caught on videotape. It was a spontaneous expression of rage from a man who just found out his stepson’s murderer would be allowed to freely walk the streets with no punishment.
But the police department apparently is unwilling to recognize Head’s anger and grief after a system that is supposed to protect him and his family has let him down in the worst way possible.
Jackson told Sean Hannity during an appearance on Fox last night that the police department is “pursuing” an investigation into whether Head incited a riot.
The segment was focused on prosecuting people who vandalized and caused chaos in Ferguson last week.
“Do you believe those comments should be pursued? Is that inciting a riot?” Hannity asked.
Jackson responded, “We are pursuing those comments.”
Jackson also assured Hannity that everyone responsible for destruction will be brought to justice.
Jackson’s comments came after Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder several day ago told radio host Laura Ingraham that “[Head] should be arrested and charged with inciting to riot.”
Ingraham and Kinder went on to criticize the influence that Head might have had on the teenager.
“This is the lovely stepfather of Michael Brown,” Ingraham said during the interview. “Was this where Michael Brown was getting his inspiration? From this guy?”
One wonders how the already enraged Ferguson community, whose relationship with the mostly white police force was already hostile, might react if the police department actually pursued charges against Head for his words—after a member of the police department got no charges for actually using his gun to kill an unarmed teenager.
