The family of a teenager who was shot and killed by a police officer last summer, which created a global firestorm of controversy, will reportedly file a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Ferguson, Mo., on Thursday.Attorneys for the family of Michael Brown, Jr., said they plan to file the suit Thursday morning. The civil suit was announced Wednesday night by Florida-based law firm Parks & Crump, which has been working with the Brown family.
City officials, however, are not surprised by this development. Last month, Brown's parents publicly said they were planning to file the lawsuit.
Parks & Crump said family attorneys will speak to the media at the courthouse in Clayton, Mo., Thursday morning following the suit's filing at 10:30 a.m. local time, according to a tweet by a law firm spokesperson.
Brown family attorney Anthony Gray said the lawsuit will demonstrate that Ferguson police -- specifically, officer Darren Wilson -- did not need to use deadly force against the unarmed brown during a confrontation last August. Brown, 18, was shot by Wilson and died from his wounds. Gray also said the suit will give a clearer picture of exactly what happened in the moments leading up to and after the shooting.
Last month, family attorneys indicated that Wilson will be included in the wrongful death suit. However, Wednesday's announcement did not mention him among the defendants.
A grand jury declined to file charges against Wilson, and a Department of Justice reportsimilarly said civil rights charges against the officer aren't warranted.
A second Justice investigation claimed to have found numerous instances of racial discrimination within the Ferguson Police Department -- which was followed by the resignations of Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson, Judge Ronald Brockmeyer and City Manager John Shaw.
Brown's shooting and the subsequent lack of charges against Wilson ignited a whirlwind of protests in Missouri, around the United States -- and even around the world -- with many upset and critical of police for perceived instances of brutality.
Last month, two Ferguson police officers resigned after it became known that they sentracially insensitive emails with their department accounts.
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder expressed disappointment and disgust with Ferguson police in the wake of the Justice investigations. Last month, he said federal authorities arewilling to completely disband the Ferguson Police Department, if necessary.
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