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by B.duQuesnay (21/03/2017)
A newly released documentary film called "Stranger Fruit" by Film director Jason Pollock has raised speculation over the video that police used to promote the narrative that victim Mike Brown was a violent "thug". The newly released video sparked and revived the protests against police brutality in Ferguson and across North America. The narrative is not uncommon among officers suspected of shooting unarmed suspects, unfortunately most victims tend to be those of visible minorities such as Blacks, Latino and Aboriginal victims. These false reports and narratives usually serve to protect the officer in question and demonize victims in a way that usually stereotypes that race as violent or criminal.

 As  the courts deliberated over the innocence or guilt of the officer responsible for the death of Mike Brown whom the public know to be the officer Darren Wilson, the police released a portion of video showing the 18 year old Mike Brown taking cigarillos and physically interacting with individuals on the video that police told the public was Mr.Brown committing a crime prior to the victims shooting by the officer.



This new released video clearly shows that the clerks and victim Mike Brown had been known to each other and had interactions more than once before. The additional video contradicts the police story that had many supporting the officer Darren Wilson as a hero and Mike Brown as a "thug" whom had just robbed a store and later died as a result of his encounter with the officer. Officer Darren Wilson provided statements to further demonize the victim by stating that Mike Brown tried to grab the officer's weapon and then later charge the officer like a football player with the officer further adding that Mike Brown looked like a "demon" to the officer.

Unfortunately, this story is too common among police and unarmed black men in North America today. Darren Wilson's actions and the police manipulation of the facts to sway public opinion allowed for the dismissal of the case against Officer Wilson. And with the unfounded for the supposed 'hero' and the slandering of Mike Brown saw support from the public in the forms of donations, book deals and television exposure. Darren Wilson was not the only shooter that profited from killing an unarmed black man, as George Zimmerman had also saw moral support, public financial support, publicity from their criminal acts.

 
References/Sources:

The Huffington Post - Filmmaker Says This New Video Of Mike Brown Challenges Ferguson Police Narrative
Relevant - New Video Out of Mike Brown Case Leads to Protests in Ferguson
ABC News - Surveillance video may shed light on Ferguson police shooting of Michael Brown