President Barack Obama appeared conflicted during a press conference Monday evening about the racially-charged events happening in Ferguson, MO and worldwide, after the release of unarmed teen Mike Brown’s autopsy. Dr. Michael Baden, a former New York City chief medical examiner, performed the private autopsy and found the teen was shot at least six times, including twice in the head. Officer Darren Wilson, a white man, has been identified as the shooter.
During the brief White House press conference, the President chose his words carefully to avoid further aggravating passionate protesters demanding justice for Mike Brown. Obama’s speech attempted to provide balance to a nation, passionately divided by a history of racial tension, while upholding the country’s need to police those who are using the movement as a means to engage in criminal behavior, such as looting.
“We’ve got to make sure that we are able to distinguish between peaceful protesters who may have some legitimate grievances and maybe long-standing grievances, and those who are using this tragic death as an excuse to engage in criminal behavior,” he said.
Obama commented that he will steer clear of interfering with the investigation happening in Missouri, so he doesn’t appear to be taking sides. Instead, he said that Attorney General Eric Holder will travel to Ferguson to meet with the FBI and other Department of Justice officials for an independent federal investigation into Brown’s death. Additionally, he will oversee the use of the National Guard to determine where the operation is helping or hurting day-to-day operations in Ferguson.
“I have to be very careful about not prejudging these events before investigations are completed because … the DOJ works for me,” Obama said. “When they’re conducting an investigation, I’ve got to make sure that I don’t look like I’m putting my thumb on the scales one way or the other.”
Over the past few weeks President Obama has erred on the side of caution when speaking about the peaceful protests against the St. Louis police department by many of the city’s residents and others supporting the cause. The President and First Lady Michelle Obama expressed their condolences to the Brown family in a statement last week, calling Brown’s death heartbreaking. Pres. Obama urged the community to comfort each other and talk with one another in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds.