Speaking at a press conference in St. Louis along with attorneys for Michael Brown’s family, Rev. Al Sharpton said the decision handed down by the grand jury not to indict officer Darren Wilson proves that the federal government should have handled the case “from day one.”

“Three days after Michael Brown Jr. was killed, we had a major rally in this very church,” Sharpton began his remarks. “We said that night, with his parents present, that we had little to no faith in the grand jury by the local district attorney. We said that night that we wanted the federal government to come in.”

“Last night, the appearance by the district attorney made it clear to everyone why we had little faith in a state prosecution.”

Sharpton also accused McCulloch of “methodically discrediting the witnesses, witnesses that will still be needed going forward in the ongoing federal investigation, and if there are civil proceedings.”

“When you have the attitude of a prosecutor, that feels that it is his duty to go out of his way to try and discredit a young teenager that can’t speak for himself, then America saw why we said from day one, the federal government needs to step in to protect the rights of Michael Brown Jr. and to protect the rights of the citizens.”

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