An area protest organizor and pastor stunned MSNBC host Tamron Hall on Monday when he said that the suspect charged with shooting two Ferguson, Mo. police officers was “set up” by law enforcement.
On Sunday, St. Louis County prosecutors charged Jeffrey Williams, 20, with shooting two police officers last week during a demonstration outside the Ferguson Police Department. According to the Associated Press, Williams told investigators that he wasn’t targeting the officers.
In an interview on Monday, the Rev. Derrick Robinson, one of the organizers of the protest, told Hall that he had met with Williams on Sunday. Hall asked Robinson about a rumor that the suspect was trying to shoot at someone who robbed him that day.
Robinson confirmed that Williams claimed he’d been robbed. What he said next had Hall grasping for words.
“And I think, I believe he was frustrated, and I really believe he was set up, and I really believe that. I know it may not —”
“Set up by who? Let me pause you on that. Set up by who?” Hall asked.
“Police,” Robinson answered, looking off screen for a moment. “I think he was set up, I would go even farther to say some of the police, you know. The story just does not add up.”
“Let me, I can’t let you — obviously I can’t let you say that he was set up by police,” Hall shot back. “What evidence or proof do you have of that?”
Hall added that Williams has reportedly confessed and was found with a handgun that matched shell casings at the scene.
Robinson said that Williams was “coerced,” beaten by police and was not allowed to seek counsel. “The police, they beat him to confessing.”
“We do not have any evidence and you have not provided any of that to me at this point and if you have, we will continue the interview with you,” Hall said.
The two stepped over each others’ words before an awkward end to the interview.
Not helpful Rev. Robinson. In fact very UNhelpful.
He’s fucking idiot. If that is what the Black community in Ferguson wants to put forward as a spokesperson they are asking for the derision they receive. Fucking idiot…the angle is the shooter was NOT a protestor or a resident of Ferguson. That’s the talking point. Tell this fucking idiot to STFU or get on message.
Some people are making the mistake of thinking that, because of the DOJ report on the Ferguson Police Department, people will be willing to believe anything about the Ferguson Police Department. People, like Rev. Robinson, who think this are woefully mistaken. These off-the-cuff claims of corruption are what make people less likely to believe the truthful claims of corruption. You can only cry wolf so often before people no longer hear your cry. If the suspect was brutally beaten, then lets see the photos of his injuries. It should be an easy thing to prove; unless, of course, it’s not true.
how in the hell did this guy get access to williams. can any man of gawd just show up at the police station and they let him thru? what a fucking moron; he just provided hours and hours of mockery and makes it very easy to dismiss what the ferguson protests are all about.
and i know alot of people don’t like hall, but she’s one of the few who will actually stop the conversation to insist on proof of claims being made.
Stupid stupid stupid. We can’t help you if you’re going to shit all over everything.