Ferguson Grand Jury Shooting Evidence May Not Be Released

Evidence before the Missouri grand jury reviewing the Ferguson police shooting won’t be released unless approved by a judge, a court spokesman said after local prosecutors pledged to do so if no indictment is forthcoming.

Paul Fox, director of judicial administration for St. Louis County, denied a press report that a state judge had pre- approved the release of grand jury evidence in the event no charges are brought in the August shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, by police officer Darren Wilson.

If an indictment is handed up by the 12-member grand jury meeting in the St. Louis suburb of Clayton, Judge Carolyn Whittington will review requests to disclose grand jury evidence, Fox said.

“If the grand jury returns a no true bill, the judge anticipates the court will receive requests for grand jury records,” Fox said. “Some of those requests will require the court to analyze the need for maintaining secrecy of the records with the need for public disclosure.”

The office of St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch has said it will seek to have the evidence released if no indictment is forthcoming.

The court hasn’t seen any of the grand jury evidence, Fox said, and will require more information before it could decide on what, if any, grand jury evidence can be released.

Edward Magee, a spokesman for McCulloch, didn’t immediately return an e-mail seeking comment.