Drawing conclusions about Ferguson

I would like to offer my opinion regarding the events in Ferguson, Mo. After listening to both sides on national television for the last few days as well as the parents of the slain teenager, I have come to conclude the following:

1. Michael Brown was apparently a bully without much supervision from his parents.

2. Michael Brown was killed by a police officer for the "horrendous" crime of stealing a box of cigarillos from a convenient store.

3. A grand jury took four months of deliberation to come to a conclusion of no true bill of indictment. Justice to be served must be swift and must be accorded the right to hear both sides of the issue, not just the prosecution.

4. When is it proper to use deadly force for a crime of minor consequences? Training of police officers should emphasize the difference between major and minor.

5. Why are police officers allowed to "shoot to kill" instead of shooting to disable or disarm in order to arrest? Too many police officers "shoot to kill" when it is unnecessary.

6. When will prosecutors be held accountable for their actions as are many others in their professions? The defense put forward by the legal profession is false.

7. If citizens of Ferguson are unsatisfied with the outcome of the Michael Brown incident, one peaceful recourse would certainly be to toss out the municipal authority through their votes in the next election. There is no need for violence when a peaceful solution is available.

Mike Johnson

Bartlett