Never Trust the Media’s Reporting Of “Excessive Force” Against Unarmed Suspects Ever Again

By Bob Owens

Jonathan Ferrell could have easily been billed as “North Carolina’s Michael Brown,” and now that the trial of the man who shot him is reaching its conclusion, that comparison seems more apt than ever.

24-year-old Ferrell, a former college football player, wrecked his car in the early morning of September 24, 2013. He walked to a nearby home and knocked on the door, looking for help. The woman inside called 911, claiming that Ferrell was trying to break into the home. Forensic evidence collected from the scene later does not support her claim. There were no signs of attempted forced entry. Put bluntly, she over-reacted.

Three Charlotte police officers intially responded to the 911 call, and one of them opened fire on the unarmed Ferrell. Officer Randall Kerrick fired 12 shots at Ferrell, ten of which struck the 24-year-old, killing him.

It seemed like a clear-cut case of excessive force the way the media reported the story from the very beginning. When Officer Randall Kerrick was indicted for voluntary manslaughter, it seemed like there would be an open-and-shut case against him.

Like the cases of Trayvon Martin and Michael Brown, however, the facts revealed in the investigation into Ferrell’s death that have been revealed …read more

Source:: Bearing Arms