source: The Press Democrat
published: 20 November 2014
Sonoma County residents understand what the people of St. Louis and, in particular, Ferguson, Mo., are experiencing as they brace for a decision on whether an officer involved in the shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown will face criminal charges.
Locals had a similar wait earlier this year on whether criminal charges would be filed against Sonoma County Deputy Erick Gelhaus in the shooting of 13-year-old Andy Lopez on Oct. 22, 2013.
In both cases, the officers were accused — in the court of public opinion — of using excessive force that resulted in the death of a young man. And in both cases the investigations were done in secret. But there are significant differences.
