Official autopsy results show that unarmed Ferguson, Mo., teen Michael Brown was shot in the hand from close range, two unrelated experts have confirmed through analysis, according to documentsย seen by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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Toxicology reports also confirmed that Brown, who was shot by Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson, had marijuana in his system at the time of his death, though there is no reliable way to determine if Brownโs judgment was impaired at the time of his death.
According to the report, Wilson told investigators that Brown had made an attempt to take his gun. Wilson claims that during the struggle for his gun inside the SUV, Wilson fired twice, hitting the young man in the hand once.
St. Louis medical examiner Michael Graham, who has no ties to the current investigation, did say that the autopsy seemed to indicate โthere was a significant altercation at the car.โ
According to the Post-Dispatch, examinations showed that the wound to his hand was from a shot that went from the tip of his right thumb toward the wrist. There was no stippling, or powder burns, according to the autopsy.
Graham, though, explained to the paper, โSometimes when itโs really close, such as within an inch or so, there is no stipple, just smoke.โย
According to the Post-Dispatch, additional analysis of tissue from the thumb wound showed foreign matter โconsistent with products that are discharged from the barrel of a firearm.โ Another medical examiner, Judy Melinek from San Francisco, said that this โsupports the fact that this guy is reaching for the gun, if he has gunpowder particulate material in the wound.
โIf he has his hand near the gun when it goes off, heโs going for the officerโs gun,โ Melinek told the Post-Dispatch.
Read more atย the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
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