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Gov. Nixon of Missouri Addresses Ferguson Situation; New Ferguson Curfew Midnight to 5AM Central Time
Aired August 16, 2014 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: Hello, everyone, welcome to CNN NEWSROOM. I'm Poppy Harlow in New York. We are standing by for the governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon, to make some live remarks at a church there in Ferguson, Missouri. He'll speak at any moment. We'll bring you his comments live. We're expecting an update on the situation there on the ground there in Ferguson where those tensions remain high a week after Michael Brown, an unarmed teenager, was shot and killed.
Just a short time ago a somber moment where people marked that exact spot where Michael Brown was shot and killed by a local police officer. The past seven days have seen some violent public protests and a very intimidating show of force by the police department there. And then early this morning, really in the middle of the night, this happened.
Looting and also at least one building set on fire. The police in Ferguson really standing by not doing a lot to stop it this time. The FBI is now fully engaged in investigating that shooting of Michael Brown. Police said that agents will spend the coming days canvassing the neighborhood where Michael Brown was shot dead hoping to find more witnesses that will speak to them.
Let's go straight to Jason Carroll. He is in Ferguson now. Jason, you have been on the ground throughout this. We're going to get to you in a moment, also to you Rene Marsh covering this for us there in Washington. Jason, you've been there this entire time. What can you tell me about what transpired last night after we had seen some peaceful nights of protests? It seemed to unravel last night.
JASON CARROLL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, you know, Poppy, so many people out here were so disappointed to see what happened here last night. We were out here until about 10:00. 10:00 last night, throughout the day. Throughout the - at least the early part of the evening, the protests were vocal, but they were peaceful.
But then, once again, very late at night after about midnight things really began to turn ugly. You have this small group of agitators who make their way into the peaceful demonstrators and last night was a night they began to cause trouble again. Looting the Ferguson Market here in the area. Also Sam's Meat Market another business also looted again last night.
There are a lot of - there have been a lot of questions about the police response or the lack thereof. And as you know, Poppy, police were heavily criticized earlier in the week for overreacting to demonstrators being out here. Last night they were criticized again for under reacting. Some looting taking place right in plain sight of some the officers who were out here.
Again, a little earlier today we spoke to some of the folks who were out at Sam's Meat Market. Poppy, that business was looted on Sunday and they were looted again last night. And at this point patience for them is just wearing thin.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE JACOUB, MANAGER, SAM'S MEAT MARKET: You have almost, like, thousands of police car, if every car stay next each other here, nothing going to be happen for any businesses. And, plus, if you take a call, like, yesterday 11:45 they broke in here. They got call from me. They got a call from my co-worker. Got a call from everybody. You know, had why do they send not even one car? That's my question, why?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CARROLL: So, just let me explain what's happening here on the ground just a little bit more, Poppy, for some people who haven't been tuning in as much. The person who is really in charge of security on the ground right now is Captain Ronald Johnson. He's with the Missouri Highway Patrol. And we spent a lot of time with him earlier this week. And what he did was he took a different approach to dealing with the protesters, more reaching out to the community, sort of a backing off type of approach.
And what I'm hearing from some officers on the ground, what they're telling me now is some of them feel as though when they should make an arrest, they're feeling should I make an arrest now, should I not make an arrest now. So, there seems to be a confusion there or a lack thereof communication. So that is something that law enforcement is going to have to work on. All of the law enforcement here on the ground are going to have to find a way to work together, Poppy?
HARLOW: It's a really important point, Jason, that you make. And, you know, they were criticized for being, you know, overly aggressive some were saying and then criticized, as you heard the store owner, for not doing enough last night. What is the right way to police this situation and let those voices be heard is a big question right now. I appreciate the reporting. We'll get back to you in a moment.
Rene, to you, is this what the Justice Department was worried about and warning against when they said to Ferguson Police a week ago, don't release that tape that allegedly shows Michael Brown involved in that convenience store robbery, do not release that tape at this point?
RENE MARSH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Right, Poppy. You know, if they wanted to, it's almost like an "I told you so" kind of situation here. Because we know based on sources telling CNN's Evan Perez that behind the scenes before this videotape was released, the Department of Justice said this is a bad idea. It is simply going to escalate the tensions within this community. Fast-forward to Friday. The video is released. And exactly what they predicted is what unfolded, and we saw that happen last night. Really, now that we're getting this new information about the back-and-forth that happened in that Ferguson police essentially went against the wishes of the Department Transportation -- the Department of Justice, we are starting to get a lot of reaction. Namely from the congressman who represents that area. We're talking about Congressman Lacy Clay, got off the phone with him.
He is livid at learning about this information here. He says, I'm using his words now, he says, "this just speaks to the typical arrogance of local police, local law enforcement within the St. Louis area." And he went even further to say that "it just goes to show how they're willing to control the narrative to protect one of their own."
So, that is what people or at least this congressman is taking away from the fact that DOJ said one thing and Ferguson Police Department did something else. Poppy, I think it's worth noting DOJ's role in all of this. We know that they have their own investigation that they're doing independent of the criminal investigation. We also know that they had their own copy of the videotape, the surveillance video. Did not plan on releasing it. Will not be releasing it. So, it just goes to show, they have a role there. Their role is not the criminal aspect, but very involved, very hands on in the day-to-day of what's going on there because it's so volatile. Poppy?
HARLOW: Yes, it's important to note that the police chief there of Ferguson did say when he released the officer's name who shot Michael Brown and killed him yesterday, that he also said that, you know, the officer who did that did not know that Brown was a suspect in the convenience store shooting. We're getting a lot of piecemeal information that keeps coming out here as people try to - to understand all of what unfolded.
Rene, appreciate it.
We're waiting for that live press conference from the Missouri governor. We'll bring it to you as soon as it happens. Get a quick break in here. We'll be right back on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARLOW: All right. We are standing by for comments from the governor of Missouri, Jay Nixon. He is expected to speak at any moment there at a local church in Ferguson, Missouri, expected to give an update on the situation on the ground there in Ferguson where as, you know, tensions really have remained high. As we wait maybe we can pull up some images to show you just what transpired last night after a few nights of peaceful protesting. We saw looting taking place at a number of businesses last night in Ferguson. Also one building at least we know set on fire. A lot of outrage there once again in Ferguson, Missouri, one week after that unarmed teenager, Michael Brown, was shot and killed. Let's take a look at how it looked and sounded overnight.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is the police (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Don't shoot and we won't get hurt.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm out here trying to help these brothers. Police are agitating. They're not causing peace.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hands up, don't shoot! Hands up, don't shoot! Hands up, don't shoot. Mike Brown. Trayvon Martin. Mike Brown. Trayvon Martin.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It looked to me like you guys came over here to try to protect this store.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That's what we did. The store still safe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Return to your vehicles. Return to your homes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You must clear the roadway.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We out here. We out here. They try to grab something already, though.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HARLOW: And that is how it looked overnight there in Ferguson. I want to bring in Karen Conti as we await comments from Missouri Governor Jay Nixon. Karen, thanks for joining us.
She's a trial attorney there in Chicago. You know, let's talk first about what we saw unfold because you've got this question of what is excessive force by police there in Ferguson. Heavily criticized by many for how they were reacting in riot gear to protesters early on in this and last night business owners some of them complaining saying, look, where were you, some feeling you didn't do enough when our stores were being looted.
KAREN CONTI, TRIAL ATTORNEY: Well, you know, they're between a rock and a hard place. If they come in there and they try to enforce, you know, they're going to be criticized for taking too strong an action. But I heard the store owners talk and the police should have been there trying to do something. If someone is committing a crime and looting is a crime and they should be arrested and processed, just like everyone else regardless of the circumstances.
HARLOW: Looking at this, let's talk about how this could play out as we await the governor of Missouri here, I might have to interrupt you in a moment, but let's talk about how this could play out in a court of law. If we do see an indictment by a grand jury of this police officer who shot and killed Michael Brown, where is that line? When is it justified? And when is it not?
CONTI: Right.
HARLOW: You know what - stand by. I apologize. Let's listen in to Governor Jay Nixon of Missouri.
(JOINED IN PROGRESS)
GOV. JAY NIXON, MISSOURI: -- officials and faith leaders here with us for their work for the past week on behalf of the family of Michael Brown, the people of Ferguson and the entire St. Louis, Missouri.
The tragic death of Michael Brown one week ago today and the events that followed left a family grieving the loss of a son and a community racked by fear and unrest, an entire world looking for answers and justice. For the past several days I've heard from the people of Ferguson. And I've heard their anger about injustice and intimidation. I've seen and heard the unspeakable sadness of a mother who won't see her son again and the anguish of parents throughout the region struggling to teach their kids to trust among so much strife.
But like all the world, I've also seen over the past few days tremendous acts of grace, generosity, and courage. People of all races and creeds joining hands to pray for justice for the family of Michael Brown. And just last night, the courage and resolve of peaceful protesters who stood up against violent instigators. Volunteers coming out. Coming forward. Even in this morning's steady rain, to help their neighbors pick up the pieces.
As governor I'm committed to making sure the forces of peace and justice prevail. That is why earlier in the week I called on the Department of Justice to conduct an independent investigation of the shooting death of Michael Brown, an investigation I'm glad to say is being beefed up with additional FBI agents canvassing this area over the next several days. I want to personally thank General Holder. We had a good, thoughtful discussion yesterday and I appreciate deeply his leadership and support.
That is why two days ago as we saw escalation and the need change and shift, I put the Missouri State Highway Patrol in charge of maintaining safety and security in Ferguson. I want to personally thank Captain Ron Johnson for his outstanding leadership in helping to bring calm to the streets of Ferguson while maintaining the rights its citizens to engage in peaceful protest. That balance is important.
The first amendment is extremely important. And in times like this people being able to speak their concerns is vitally important. As a result of those actions we've begun to see progress. On Thursday night peaceful protesters of all ages, races and creeds here in Ferguson and in cities and towns across the nation, 80 separate cities, called in one united voice for justice to be served.
And last night except for a very few, the folks out on the streets of Ferguson last night were peaceful demonstrators. But we also saw a pattern develop last night where after hours of peaceful protesting small groups took to the streets with the intent of committing crimes and endangering citizens. That is unacceptable. Each step of the way this week I've been in touch with these local leaders and I just met once again with them to discuss the best course forward.
I share their frustration and their conviction that we cannot allow the ill will of the view to undermine the goodwill of the many. And continue to put the people and businesses of this community in danger. If there was an easy way to separate those who hurt from those who helped, we would. But it's hard. And sometimes especially at night we can't. So, to protect the people and property of Ferguson today, I signed an order declaring a state of emergency and ordering implementation of a curfew in the impacted area of Ferguson.
Again, this is not to silence the people of Ferguson or this region. Or others. But to contain those who are drowning out the voice of the people with their actions. We will not allow a handful of looters to endanger the rest of this community. We still need more answers about what happened one week ago and I will continue to push for those answers and demand transparency and accountability and expediency.
I will tell you there's a lot of people working on that right now, a lot of people. But if we're going to achieve justice, we must first have and maintain peace. This is a test. The eyes of the world are watching. This is a test of whether a community, this community, any community, can break the cycle of fear, distrust and violence and replace them with peace, strength, and ultimately justice.
It will not happen in one night. But that is where we will start. So, tonight let that journey continue. And in the morning this community will rise with the sun to renew its quest for justice. Now, to go through a couple of the operational choices and then we'll hear from a couple of officials at this challenging time it's nice to have veterans of law enforcement working in a coordinated fashion.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me, governor, you need to charge that police with murder.
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Call for an investigation.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where's the indictment?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why was he allowed to -
NIXON: The task that we have at hand, the task which I have been tasked to lead, is the task, first of all, to represent the people of the state and the people of this area, but also to make sure that we have peace and security.
Let us go through the decisions that have been made and the implementation of that in order to begin that process. Then we'll hear from officials and we'll be glad to take questions. Let me first introduce to you the colonel of the Missouri Highway Patrol, Colonel Ron Replogle.
COL. RON REPLOGLE, MISSOURI STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SUPERINTENDENT: Thank you, governor. I command 1,240 troopers from Jefferson City, Missouri where our headquarters is at. I cannot solve this problem from Jefferson City, Missouri. The trait of a good leader is recognizing the resources that he has to put at play when problems come up.
Two days ago I placed Captain Ron Johnson in command of the highway patrol operations here in Ferguson, Missouri. He is the most outstanding resource that I as the colonel of the Missouri State Highway Patrol can bring to this problem in Ferguson, Missouri. I think you've seen his actions over the last few days.
I think you've seen what he's capable of, and I'm going to turn this over to him. He's been here for 12 years as a troop commander in this area. He grew up in this community. He knows this community. He can far better solve this problem than I can from Jefferson City. So I'm going to turn the podium over to him and he's going to announce the plan for this curfew and how we're going to bring peace back to this community. Captain Johnson.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why is it taking so long for this investigation?
CAPT. RON JOHNSON, MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL: Good afternoon. I have been tasked to provide security for the people of this community. Allow them the right to speak. Allow them the right to express their feelings. As far as the investigation, that is not my task. That's not the task of the highway patrol.
The governor has enacted a curfew to allow us to provide safety for the citizens of Ferguson. But also to maintain the right of the people. That curfew will start today. It will run from 12:00 midnight is when the curfew will start until 5:00 in the morning. We will enforce that curfew in an effort to provide safety and security to the area.
Before I go on any further there's some things that when I was out yesterday in the crowd that I was asked about, and I've been promising that I will talk, I will communicate the things that we talk about behind closed doors I will communicate with you. There was some talk about having more eyes on this investigation, and I can tell you this morning at about 9:00 this morning the FBI brought 40 agents in and went to the Canfield area and went door to door to try to find other witnesses that may have been a part or saw the incident.
They contacted several witnesses and they went to several homes where people weren't there. The homes that they went to and people weren't there, they left this card. They've also passed this card out to clergy and if you are a witness or if you have any information, you can contact your clergy. You can look on the door of your home and you will see this card. But I would ask if you fill out this card, make sure you're filling out with some valid information.
Let's just not send a lot of cards that invalidate those that have valuable roper information to make sure that the proper justice is done in this case. I'll answer you any questions. But I can tell you during the past few days I have seen great people stand up with a lot of pride. I've seen great people stand up and speak their voice. I've seen people show compassion toward each other. Strengthen each other. And that's what we're going to talk about today. Is the positive impact that our community has shown on this nation, and we will survive this and we will make a change.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Nixon - Governor Nixon, I have a question for you.
NIXON: If I could - if I could, before we get to lengthy questions, I committed, first of all, to our host to make sure that he had the right to speak and I want to thank personally representative, reverend, friend, Tommy Pierson. This is your house that we are in. The lord's house, and I would ask if you'd like to make any comments before - we'll take questions. We'll be glad to take questions.
REV. TOMMY PIERSON: Thank you, governor. And all of the elected officials and the law enforcement officers who are here. The Greater St. Mark Church is just that, we are a family. And we view this community as our family. So we wanted our place to be open to anyone who wanted to come here and have their peace and have their say. We've not restricted anyone from coming here.
And I want to thank the governor for coming here today. We're in this community, and we want to do our part to make it a great community. We, like everybody else, want to see justice in this case. And I believe with the people that have been sent here from D.C. and other places, we will seek justice. And in the words of Amos as I step to the side, "let justice roll down like waters. And righteousness like a mighty stream." God bless you and god keep you is our prayer.
NIXON: One more and then we'll take questions. One more. The senior elected official who has been intimately involved from day one to make sure that the resources that were necessary not only in this region but equally around the country, congressman, from this particular district, our good friend, Lacy Clay.
REP. LACY CLAY: Thank you, Governor Nixon. Let me also say that I want to tip my cap to the Missouri Highway Patrol. I was able to walk with Captain Ron Johnson last night for about two hours along West Florison Boulevard listening to my constituents, listening to their pain, listening to their concerns and their demands about what they wanted. And it was a very peaceful assembly.
And that's what we want that to continue to be along that stretch of street. And I want to commend the law enforcement for toning it down, for pulling it back. And showing a human side to this community, and that's what - that's what we first have to do. We first have to relate to each other. And look at the way we police this community and hopefully change it for the better. So, we will stop there and open it up for questions.
Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Nixon -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Nixon.
NIXON: Here first.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Because you declared a state of emergency I under stand you have the right to set a curfew. I think I've been told you also have the right to take the investigation away from Bob McCollough. You have that authority. Are you going to take the investigation away?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
NIXON: Our focus at this time clearly is on the security here, making sure we get peace. As I said before, there are a number of people, people of goodwill, people of good strength, that are working extremely hard to get justice.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Do you have that authority?
NIXON: I'm not going to - as I said when I got involved in this at an operational level, our focus was security, and we're going to maintain that focus while continuing to comment and support appropriately. There's another question over here.
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How are you and Captain Johnson, how are you all going to enforce this curfew?
NIXON: Peacefully.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Peacefully. (INAUDIBLE) Are you bringing back military force? How are you planning to enforce this curfew?
NIXON: The best way for any -
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Captain Johnson?
NIXON: We'll hear from him. We'll hear from him. We're here -- you know --
(CROSSTALK)
NIXON: The best way for us to get peace is for everybody to help to make sure that everybody gets home safe tonight at 12:00 and gets a good, solid five hours sleep before they get up tomorrow morning. And that we're going to -- the captain --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Sleep is not an option, Governor Nixon. We want justice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why is the focus on security and not getting justice? Why is there no arrests?
(INAUDIBLE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want justice!
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And why was the police officer --
NIXON: If we want justice -- for those that -- I'll let you -- just a second. I'll let you yell at me next. If we -- if we want --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One question at a time, please.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right, bro.
NIXON: If we want justice, we cannot be distracted. We must be focused on making sure that people are allowed their first amendment rights but we do so in a peaceful fashion. We cannot have looting and crimes at night. We can't have people fearful --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We can't have police officers killing people!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The question is, how do you plan to enforce the curfew?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rubber bullets --
NIXON: Do you want to go?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor, last night --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Please hold your questions.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I understand. My name is Patrick Days (ph). (INAUDIBLE) Now, last night --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You wait.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With their own firearms. Will we have police guarding our homes and businesses?
NIXON: First here and then there. Go ahead.
(CROSSTALK)
CAPT. RON JOHNSON, MISSOURI HIGHWAY PATROL: I'm going to talk to the gentleman here that asked the question first. And I'm going to tell you that what we're doing now is not who we are, is not who we are. Yelling at each other is not going to solve that.
We're all talking about the same concerns and the same passion. The frustration that's in your home is in my home. It's in my home.
And I've given you all the answers that I know, and I'm going to continue to give you that. Now, I don't care who you are, how old you are, and I don't care if you were peaceful protesters last night or a rioter last night, rioting, you will still get those same answers. So, tonight, we will enforce that curfew. We won't enforce it with
trucks. We won't enforce it with tear gas. We'll communicate. We'll talk about, do you know what, it's time to go home. It's time to go home.
You haven't seen a heavy-handed approach. Last night things were different that precipitated that, and you saw that. You saw that. But I can tell you, because someone's standing in the street, there's not going to be an armored truck comes out. You saw people sitting in the street and they got a chance to get up. And that's the way it's going to continue.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Captain Johnson --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: When is the police not killing our children? Start there!
JOHNSON: We're going to answer one question at a time.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you not aware -- even though you were in command, were you aware that SWAT teams were being deployed last night? Did you know about it?
JOHNSON: Yes, I did.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you give that order?
JOHNSON: Yes, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You ordered the tear gas?
JOHNSON: No. Can I answer your question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you order it?
JOHNSON: Can I answer your question?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Let him answer the question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There are reports that this happened without you knowing it. That's what I'm asking.
JOHNSON: Let me answer the question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: OK. All right.
JOHNSON: Last night, we had several officers that were trapped in a parking lot. They tried to get out. We sent an armored vehicle to help them out. We sent two armored vehicles to help them out. We had three officers injured.
One officer deployed one can of tear gas. He was there. He made that decision.
I got a call on the phone and I said I'm back en route. I got back out of my bed and I went on route and I said make sure we are not going to use any force that's not necessary, and it was one can that got out.
The officers got out. I removed those officers out. And the next thing that you saw was a group of officers standing on the roadway and, yes, that happened. And --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Why won't they release a picture of the officer that killed Michael Brown?
JOHNSON: Ma'am, that is not a part of my investigation, listen, and we cannot answer that. We cannot answer that. Because that's -- listen, listen --
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Captain Johnson, would you be willing to work with the groundskeepers so we can communicate with you when all of those ones who intend to keep peace are gone, those (INAUDIBLE) are the ones who are remained? Will you be in direct communication with us? We had a person to make contact (INAUDIBLE) and can we have direct contact with someone so we can say all peacekeepers are out --
JOHNSON: Yes, you can. I've seen you out on the street. And I've seen you out with those gentlemen, with the red bandanas on their face and I walked up to you and I talked to them. Some were angry, someone didn't like what I wanted to say, but I listened. I didn't walk away.
I've talked to you every night and I've talked to them every night. And I will continue to do that. We will be in this together.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Will you provide for our leader, a two-way radio so we can say all the peacekeepers are out before any additional action is taken?
JOHNSON: We're not using a two-way radio but I can tell you when I'm there on the ground, you can talk with me, you can talk with me. You can be seen with me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) curfew extended, everyone is not gone, how do we find you to let you know that all those who intend to keep peace are gone and those who don't intend to keep peace are staying?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They'll be asleep in bed.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Not asleep until we get justice.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the street until we get justice for Mike Brown.
JOHNSON: OK. The gentleman -- we got a question -- I'm going to get -- you're next. You're next. You're next.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Stick with the question.
JOHNSON: You're next. We're next. Let's answer this question first.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One more second. This is very important.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Answer the question. Answer the question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold it. Hold it. Hold it.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You didn't answer my question.
JOHNSON: Can we work together? I'll get with you tonight.
REPORTER: People in this room have a lot of questions right now and a lot of residents are asking questions directly. We're going to see if we can talk with the captain along with the governor after this news conference when things calm down in this room.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thanks to you and my organizers along with the New Black Panther Party and the Nation of Islam (INAUDIBLE) and we control the flow of traffic. And I personally set down the avenue at 2:00 and (INAUDIBLE) on Thursday night. On Thursday night.
OK, so, so you were there. You witnessed that. And so what I'm saying is tonight, the curfew is 12:00 midnight seemed to be a tight curfew line that could be a prescription for confrontation. And I don't know anything that's easy about asking people to leave at that time as you may believe it to be, so what I'm saying is right now we'll organize that we have at least 100, 150 men working with the various organizations I just named and the National Action Network to make sure that this doesn't deteriorate into a situation where everybody's tear gassed, demonstrators look bad and it turns that way.
And so, is there any way that the curfew could be pushed back some and that there are some -- this is some dialogue here or some rules of engagement? Because I don't believe that the police can enforce the curfew without a confrontation. But I do know that the forces that are under our command can bring this to a conclusion. Is there any way we can get our message out and also able to bring this to a decent conclusion?
(CROSSTALK)
JOHNSON: Can I -- OK. OK. OK.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Specific question is -- my specific question is, can the time be extended some? Can the burden to end the demonstration tonight, can that be on us so that we don't have what happened last night. Because it was falsely reported on Friday morning that it just ended by magic.
It did not end by magic on Thursday night it ended because we ended it and we have the rapport with the demonstrators. They respect me. They respect us. So, we can talk to them and get them to leave. Every time the police show up, they converge and (INAUDIBLE)
(CROSSTALK)
JOHNSON: Can I -- let me -- we will talk. I will talk with you. I will talk with you. I'm going to answer -- I'm trying. I'm trying. Can I answer your question?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
JOHNSON: First of all, I want to say that those groups that he talked about that helped us on Thursday night, he's absolutely correct and when I met with the governor that next day, I said I do not know the name of those groups, and I said, but they were gentlemen in black pants and black shirts and I said they got out there and they did their job. And I told that to the governor, and I'll tell that to the nation. Those groups helped and they're a part of this.
And the curfew is going to stand but I ask that you still help us and get it out. But we're going to need -- we have citizens that live in homes, elderly citizens that live in homes with kids and kids are going to school that said we've got to have our rest. We got to have our rest.
We're angry. I may not be able to get out of my home and go protest and I don't want to stop that, and what they're thanking me for is we're allowing them to voice their opinion. And I walked up today. There was a motorcycle group out here who said you tell us what time. You tell us what time. You tell us what time.
Ask that you help us. And I'm going to tell you that we can't do it. We can't do it.
There was a gentleman in the crowd, saying Captain Johnson, great job. Boy, you turned this around. You had the crowd gone. He said, well, Captain Johnson, you go ahead and do it he said because we were out there.
And I said you're right, Captain Johnson did not do it. You did it. And it was some of the young men that was helping you. And I appreciate it.
(APPLAUSE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor, Governor, Governor --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We couldn't call 911. We couldn't call star 55. Nobody was able to respond from 3:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m., when the citizens that you're asking to help you, we called 911, we called the county, we called the local police and everybody was pushing the buck.
It's, like, we're chasing our tail. You're asking us to help but we don't know how to help.
JOHNSON: Can I answer that? And that's why we're going to clear those streets because we did have citizens who called and we were unable to get to them. We're going to clear the streets so we can handle the cases.
As a matter of fact, we're in the back room talking about 911 and people are calling 911 and not getting their calls and we talked about that.
The representative talked about where should they call? And I said you have them call 911 and you're going to see a state patrol car or a county police car get there, and that's why we have to clear those streets. I know you're trying but people get sick at 1:00 in the morning, people get sick at 2:00 in the morning.
So, we're going to do that. We're going to work and we're going to do that. Let's work and get this part done and see what gains we can make.
(CROSSTALK)
JOHNSON: And I can tell you this -- this -- this morning -- this morning, we talk about investigation. You talking about the governor --
(CROSSTALK)
JOHNSON: Listen, listen, can you get somebody else to investigate? He's been all the way to the White House and you saw 40 FBI agents out there today. They're coming by. They're giving cards -- that's what they're doing. They were there today.
They sent these cards. I brought these cards. I asked the agent, I want you to give me a card so everybody can know they exist.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why hasn't Darren Wilson been indicted? Answer the question!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why don't you start an investigation?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop killing our people, police! Stop it now!
NIXON: If I could please --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Will you allow observance to be on the street to make sure that -- to make sure that there are no abuses after the curfew? Will the media be allowed out to report after curfew? Will you allow legal observers? Will you allow media on the streets to report after curfew?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police attacked us last night. Police attacked women and children last night. They attacked them.
We kept them from attacking them. They attacked them. There was a bunch of fire. This is not working. The police are attacking.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So, the question is, Governor, will the media be allowed out in the streets?
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You already know that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They attacked us. The police attacked us, the group.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Nixon, how long will the curfew last? Answer that question, please.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Excuse me, can you explain to me why --
NIXON: Let me answer this one first.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: --focus on controlling the anger of the people when the whole reason the people are in the streets for a week now is people are demanding justice and there has been no arrest. There has been no indictment and people know that this poor child, this 18-year- old young man, was killed in cold blood --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Assassinated.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: -- and there has been no arrest and people are demanding justice and that's why people are in the street and now this whole press conference has been turned into an explanation of why you are controlling people's anger, suppressing people's anger and telling people to calm down. Why is that?
(APPALAUSE)
NIXON: Question over here.
Our hope is that -- that we'll get situational awareness tomorrow morning. Our hope is that with the help of all, that tonight will be more peaceful night than last night, while allowing the appropriate emotions and energies and allowing folks to speak out.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What's stopping you from indicting?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The second question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let him answer the question, please.
NIXON: The second question and then I'll --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I have a question.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just let him answer the first one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir. NIXON: Our full hope and expectation is that, you know --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Speak with your chest, bro.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let him talk.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You can't interrupt while he's trying to answer.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I can't hear him.
NIXON: Clearly, media has a role in helping here. And clearly --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Answer about the length --
NIXON: As I said before, we'll get situational awareness tomorrow morning, and we'll make a decision. I mean, we're going to watch this one day at a time. This is -- this is not normal. And our hope was that we return back to a peaceful normal.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But killing our children is normal at the hands of the police!
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Governor Nixon, that's not --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can somebody answer that question, please?
NIXON: I'm going to call on Representative Pierson.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about the media?
REP. TOMMIE PIERSON (D), MISSOURI: Listen, listen --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Answer the question.
PIERSON: No, excuse me. Excuse me, if you would. Excuse me.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why can't these officers be in front of all these (INAUDIBLE) and instead of putting the curfew on these people put officers in front of (INAUDIBLE).
UNIDENTIFIE D MALE: That's not going to work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop. That is not going to work.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Slide to the right. Slide to the right.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We got to get a legitimate answer to the question.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Go ahead. Go ahead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me explain. (CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Putting police officers in front of those businesses -- listen, just listen. Put officers in front of the buildings where all of the demonstrators are, the demonstrators are going to converge on the officers. The officers are going to take a posture against the demonstrators and then we're going to have a big chat. The solution is we can control the security situation ourselves.
I'm going to ask for an extension of the curfew, but within the zone we have enough manpower to be allow to our people get their message out and you don't anymore and we said the time is too tight.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me suggest to Captain Johnson --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let me suggest to Captain Johnson that he work with you -- that he work with you on some leeway and some time, you know, but let me -- let me make a point, too.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've heard a lot of concern about prosecution. And let me clear up some facts for you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We can't hear you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can you hear me now?
Let me clear up some facts about prosecution of this case. First of all, on Monday, I asked Attorney General Eric Holder to take over the entire case and to prosecute it as a civil rights violation. And I will continue to pursue that.
But I think for some in this room, your anger is misdirected. On a state charge of murder, the county prosecutor files the charges. Now, so if you --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Let's go to the president (ph).
UNIDENTIFEID MALE: I agree with you. I am willing to go. I agree with you. I agree with you.
But he hasn't filed the charges and it's very -- wait a minute. It's very peculiar that the victim -- I'd rather we get -- I would rather that we get to all the facts. Let the process go forward and let the feds prosecute, because you're not going to get a fair trial in St. Louis County with the -- with this scenario.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: White lies!
NIXON: Real quickly.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No justice! NIXON: I want to -- one thing for the press. One thing for the
press. One thing for the press. One thing for the press. Please.
Captain Johnson will define a media staging area that you can get to that will allow you then to have access to the zone tonight to make sure that transparency is carried out during this process. He will have a staging area that will then allow folks to get in. We want to make sure as we're doing this that there's transparency during the entirety of the process. I can guarantee you that Captain Johnson will make that staging area available and make sure that members of the press have access to openly and fairly record, openly and fairly see and openly and fairly show the country, the world, whoever, what's going on. Thank you all very much.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What about justice for Michael Brown? Don't shoot. Don't shoot. Don't shoot.
POPPY HARLOW, CNN ANCHOR: All right, you have just been listening to a lengthy press conference there. Not really a press conference a community gathering at a local church there in Ferguson, Missouri. You're still hearing the audio of residents, community members there, very upset demanding more answers.
The big headline out of this, though, the governor there of Missouri, Jay Nixon, announcing a state of emergency in Ferguson, also instituting immediately a curfew that will begin tonight at midnight Central Time. It will be extended until 5:00 in the morning.
The governor there calling this a day-to-day situation. How long this is going to last, they don't know. The governor is saying that it is necessary to do this to remain focused so that they can do a thorough investigation.
Throughout this you had members of the audience yelling out saying we want justice, really upset, some of them, that there have been no arrests made in the killing by the officer of Michael Brown.
We're going to have full coverage of this by our teams on the ground, straight ahead. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
HARLOW: Welcome back. We're tracking very big developments in Ferguson, Missouri, the governor of Missouri has just declared a state of emergency there and we have also just learned that a curfew will be in effect in Ferguson starting tonight to try to quell tensions on the streets of that town in the wake of the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown.
Captain Ron Johnson with the Missouri State Highway Patrol who has been tasked with safety and security in Ferguson says that curfew will begin tonight at midnight Central Time. It will last until 5:00 a.m. He says also about 40 FBI agents have been canvassing the neighborhoods there going door to door trying to talk to more witnesses of this shooting. This comes after Ferguson's fragile peace crumbled during last night's
protests. We saw looters striking businesses. Police, many of them in riot gear, mostly stood to the tied and watched and did not intervene.
I want to go to our team on the ground now. We have full coverage. Jason Carroll is in Ferguson who has been on the story from the beginning. Polo Sandoval was inside that church where it was very intense, and that lengthy, lengthy meeting with community members there, and the governor, also trial lawyer Karen Conte (ph) joins us this hour from Chicago.
Polo, let me start with you. You know, you were there, so you saw the people asking questions. Describe to us what the scene was like, because what we heard was a lot of anger. We want justice -- people calling for the arrest and indictment of that officer who shot and killed Michael Brown.
What was it like inside?
POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I could tell you, Poppy, it was extremely tense. Clearly, Governor Jay Nixon here was trying to convey the message of how they plan to maintain the security of the people in Ferguson, it was very difficult to get that message across as several members of the public, several Brown family supporters would often yell out the questions and really demanding the justice that you mentioned there, demanding that officer Darren Wilson be charged, obviously indicted here. A lot of these individuals really expressing their anger, their frustration, and trying to keep the focus, keep the spotlight on that issue.
Meanwhile, Governor Nixon and also the head of the Missouri state police trying to focus the attention, though, on what is that curfew that you mentioned there, a 12:00 to 5:00 a.m. curfew that's expected to be in place tonight.
One of the main questions that was being asked by some of the members of the public here is exactly how the Missouri state police planned to enforce that curfew. There were some concerns here, in a very aggressive manner.
However, Captain Ron Johnson, the head of that agency, ensuring that really it will be on a one-on-one basis. The officers will be asking individuals to get off the streets as opposed to really those violent confrontations that we saw in the previous days.
But in the meantime, you can clearly see it's a very emotional, emotional space here right now the moments following.
HARLOW: Absolutely, Polo, appreciate it. Stand by for us.
Jason, to you, you've been there throughout this. You were on the streets. We heard a lot of anger from the people when they announced the curfew, saying, please extend it, make it longer saying, how are you going to enforce this. Captain Ron Johnson saying we are not going to use tear gas, you know,
we're not going to use force, we're going to talk to the people on the streets. What you know from the people on the ground there, is it going to work? Are they going to go home at midnight?
JASON CARROLL, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, we'll have to see if it's going to work. I mean, that's the only thing you can say in a situation like this is wait and see.
I do want to give this some perspective here because, Poppy, what you were really hearing during that press conference is decades and decades of frustration that has built up in this community. That's what you're really hearing during that press conference. It's frustration and it's anger.
It's a lack of trust with the police department, with government officials. This is a community that has felt disenfranchised for quite a long period of time and that's what you really saw during that lengthy press conference there. But having said that, a number of people have come out here to demonstrate peacefully, but you still have these pockets of agitators that are roaming within these groups and causing trouble.
And so, law enforcement really at this point has no choice. They have to do something about these people who are coming out here to cause trouble. And so, that's why you have the curfew. That's why you saw so much anger there because what you're now having are people who are saying this needs to be focused solely on the investigation. Stop focusing on the small groups of people, but law enforcement has to do that.
The governor said it best. He said perhaps if you want to have justice, he said, we must also have peace.
So, I want you to listen to a little bit more of what the governor had to say or at least tried to say just a short while ago.
HARLOW: All right. It sounds like -- Jason, it sounds like we don't have that sound.
