Many people do not believe the police version of Joshua Brown’s death
We have all heard the tragic story of Botham Jean, an African American who was fatally shot in his apartment by now ex-police woman Amber Guyger. She entered his apartment claiming that she mistook it for her own and thought that Jean was an intruder.
The key witness in Guyger’s trial and Jean’s neighbour Joshua Brown was gunned down in his apartment complex just two days after testifying at Guyger’s trial. According to civil rights attorney, Lee Merritt, Brown shared that he “lived in constant fear that he could be the next victim of gun
violence.”
Joshua Brown was just 28 years old.
Police have alleged that Brown’s death had nothing to do with his part in the murder trial. They claim it is instead as a result of a drug deal gone bad for which three suspects have been identified and warrants issued.
Publishing a post on twitter on Tuesday, October 8, 2019 the Dallas Police Department stated, “Through the dedicated work of the DPD homicide detectives, we have identified 3 suspects in the murder of Joshua Brown. Jacquerious Mitchell B/M age 20, Michael Mitchell B/M age 32, and Thaddeous Green B/M age 22.” Along with photos of both Green and Michael Mitchell, while Jacquerious Mitchell is currently hospitalized for gunshot wounds allegedly sustained in a confrontation between Brown and the three men on (Friday October 4, 2019) the night of his death and is also in police custody.
Joshua Brown, Key witness in the Amber Guyer Trial
According to ABC News, Assistant Chief Avery Moore told reporters “As you know there’s been speculation and rumors that have been shared by community leaders claiming that Mr. Brown’s death was related to the Amber Guyger trial and somehow Dallas Police Department was responsible. I assure you that it is simply not true,”
The DPD also added that after receiving “numerous tips” they searched Brown’s apartment and it is there that they found 12 pounds of marijuana, 149 grams of THC cartridges, and $4,157 in cash; this disputes Brown’s previous statements of his income being from owning and managing a small collection of Airbnbs.
The official version of Brown’s murder has not gone down well with many in the public. There are many people who have made and voiced their own speculations, and many who believe that Brown was murdered for participating in the contentious trial in which his testimony led to the conviction of Guyger.
One twitter user wrote:
“He was executed for testifying. That’s why he was shot in his mouth, because his testimony helped convict the officer. To put fear in the public so that we know the consequences for testifying against police officers. That’s why he was executed. #JusticeForJoshuaBrown”
Other twitter users expressed:
- “I’m officially offended by how patently ridiculous this Dallas PD story is.
If Joshua Brown was a drug dealer, we woulda known already bc it would’ve come up during cross examination!
Also, Louisiana has plenty of weed. Zero people are driving 4 hours for weed.”
- “Ain’t no drug dealer in their right mind volunteering to testify on the police in a case that has nothing at all to do with them. Dallas PD ain’t give their cover-up no effort at all.”
- “Dallas PD claiming the black witness who testified against a white cop who murdered a black man in his own apartment and was then immediately shot to death was killed in a drug deal gone bad and had all this in his apartment WHILE TESTIFYING AGAINST A COP. That’s… something”
- “Dallas PD wants us to believe that 3 guys drove 4.5 hours from Louisiana to Dallas to buy weed, killed the guy who was going to sell it to them and then 1 of the snitched on his whole crew before being charged with capital murder? #JoshuaBrownWasLynched”
- “We’re expected to believe Dallas PD that Joshua Brown was shot *in the mouth* by other black men, over marijuana which they drove hundreds of miles to receive, days after his testimony helped put a Dallas PD officer in jail? This smells…
#JoshuaBrownWasLynched”
- “I need everyone who is questioning whether the government is covering up the murder of #Joshua Brown to just take like, a glance at black history.
This is what the government does. It’s what it always does. It’s a WELL documented pattern.
#JoshuaBrownWasLynched”
Though authorities have strongly disputed this claim there is still public turmoil, distress, and resentment, which support the theory that his testimony in the trial led to his death. Many were disbelieving about the DPD’s version of events, indicating on social media that their explanation sounded much like the “Sprinkle some crack on him” bit from Dave Chappelle’s 2000 “Killin’ Them Softly” stand up special; Browns lack of criminal history, and his recent involvement in the Guyger trial also adds to the list of reasons why many people think the story just didn’t add up.