Officer Darren Wilson WON'T face federal civil rights charges after FBI completes probe of Ferguson shooting

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Wilson isn't expected to face civil rights charges over the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., last August
Justice Department has yet to make official announcement, but an F.B.I. investigation found no evidence to support charges say sources
To mount a federal prosecution, the Justice Department would needed to show that Wilson willfully deprived Brown of his civil rights
Wilson was cleared in November by a state grand jury in a decision that touched off protests in the streets

By David Mccormack for MailOnline and Associated Press Reporter

Published: 18:49 EST, 21 January 2015 | Updated: 21:24 EST, 21 January 2015

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Darren Wilson isn't expected to face civil rights charges over the fatal shooting of unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., last August after an F.B.I. investigation found no evidence to support charges, law enforcement officials said on Wednesday.

The Justice Department has yet to make any official announcement, but sources close to the department have said such a prosecution would be unlikely, in part because of the extraordinarily high legal standard federal prosecutors would need to meet.

Wilson was cleared in November by a state grand jury in the August 9 death of Michael Brown, a shooting that touched off protests in the streets and became part of a national conversation about race relations and police departments that patrol minority neighborhoods.

Darren Wilson isn't expected to face civil rights charges over the fatal shooting of Michael Brown last August after an F.B.I. investigation found no evidence to support charges

Attorney General Eric Holder visited Ferguson in the days after the shooting to calm tensions and meet with Brown's family and law enforcement.

Wilson, who shot Brown after a scuffle in the middle of the street, told the grand jury that reviewed the case that he feared for his life when Brown hit him and reached for his gun.

Some witnesses have said Brown had his hands up when Wilson shot him.

To mount a federal prosecution, the Justice Department would need to show that Wilson willfully deprived Brown of his civil rights.

That standard, which means prosecutors must prove that an officer knowingly used more force than the law allowed, is challenging for the government to meet.

Multiple high-profile police-involved deaths, including the 1999 shooting of Amadou Diallo in New York City, have not resulted in federal charges.

Attorney General Eric Holder visited Ferguson in the days after the shooting to calm tensions and meet with Brown's family and law enforcement

Protests in Ferguson: A separate, broader Justice Department-led investigation into the practices of the Ferguson police department remains open

Wilson, who had been on administrative leave since the shooting, resigned days after the grand jury decision.

A separate, broader Justice Department-led investigation into the practices of the Ferguson police department remains open.

That investigation, which will examine potential racial bias among officers, has the potential to have more sweeping consequences than any individual criminal prosecutions, experts say.

The New York Times reported on Wednesday that Justice Department lawyers were preparing a memo recommending against prosecuting Wilson, but that the memo was not yet complete and that Attorney General Eric Holder — who is expected to leave his position within weeks — had not yet made a decision.

Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for Brown's family, said in a statement that the family would not address speculation from anonymous officials and was waiting for an official Justice Department announcement.

Wilson was cleared in November by a state grand jury in the August 9 death of Michael Brown, a shooting that touched off protests in the streets

Neil Bruntrager, an attorney for Wilson, said Wilson's lawyers had received no communications from the Justice Department and would not comment until there was a final determination.

'We don't believe he has done anything that would merit any kind of a prosecution or any kind of civil rights claims and we are just awaiting the outcome like everybody else,' Bruntrager said in a telephone interview.