Empower ourselves. We cannot be like the 60s where after almost a decade of nonviolence and progress we had some violence and it led to a Richard Nixon becomiing president. They can use violence are against us if we dont em power ourselves in a strategic and peaceful way. Thanks for watching. Im al sharpton. Hardball starts right now. More trouble. This is hardball. Good evening. Im Chris Matthews in washington. Before going to ferguson, missouri, tonight im obliged to deliver tragic news from abroad. Tonight isis forces in syria and iraq released a video which it said shows james wright foley, an american journalist being beheaded. In the video, isis threatens the life of another captured
american if president obama doesnt stop airstrikes in iraq. Mr. Foley was kidnapped at gun point on thanksgiving day 2012. He had not been heard from during his time in captivity. He traveled extensively in the middle east and north africa. He reported about conflicts in iraq, afghanistan and libya where he was once held captive for 44 days. Following that captivity in libya, foley said i believe that front line journalism is important. Now to the tragic events going on now in the american heartland. We have pictures from ferguson from last night when violence erupted tenfold. What police call a criminal element is dominating the streets that were once filled with Peaceful Protesters. Today theres been another deadly confrontation with police. This afternoon st. Louis police were involved in a Fatal Shooting three miles away from ferguson and the protests there. According to the police, the suspect, a 23yearold black male brandished a knife and advanced on officers saying, shoot me now. The police opened fire when the suspect ignored orders to stop and drop his weapon. Tonight we return to ferguson itself where police are clashing with what they are calling a criminal element, as i said. Its overwhelmed the city. These are some of the sights and sounds of last nights chaos. Dont shoot. Hands up. Dont shoot. Hands up. If you are not credentialed media, you need to disburse immediately. Or you will be subject to arrest. Do it now. You need to stand back or you will be subject to arrest. You want to make sure it gets inside your eyes. Captain ron johnson told nbcs craig melvin police faced heavy gunfire last night from people hiding in bushes. He also said instigators were baiting police by yelling things like red rover, send your best cop over. Four officers were injured. Two people were shot, not by police. S. W. A. T. Teams were called to evacuate one of the victims. Guns were confiscated. 78 people were arrested according to the arrest list. The list also included people from california, chicago, and new york. Members of the media including craig melvin and chris hayes were pelted by rocks on live television. Authorities are bracing for more violence. Area schools have been closed for the week. Police are urging protesters to stay home after dark. Attorney general eric holder
arrives in ferguson tomorrow. And the hill newspaper is reporting white house officials arent ruling out a president ial visit as well to ferguson. Nbcs craig melvin joins us thousand from ferguson. I have been watching your reporting all day including the very impressive ride with captain johnson. Tell us how it seems to be heading on this. It seems to be escalating each night. Compared to last night, the crowd now considerably smaller last night. Calmer. More organized. At one point we saw three or four very large groups marching together, but marching separately. We have seen for the most part one group marching together. Chanting. Very peaceful so far. As you indicated, its been peaceful until the sun goes down. Captain johnson saying that today one of the things they were really encouraging folks to
do, stay at home at night. He asked them to do it so its easier for Law Enforcement to differentiate between the Peaceful Protesters and the socalled criminal element. Thats the language Law Enforcement continues to use here. His claim was what he said was every night they see the Peaceful Protesters, folks you can see now live. They see the groups. Those folks tend to go home. Then a new group comes out at night. A larger group comes out at night. He made an interesting point, Chris Matthews. I thought about this yesterday. One of the big problems, the guys who were marching were wearing masks, bandan danas. They cant stop you but it raises an important question. Why do you need to protest wearing a mask . Why are you hiding your face on the street if you are just peaceably assembling. As i talk, this is the protest i was just talking about. This is organized. A lot more organized. In two, three hours it remains to be seen what it will look like. Another interesting thing we covered. Could you see the people throwing rocks at you and chris hayes last night . They taunted us for a bit first. Chris, you know, theyre young guys. They were angry at Law Enforcement. They were shouting things at Law Enforcement first. Then they realized that we were on television live. All of the sudden they became angry with the media. Tell the true story. Tell the real story. We said, thats what were here
doing. Often times in situations like this we get lumped if together. All journalists, all media is the same, were to blame as well. Captain johnson as well. I took him to task on it last night and this morning. He said, you know, you guys really at times are making the situation worse. Youre exacerbating the situation. I said, captain johnson, what do you mean . Some of the young guys, all they want is to be put on television, be seen, this national platform. You stick cameras in their faces. I said, we are up against the same thing you are up against. Its difficult for us to discern who is a peaceful protester as you have labeled them and who is perhaps not a peaceful protester. He said tonight they are going to be a little stricter as well with some of the media, some of the journalists. It are remains to be seen what he haent by that. I would love your thoughts about captain johnson. What an impressive guy he is. Thank you. Craig melvin. You have to wonder if hell run for office. Hes the kind of leader we need sometimes, certainly now. Thank you. Val demmings from florida. Let me go to val. What do you make of that get the media cameras . Remind me mienminds me of readi of the vanities. They want the trucks. Its an attractive thing to get on National Television if you are voiceless 365 days a year and this is your chance to make a voice. I think captain johnson is absolutely right. Hes right to refer to it as a criminal element. They seize an opportunity in a community vulnerable to wreak havoc. They are criminals not looking
for justice. They are looking for opportunity. Sometimes when the situation is ongoing as it is in ferguson, the media is sometimes as we say in the way. We also understand that the public deserves to have a right to have the story told, to hear whats going on. You just have to make accommodations. One of the best things that could have happened to ferguson is have captain johnson. He gets an a plus in Community Oriented policing. If ferguson had somebody like him in the beginning who is not afraid of people in the community but someone who celebrates diversity, the Police Department may have looked different. This situation may not have occurred in the first place. The immediate i cant is part of the community as well. You have to make it work. Let me go to mark about Police Officers. In certain communities i think the irishamerican community is like being firefighters. They join Police Forces generation after generation. What could encourage Police Forces in ferguson where you have a large Minority Community in the area. Theyre white guys. One thing is a level Playing Field for people who are interested in pursuing a career in Law Enforcement. Lets be clear about something. People respond based on information they have seen on careers. If they have a negative experience it tends to push them away from exploring that as a possibility of employment in the future. The problem that municipalities, other agencies are having in finding qualified black candidates. It really is because of the situations that they themselves created. Let me ask you this. In a black community in a place like ferguson, could you address that . You have seen it as a turn coat if you become a Police Officer. How bad is it to take a position
like this where you are telling people what to do on the street. I think too often people assume that as a Police Officer and im speaking from practical experience. As a Police Officer, the black community will see you as a turn coat. Thats never been my experience. You have certain individual who is have a negative impression of police. They will see you as a turn coat or negative to the community. Overwhelmingly, be aware black folks love the police, support the police, love law and order. There is not this innate dislike or distrust of police in it from birth. Let me go back to val on the question. How do we improve the diversity of the police force. One of the knocks in ferguson is though there was a change in population democrat graphically there hasnt been a change in the police force. Its difficult to believe they can have a career when they dont see many people in their hometown doing that career. When i became a Police Officer in 1984 i didnt walk into the orlando Police Department looking for a job. The orlando Police Department came looking for me. My father wasnt a Police Officer. My grandfatherer wasnt a Police Officer like other caucasian brothers and sisters have. The Police Department came looking for me. I think ferguson could benefit from getting some of the Community Leaders and going out in the communities and really actively recruiting africanamerican Law Enforcement officers. Thank you so much. Yes, mark . I was going to say that the issues going on in ferguson would not be lessened if you had more black Police Officers. There are systemic issues, historical issues occurring in the community. Thats the problem there. The answer, the panacea isnt necessarily to increase black Police Forces in the community. Its to deal with the systemic problem. I dont think it could hurt. I know the problems are complicated. Well get to all aspects. Economics is at the heart of all this stuff. That sounds mar,ists but jobs and economics are the key to this American Life we like to lead. Thanks for joining us. Coming up, the investigation itself. Attorney general eric holder heads to ferguson tomorrow morning, the same day a grand jury may begin hearing evidence in the case. Plus the shooting death of Michael Brown shed light on the plight of young africanamerican men in this country. Tonight well talk to Joshua Dubois of my brothers keeper, the Group President obama started to give kids across the country a better shot at success. Covering the chaos well talk to two reporters about the dangers they are facing personally on the streets of ferguson after dark including tonight. Finally, let me finish with the heart of this whole thing in ferguson. This is hardball, the place for politics. This is the first power plant in the country to combine solar and natural gas at the same location. During the day, we generate as much electricity as we can using solar. At night and when its cloudy, we use more natural gas. This ensures we can produce Clean Electricity whenever our customers need it. We continue to watch whats
happening right now on the streets of ferguson, missouri. We have a breaking political story. Texas governor rick perry has turned himself in after his indictment on two counts of alleged abuse of power. Charges he says are without merit. He entered the courthouse in the last hour. He was booked and had his mug shot taken. As he entered the courthouse the governor had this to say. Im going to fight this injustice with every fiber of my being and we will prevail. [ cheers and applause ] and well prevail because we are standing for the rule of law. You heard it there. Perry isnt letting the questionable charge slow him down. Hell visit New Hampshire this weekend. Well be right back. Get in your way . Talk to your doctor about viagra. Ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. Do not take viagra if you take nitrates for chest pain. It may cause an unsafe drop in Blood Pressure. Side effects include headache, flushing, upset stomach, and abnormal vision. To avoid longterm injury, seek immediate medical help for an erection lasting more than four hours. Stop taking viagra and call your doctor right away if you experience a sudden decrease or loss in vision or hearing. This is the age. Of taking action. Viagra. Talk to your doctor. Wouldnt it be great if hiring plumbers, carpenters shopping online is as easy as it gets. And even piano tuners were just as simple . Thanks to angies list, now it is. Weve made hiring anyone from a handyman to a dog walker as simple as a few clicks. Buy their services directly at angieslist. Com no more calling around. No more hassles. Start shopping from a list of toprated providers today. Angies list is revolutionizing local service again. Visit angieslist. Com today. Could help your business didavoid hours of delaynd test caused by slow internet from the phone company . Thats enough time to record a memo. Idea for sales giveaway. Return a call. Sign a contract. Pick a tie. Take a break with mr. Duck. Practice up for the business trip. Fly to florida. Win an award. Close a deal. Hire an intern. And still have time to spare. Go to comcastbusiness. Com checkyourspeed if we cant offer faster speeds or save you money well give you 150. Comcast business. Built for business. What will bring peace to the streets of ferguson. Justice. Justice will bring peace, i believe. Only if that results in the arrest or charges against officer wilson . Is that what its going to take . Yes. Him being arrested, charged being filed and a prosecution. Him being held accountable for what he did. That was a call for justice from the mother of Michael Brown this morning. Leslie mcspadden says the violence in the streets of ferguson needs to stop. Meanwhile the District Attorneys Office said a missouri grand jury will begin evidence in the case starting tomorrow. Tomorrow the grand jury sits. Prosecutors cautioned it may take months to decide whether there is a basis for charging officer Darren Wilson. In a dramatic move attorney general eric holder said hell be in ferguson tomorrow to meet
with fbi agents investigating the shooting as a potential civil rights matter. Nbc news learned the federal autopsy has been completed as well. The third autopsy conducted on the body of makele brown. The Washington Post said two unnamed sources familiar with the investigation who said the states autopsy showed Michael Brown had marijuana in his system. Nbc news has not verified the information. In fact, that disclosure outraged critics of the police. Kendall coffee is a former prosecutor. Jonathan capehart is an opinion writer the for the Washington Post and an msnbc contributor. Kendall, what basis or what is the threshold that a prosecutor and d. A. Needs to call a grand jury . Is there one beyond his own belief that the matter deserves looking at . We are supposed to have some pred indication, some information. They have plenty of discretion in this. As you know, the fact that they are convening a grand jury is
far from an indication that charges will be brought. It is in an investigative stage. Once the grand jury process begins it essentially dis appaps under a curtain of secrecy. It could be harder than ever to get information from the inside of the investigation. On the state and local side is what we may be living with could be selective leaks which doesnt necessarily add to public confidence. Why does the d. A. Resort to a grand jury. Why dont they decide whether they have a case to make and not lay it on somebody else or a group of citizens who may not be familiar with the law. Why doesnt he make the decision and have the guts to decide whether the officer should walk or face trial. As you recall thats what angela cory did. The especially prosecutor appointed in the case of george zimmerman. She said no grand jury. The office will make the call. In missouri the District Attorney could do the same thing. There are procedural benefits to using a grand juriment you can get witnesses in there under threat of perjury to tell their side of the story. Along with what the procedural benefits can be, you have the concern about secrecy from the public standpoint. At the end of the day there is perhaps less accountability when a District Attorney can say this is what the grand jury did. Let the grand jurys voice be heard. I didnt make the final decision. Here we go with the grand jury which we know will deal what the prosecuting attorney tells them to do. In the end the prosecutor is deciding what to do with the cover of a group of citizens, a grand jury go with them. Right. The problem from the beginning has been kendall is talking about the veil