Why Ferguson Officer Wasn’t Charged: A Look at ‘Use of Force’ Doctrine

The 12-person grand jury in Ferguson, Mo., has reached a decision: Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson won’t face charges in the Aug. 9 shooting death of teenager Michael Brown.

How did it get there?

There’s a good chance that we’ll never know. Grand juries, like the one in Ferguson, are typically conducted in secret. The main reason is to allow witnesses the opportunity to testify without fear of reprisal.

But one thing is fairly safe to assume is that the notion of “use of force” came into play in jurors’...