The White House And Local Authorities Set Stage For Show Trial Convicting A Stand-In For Wilson
If grand jury does not indict as now expected the White House has a back-up plan to have a fake trial to placate public.
By TRAVIS MOORE
Published August 24, 2014
Sources close to the White House say that the Obama administration is in discussions with the St. Louis County Circuit Attorney's office to stage a false prosecution in the event a grand jury does not indict Officer Darrell Wilson. These sources say that the Justice Department will hire an actor to play Wilson in a mock trial ending in a conviction. The purpose the trial would be to avoid rioting and placate African American and Democratic voters.
At least one Hollywood talent manager has confirmed under condition of anonymity that agents of the Justice Department have put feelers out for a Caucasian actor with slight build and other physical characteristics matching Wilson's. The part is to play “the fall guy” in a “high-profile criminal trial” in a “Midwestern state.” The part represents a “possible long-term commitment.”
The use of an actor to play a defendant in a show trial is not unprecedented in Italy and various nations in Africa and South America, but there is no known instance in the United States.
Two prominent criminal defense attorneys in St. Louis have indicated that the plan is indeed underway to stage a show trial with an actor playing Wilson.
“Show trials using actors to protect innocent defendants are not unprecedented outside the United States,” said Santa Marino School of Law professor Alan Dershberg. “But this is somewhat new in our country.”
The goal is to balance two interests. “You want to avoid public unrest but do not want to cause injustice to a public servant that was merely performing his duties,” said Prof. Dershberg.
Attorney General Eric Holder visited Ferguson, MO last week, meeting with Brown's family and telling them the federal investigation would be a “yield results no matter what stood in the way.” Before meeting with Holder, Brown's mother viewed her son's body at a local morgue for the first time since the shooting.
One White House official said under condition of anonymity that the president wants someone to go to jail no matter who it is. “POTUS says somebody's going to the 'pokey' whether it's Wilson or somebody else.”
Since a fictional Wilson would be jailed separately from other prisoners, federal officials could have the actor hired to play him make periodic appearances at parole hearings and the like.
The grand jury is expected to return an indictment within the next week.
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