The highly publicized Michael Brown wrongful death lawsuit suffered a setback recently, as four counts were dismissed by a federal judge. This piece sheds light on the details of this highly controversial dismissal. Four counts in the Michael Brown wrongful death lawsuit were dismissed by a federal judge. The highly publicized wrongful lawsuit was brought against the city of Ferguson, Missouri by the parents of Michael Brown. Brown, a black teenager, was shot to death by a white police officer, Darren Wilson, last year.
The shooting catalyzed nationwide demonstrations and an emotional dialog regarding the excessive use of force by white police officers against young urban minorities. While the country’s urban centers experienced a number of racially charged police attacks against minorities throughout the past two years, the shooting of Brown is considered to be especially egregious.
The Michael Brown wrongful death lawsuit was filed by Brown’s family against the city of Ferguson, Missouri back in April. The family filed the lawsuit in an attempt to obtain $75,000 in compensation as well as unknown punitive damages. The lawsuit even called for a specific court order that disallows the use of certain police techniques that Brown’s family alleges are meant to”…demean, disregard, or underserve [the city of Ferguson, Missorui’s] African-American population.”
Federal judge, E. Richard Webber, is responsible for dismissing the four counts. He stated that two of the counts can stand for the time being though they may fall at a later point as certain claims cannot be made on behalf of Brown by his parents. Brown was considered to be an adult at the time of his death due to the fact that he was 18 years old 
when officer Wilson shot him to death.
It is important to note that two of the four dismissed counts were not in dispute as they pertain to claims relating to state issued civil rights. The two counts relating to former police officer Wilson and Ferguson’s former Police Chief, Thomas Jackson, were dismissed after the judge determined that they were redundant.
