But on Wednesday, officials told CNN that federal investigators didn’t find enough evidence and that Justice Department prosecutors won’t recommend civil rights charges against Wilson.
Attorney General Eric Holder, who has the final say in the matter, has said he will announce his decision before he leaves office, which is expected to be by the spring.
The news that emerged Wednesday is likely to upset those who saw the federal investigation as a way to pursue justice for Brown and his family.
“I think you have a lot of people who will be disappointed if this does turn out to be the case,” said Antonio French, a St. Louis city alderman who lives near Ferguson. “The community and the family wanted a day in court, an opportunity to see all the evidence laid out, cross-examined. And it looks like that’s not going to happen.”
Some legal experts, however, said the prosecutors’ decision wasn’t surprising in light of the laws involved.
But this doesn’t mean that all legal avenues are closed off for the Brown family.
First, let’s explore why analysts aren’t surprised by the news.
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3. There’s a second federal investigation
The Justice Department is also carrying out a civil rights investigation into the Ferguson Police Department’s overall track record with minorities.
That inquiry is examining accusations that the police department as a whole practiced racial profiling and heavy-handed tactics.
But that type of investigation typically looks at possible reforms for a law enforcement agency, rather than punishing past alleged misconduct, analysts say.
“People consistently expressed concerns stemming from specific alleged incidents, from general policing practices and from the lack of diversity on the Ferguson police force. These anecdotal accounts underscore the history of mistrust of law enforcement in Ferguson that has received a good deal of attention,” Holder said in September.
“Our investigation will assess the police department’s use of force, including deadly force. It will analyze stops, searches and arrests. And it will examine the treatment of individuals detained at Ferguson’s city jail,” Holder said.
Wilson resigned from his position as a Ferguson police officer in November.
