Grand Jury Member Sues Ferguson Prosecutor Robert McCulloch – Tha Wire

Today in Tha Wire, a Ferguson grand juror files suit against Prosecutor Robert McCulloch to lift a gag order preventing them from talking publicly about the case.

Allhiphop.com reports a grand jury member has filed a lawsuit against Ferguson prosecutor Robert McCulloch to have a lifetime gag order lifted so they can speak about how they feel the case fixed.  The juror is being identified as "Grand Juror Doe" and is being represented by the American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri.

According to the ACLU the juror wants the legal right to talk about the experience of serving on the panel, which allowed former Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson go free after murdering Michael Brown and to contribute to the ongoing national conversation on race relations.

It is a crime for members of a grand jury to speak out about a case, without permission from a court. Usatoday reports the federal suit was filed on Monday and names St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch as the defendant, because he would be the person to bring charges against a grand jury member who violated the gag order.

The juror alleges McCulloch knowingly allowed witnesses to provide false testimony, which helped determine the outcome of the verdict and sway their decision.  Lawsuit documents state,

“The investigation of Wilson had a stronger focus on the victim (Brown) than in other cases presented to the grand jury.”

             Tony Rothert, legal director of the ACLU of Missouri, said in a statement "The Supreme Court has said that grand jury secrecy must be weighed against the juror's First Amendment rights on a case-by-case basis.  Find out what else he had to say below, plus learn what McCulloch's spokesman has to say about the lawsuit.  Press play now and listen to Tha Wire now.