Michael Brown's Mother, Father Criticize Darren Wilson's 'Disrespectful' Grand Jury Testimony

Michael Brown’s parents spoke out Wednesday against the description Officer Darren Wilson gave of their slain 18-year-old son while testifying in front of a St. Louis County grand jury. Wilson said he feared for his life during the fatal Aug. 9 encounter with Brown in suburban Ferguson and fired in self-defense.

“One, my son respected law enforcement,” Michael Brown Sr. told “Today” show’ anchor Savannah Guthrie. “Two, who in their right mind would charge or rush at a police officer that has his gun drawn? It sounds crazy.”

Wilson told the grand jury that he stopped Brown and companion Dorian Johnson after he identified them as possible suspects in the robbery of a Ferguson convenience store, though earlier police reports had said Wilson wasn't aware of the convenience store incident. Brown attacked him through his driver’s side window and attempted to grab his gun, he said. Wilson added that Brown struck him several times before he fired the fatal shots.

“When I grabbed him, the only way I can describe it is I felt like a 5-year-old holding onto Hulk Hogan,” Wilson said. "He looked up at me and had the most intense, aggressive face. The only way I can describe it, it looks like a demon, that’s how angry he looked.”

Brown’s mother, Lesley McSpadden, was visibly upset by Wilson’s “demon” description of her son. “It’s an insult after injury, really. So disrespectful,” she said on “Today.”

The grand jury decided Monday not to indict Wilson, 28, on potential criminal charges, citing a lack of probable cause that he committed a crime. The Brown family still plans to pursue civil and federal cases against Wilson, lawyer Benjamin Crump said. In addition, they support a federal statute that would require police officers around the country to wear body-mounted cameras at all times.

“We plan on exhausting every legal avenue possible to give them some sense of justice,” Crump said. “Obviously the prosecutor didn’t do what we really felt should’ve been done by indicting the police officer, so we plan on having whatever civil, federal charges to get justice.”