Ferguson, Missouri Police officer Darren Wilson WILL NOT face charges for shooting unarmed black teen Michael Brown At an 8:30pm CT press conference in Missouri on Monday night it was announced that Wilson will not face trial over the teen's death Ferguson officer Darren Wilson shot dead unarmed black teenager Michael Brown on August 9 Brown's family issued a statement saying they were 'profoundly disappointed' with the decisions, while calling for peaceful protests Local police are currently attempting to make peace in the streets of Ferguson where some angry protesters have grown violent, throwing bottles and rocks and smashing car windows The U.S. Attorney General and president have both urged police to show restraint in dealing with demonstrators Missouri Governor Jay Nixon has declared a state of emergency; FBI agents and National Guard on hand Ferguson schools closed on Tuesday amid fears of unrest on the streets By Jill Reilly and Louise Boyle and Ashley Collman and Dan Bates In Ferguson, Missouri for MailOnline A grand jury has decided that police officer Darren Wilson will not face charges for shooting dead unarmed teenager Michael Brown. After months of waiting, the decision was finally made public late on Monday as the St Louis suburb of Ferguson braced for protests following months of unrest in a case which has become a flash point for race relations in the U.S. A jury of seven men and five women delivered the verdict that Wilson, a white officer, should not be indicted for shooting the black teen six times on August 9. Michael Brown's mother collapsed in tears as the verdict was announced - as the victim's stepfather screamed 'Burn this b**** down'. Meanwhile, Wilson's attorneys issued a statement in which he thanked 'those who have stood by his side throughout the process'. As the news filtered out, violent scenes emerged on the streets of Ferguson, as protesters began throwing rocks and bottles at police in riot gear, and even smashed the windshields of cars. Police in riot gear responded by shooting bean bars and tear gas into the crowds. No charges: A grand jury has decided that police officer Darren Wilson (left) will not face charges for the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Michael Brown, 18, (right) in Ferguson, Missouri Outcry: Michael Brown's mother , sen in a white beanie and sunglasses, being held by a man in a green baseball shirt, collapsed after heading the decision Monday night Police have tried to break up the violent crowds by using tear gas on Monday night. The President and U.S. Attorney General have called for restraint from law enforcement in dealing with protesters A crowd gathered around a police cruiser and smashed in all of the windows on the car Shots fired: Michael Brown was shot six times by Officer Darren Wilson (scene on left) in the St Louis suburb on August 9, sparking months of protests over the cop killing of an unarmed black teen. Around 8:30pm CT, county prosecutor Robert McCulloch (right) announced the grand jury's decision not to charge officer Wilson We are profoundly disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions. While we understand that many others share our pain, we ask that you channel your frustration in ways that will make a positive change. We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen. Join with us in our campaign to ensure that every police officer working the streets in this country wears a body camera. We respectfully ask that you please keep your protests peaceful. Answering violence with violence is not the appropriate reaction. Let's not just make noise, let's make a difference. Brown's mother Lesley McSpadden had to be held up by relatives as she stood on a car outside the Ferguson police station listening to the decision not to indict her son. She put her face in her hands and sobbed violently. Seconds before she had said: 'This is wrong! Everybody want me to be calm but you know how them bullets hit my son. 'Ain't nobody had to live through what I had to live through. They (pointing at the police) ain't never gonna care.' Brown's step father Louis Head jumped up and down as he erupted in rage and said: 'Burn this b**** down! Burn this b**** down! Minutes earlier as Miss McSpadden listened to the decision being read out she shouted: 'What was he (Wilson) defending himself from? Some of you motherfuckers think this is a joke! Officially, the family released a statement saying their were 'disappointed that the killer of our child will not face the consequence of his actions'. Those directives have so far not been followed by the protesters who stared throwing rocks and bottles at police officers, damaging cars, starting fires and looting local businesses. Officers in riot gear responded early on by ordering the crowds to disperse, saying they were blocking the road and gathering illegal. When the protesters did not comply, police reacted by shooting bean bag rounds, stun grenades and tear gas into the crowds. Police announced that the canisters thrown into the crowd were just smoke, and not tear gas, but CNN reporters appeared to be struggling to breathe after coming into contact with the exhaust. President Barack Obama held a press conference shortly after the news was announced to calm tension in Ferguson, saying violence was not the answer. 'We are a nation built on the rule of law , so we need to accept that this decision was the grand jury's to make,' the president said, adding that he stand with Michael Brown's family in calling for peaceful protests. Mr Obama went on to admit that issues were brought up in the highly-public investigation that need to be addressed in the black community. 'There are still issues, and communities of color are not making these things up...These are real issues,'the president said. However, he said added that a solution will not be found in destruction. 'That won't be done by throwing bottles, by smashing car windows or using this as an excuse to vandalize property, and it certainly won't be done by hurting anybody,' he said. Protesters and police officers in riot gear face off on a Ferguson street after the decision was announced Demonstrating: Crowds began gathering outside the barricades surrounding the Ferguson, Missouri police headquarters after the decision was announced Monday night Not proud to be American: Protesters took to defiling the American Flag in response to the decision Protesters run from a cloud of tear gas Monday night in Ferguson, Missouri, where local police are trying to control violent crowds Police have been shooting bean bag rounds into the crowd. Above, police officers confront protesters after the announcement of the grand jury decision not to indict police officer Darren Wilson. Brown's family have said that he was trying to surrender when the officer shot him while Wilson's supporters said that he was acting in self-defense. Before the verdict was announced, groups from across the country have said they would demonstrate in large numbers if charges were not brought - prompting local police to draw up contingency plans over fears of violence. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder urged police to show restraint in dealing with any protests that may follow the decision on whether to indict Wilson. There have been reports that a militant group is offering a cash reward for anyone who can give them the location of Wilson. The group, describing itself as a 'Militant Resistance to a corrupt police state', has offered $5,000 for details of the Ferguson police officer's whereabouts. According to Officer Wilson's grand jury testimony which was leaked to the public, he claimed that Brown and his friend Dorian Johnson were walking down the middle of the road on August 9 and he thought Brown matched the description of a young man involved in a recent robbery. When he tried to stop the boys, Wilson said Brown punched him through the window. Wilson claimed he then drew his weapon but Brown tried to wrestle the gun from him while continuing to punch him in the face. During that struggle for his gun, Wilson said he got off two shots, missing Brown with the first and hitting the teenager in the hand with the second bullet. The Missouri grand jury heard evidence for months as it weighed whether to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the August 9 fatal shooting of Michael Brown, which was followed by violent protests. Here are some answers to common questions about the secret and complicated grand jury process: Q: What was the grand jury deciding? A: The grand jury considered whether there is enough evidence to charge Wilson with a crime and, if so, what that charge should be. Q: How was the grand jury different from other juries? A: The grand jury can determine only whether probable cause exists to indict Wilson, not whether he is guilty. If the jury indicts him, a separate trial jury will be seated to decide whether to convict or acquit him. Q: How many people were on the grand jury and how were they selected? A: The grand jury was composed of 12 people "selected at random from a fair cross-section of the citizens," according to Missouri law. The jury was 75 percent white: six white men, three white women, two black women and one black man. St. Louis County overall is 70 percent white, but about two-thirds of Ferguson's residents are black. Brown was black. The officer is white. Q: Was the grand jury appointed for this specific case? It was appointed for a four-month term. The grand jury had been hearing routine cases around the time Brown was killed and then turned its attention to the shooting. The jury's term was due to expire Sept. That same day, county Judge Carolyn Whittington extended the term to Jan. 7 - the longest extension allowable by state law. The investigation was always expected to go longer than the typical grand jury term. Q: How often did the grand jurors meet? A: Their normal schedule was to meet once a week. Q: Who was inside the grand jury room? A: The jury, a prosecutor and a witness. Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public. Q: What happened when the grand jury convened? A: Prosecutors presented evidence and summoned witnesses to testify. A grand jury is a powerful tool for investigating crimes because witnesses must testify unless they invoke the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against self-incrimination. Typically, grand jurors hear a condensed version of the evidence that might be presented at a trial. In the Ferguson case, grand jurors are receiving more extensive evidence and testimony. Q: Who testified to the grand jury? A: The only witnesses known for certain to have testified were Wilson and Dr. Michael Baden, who performed a private autopsy on Brown on behalf of his family. But other witnesses and experts may also have appeared. Q: What charges could be filed? A: At the lower end is second-degree involuntary manslaughter, which is defined as acting with criminal negligence to cause a death. It is punishable by up to four years in prison. First-degree involuntary manslaughter, defined as recklessly causing a death, is punishable by up to seven years in prison. Voluntary manslaughter, defined as causing a death "under the influence of sudden passion arising from adequate cause," is punishable by five to 15 years in prison. Second-degree murder is defined as knowingly causing a death, or acting with the purpose of causing serious physical injury that ends up resulting in death. It is punishable by life in prison or a range of 10 to 30 years. The most serious charge, first-degree murder, can be used only when someone knowingly causes a death after deliberation and is punishable by either life in prison or lethal injection. Q: Do charges require a unanimous vote? Consent from nine jurors is enough to file a charge in Missouri. The jury could also choose not to file any charges. Local businesses braced for violence in the streets by boarding up their windows early Monday, before the decision was announced Michael Brown graduated from Normandy High School last spring and was preparing to attend Vatterott College, where he planned to study to become a heating and air conditioning technician. Friends say he eventually wanted to go into business for himself. Relatives and friends described Brown, who grew up in a tough neighborhood, as a quiet, gentle giant who stood around 6-foot-3 and weighed nearly 300 pounds. He was unarmed on the day he was killed. Police said later that he was a suspect in the 'strong-arm' robbery of a convenience store moments before the shooting. A family attorney said Brown may have made mistakes but did not deserve to die. 'He was just looking forward to getting on with his life,' said his grandmother, Desuirea Harris. He was on his way. Some descriptions of Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson are similar those of Brown. Both men have been described as gentle and quiet. Police Chief Thomas Jackson said Wilson had no previous complaints against him and a good career record. 'He's devastated,' the chief said after naming Wilson as the shooter back in August. He never intended for this to happen. He is, and has been, an excellent police officer. Wilson began his career in nearby Jennings before moving to the Ferguson job several years ago. He was placed on paid administrative leave after the shooting. Thomas Jackson was a police veteran long before he came to Ferguson. He spent more than 30 years with the St. Louis County Police Department, at one point serving as commander of a drug task force. Before that he was a SWAT team supervisor, undercover detective and hostage negotiator. He heads a department with 53 officers, only three of them black, in a town where nearly 70 percent of the 21,000 residents are African-American. 'I'm constantly trying to recruit African-Americans and other minorities,' Jackson has said. 'But it's an uphill battle. The minority makeup of this police department is not where I want it to be. Some of Jackson's actions in the wake of the shooting have drawn criticism, including his decision to announce that Brown was a suspect in the convenience-store robbery, a move that stirred anger in Ferguson's black community. Since his election in 1991, Bob McCulloch has been the top prosecutor in St. Louis County. A Democrat with a reputation for being tough on crime, he comes from a law-enforcement family. He was 12 years old when his father, a police officer, was shot and killed by a black suspect in 1964. Some critics, including St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley, questioned whether McCulloch's ability to be objective in the Ferguson case. They wondered if losing his father in such circumstances creates a built-in bias. During a 27-year career, Capt. Ron Johnson climbed from patrolman to chief of the 11-county division of the Missouri State Highway Patrol that includes St. Louis and its suburbs. Back in August, Gov. Jay Nixon appointed Johnson to take command of security in Ferguson. That decision came after complaints that authorities were too heavy handed with protesters, when St. Louis County police were in charge. Johnson's calm but commanding presence drew high praise from many observers. When Johnson, who is black, walked down the streets of Ferguson with protesters, many demonstrators shook his hand or posed for photos with him. He carried himself with a disarming empathy, reminded locals of his Ferguson roots and suggested that he, too, had lessons to learn from the case. 'We all ought to be thanking the Browns for Michael, because Michael's going to make it better for our sons, so they can be better black men,' he said during public remarks in August. He also apologized to Brown's family. 'I wear this uniform, and I should stand up here and say that I'm sorry,' he said. Anyone who doubts Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon's stance against crime need look no further than the state's long record of executions. During his four terms as attorney general and two terms as governor, Missouri has executed 66 convicted killers, a total few states can match. Events in Ferguson could have a significant effect on the political future of the 58-year-old Democrat. He drew some criticism in the days immediately after the shooting for keeping a low profile, but he soon moved to the forefront, putting state police in charge of security and then calling in the National Guard to help quell the violence. Benjamin Crump became a national figure when he represented the family of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager fatally shot by a neighborhood-watch organizer in 2012. Now he's back in the spotlight, representing Brown's family in another racially charged death. Crump, 44, was born in North Carolina, one of nine children. Now based in Tallahassee, Florida, he rose to prominence with a reputation for thoughtful prose. At times, he seems to fight back his own emotions as he talks about the loss suffered by Brown's parents. To him, the issue is simple. 'I don't want to sugarcoat it,' Crump said in August. Brown 'was executed in broad daylight.' Almost from the outset, Attorney General Eric Holder showed a strong interest in Michael Brown's death. Two days after the shooting, Holder said the case deserved a full review and dispatched a Justice Department team to Ferguson to try to calm tensions. The department soon launched its own civil-right investigation. Holder ordered a federal medical examiner to perform a third autopsy on Brown and called the Brown family to express his condolences. He said aggressively pursuing these types of investigations is 'critical for preserving trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve.' When Brown tried to escape, Wilson said in his testimony that he continued to shoot, firing off a fatal volley of shots when Brown turned and started rushing towards him. This account is in contrast with that of several eyewitnesses and Brown's companion, Dorian Johnson. The friend claimed that the unarmed teen had his hands up, or by his side, and begged the officer 'Stop shooting.' The office of St Louis Prosecutor Bob McCulloch had said that they will unseal all evidence reviewed by the grand jury following their decision and release it to the public. On Friday afternoon, St. Louis-area officials backed by state authorities announced a 'rules of engagement' agreement between police and roughly 50 protest groups in anticipation of the grand jury decision. The agreement spells out how protesters associated with the organizations will conduct themselves, along with conduct that police agree to abide by. Police agreed that excessive force will not be tolerated, and encouraged protesters to renounce violence against police and others. AUGUST 9 - Brown and a companion, both black, are confronted by an officer as they walk back to Brown's home from a convenience store. Brown and the officer, who is white, are involved in a scuffle, followed by gunshots. Brown dies at the scene, and his body remains in the street for four hours in the summer heat. Neighbors later lash out at authorities, saying they mistreated the body. AUGUST 10 - After a candlelight vigil, people protesting Brown's death smash car windows and carry away armloads of looted goods from stores. In the first of several nights of violence, looters are seen making off with bags of food, toilet paper and alcohol. Some protesters stand atop police cars and taunt officers. AUGUST 11 - The FBI opens an investigation into Brown's death, and two men who said they saw the shooting tell reporters that Brown had his hands raised when the officer approached with his weapon and fired repeatedly. That night, police in riot gear fire tear gas and rubber bullets to try to disperse a crowd. AUGUST 12 - Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson cancels plans to release the name of the officer who shot Brown, citing death threats against the police department and City Hall. AUGUST 14 - The Missouri Highway Patrol takes control of security in Ferguson, relieving St. Louis County and local police of their law-enforcement authority following four days of violence. The shift in command comes after images from the protests show many officers equipped with military style gear, including armored vehicles, body armor and assault rifles. In scores of photographs that circulate online, officers are seen pointing their weapons at demonstrators. AUGUST 15 - Police identify the officer who shot Brown as Darren Wilson, 28. They also release a video purporting to show Brown robbing a convenience store of almost $50 worth of cigars shortly before he was killed, a move that further inflames protesters. AUGUST 16 - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon declares a state of emergency and imposes a curfew in Ferguson. AUGUST 17- Attorney General Eric Holder orders a federal medical examiner to perform another autopsy on Brown. AUGUST 18 - Nixon calls the National Guard to Ferguson to help restore order and lifts the curfew. AUGUST 19 - Nixon says he will not seek the removal of St. Louis County prosecutor Bob McCulloch from the investigation into Brown's death. Some black leaders questioned whether the prosecutor's deep family connections to police would affect his ability to be impartial. McCulloch's father was a police officer who was killed in the line of duty when McCulloch was a child, and he has many relatives who work in law enforcement. AUGUST 20 - Holder visits Ferguson to offer assurances about the investigation into Brown's death and to meet with investigators and Brown's family. In nearby Clayton, a grand jury begins hearing evidence to determine whether Wilson should be charged. AUGUST 21 - Nixon orders the National Guard to begin withdrawing from Ferguson. SEPTEMBER 25- Holder announces his resignation but says he plans to remain in office until his successor is confirmed. SEPTEMBER 25- Ferguson Chief Tom Jackson releases a videotaped apology to Brown's family and attempts to march in solidarity with protesters, a move that backfires when Ferguson officers scuffle with demonstrators and arrest one person moments after Jackson joins the group. OCTOBER 10 - Protesters from across the country descend on the St. Louis region for 'Ferguson October,' four days of coordinated and spontaneous protests. A weekend march and rally in downtown St. Louis draws several thousand participants. OCTOBER 13 - Amid a downpour, an interfaith group of clergy cross a police barricade on the final day of Ferguson October as part of an event dubbed 'Moral Monday'. The protests extend beyond Ferguson to sites such as the nearby headquarters of Fortune 500 company Emerson Electric and the Edward Jones Dome in downtown St. Louis, site of a Monday Night Football game between the St. Louis Rams and the San Francisco 49ers. OCTOBER 21 - Nixon pledges to create an independent Ferguson Commission to examine race relations, failing schools and other broader social and economic issues in the aftermath of Brown's death. NOVEMBER 17 - The Democratic governor declares a state of emergency and activates the National Guard again ahead of a decision from a grand jury. He places the St. Louis County Police Department in charge of security in Ferguson, with orders to work as a unified command with St. Louis city police and the Missouri Highway Patrol. NOVEMBER 18 - Nixon names 16 people to the Ferguson Commission, selecting a diverse group that includes the owner of construction-supply company, two pastors, two attorneys, a university professor, a 20-year-old community activist and a police detective. Nine of its members are black. Seven are white. NOVEMBER 24 - St. Louis County prosecutor's office says the grand jury has reached a decision NOT to charge Wilson Tensions have simmered for months in the St Louis suburb over a case that has become a flashpoint for U.S. race relations. Police in riot gear arrested three people in Sunday night protests that led to scuffles, St. Louis County police said on Monday. Authorities said they doused one demonstrator with pepper-spray for resisting arrest. On Sunday, the teen's father, Michael Brown Sr., made a public service announcement appealing for calm and non-violence among protesters, saying that 'hurting others is not the answer'. Mr Brown said: 'No matter what the grand jury decides, I do not want my son's death to be in vain. I want it to lead to incredible change, positive change, change that makes the St Louis region better for everyone. However the father made it clear that there is still more work to be done. He said: 'Continue to lift your voices with us and lets work together to heal and to create lasting change for all people regardless of race.' He also thanked many of the protesters for 'lifting [their] voices to end racial profiling and police intimidation'. On Thursday, reports revealed that Officer Wilson had said he felt 'confident' he would not charged by the grand jury and was working with city officials to negotiate his resignation from the Ferguson Police Department. It emerged on Monday that the 28-year-old officer had gotten married last month to a fellow Ferguson cop, 37-year-old Officer Barbara Spradling. Jeff Roorda, business manager for the St. Louis Police Officers' Association, said he met with Wilson, who has not been seen since the shooting. 'It's fair to say that neither he nor his defense team expect an indictment,' Roorda said. The nearby Jennings School District said it would close on Monday and Tuesday due to the possibility of unrest in neighboring Ferguson. The district was already scheduled to be closed the rest of the week for the Thanksgiving holiday. The Ferguson-Florrisant school district announced late on Monday that it was planning to close schools on Tuesday, along with all after-school and evening activities. A woman approaches the barricade to confront the police outside the Ferguson Police Department after the decision was announced Hundreds of civil rights lawyers from across America are descending on Ferguson. Talks between protest groups and police have stalled over a refusal by officials to rule out the use of riot gear, tear gas and militarized equipment if demonstrations turn violent, protest leaders say. The lawyers, some from as far afield as New York and California, have responded to calls from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and protest groups in Ferguson to monitor police behavior in the wake of the grand jury decision. They will also take an aggressive legal posture, the attorneys said, filing quick fire lawsuits to fight potentially shoddy jail conditions, onerous bail bonds and civil rights abuses. 'We will be using the sword as well as the shield,' said Justin Hansford, a St. Louis University law professor who is part of the legal team. We have lawyers from Washington, New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. They won't just be observing. They will be filing lawsuits. Prominent civil rights lawyer Vince Warren, executive director of the New York-based Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) has been in Ferguson since Monday. Nicole Lee, an international human rights lawyer from Washington, arrived on Wednesday. Warren said 280 lawyers and law students had answered emails and have volunteered to travel to Ferguson. The lawyers are taking instructions from the CCR, the National Lawyers Guild, the Missouri Chapter of the ACLU and the NAACP Legal defense Fund. 'We are in a crisis situation and we are here to ensure police let people voice their anger and frustration and don't crack down on protesters as hooligans,' Warren said. Diane Balogh, of the Missouri ACLU, said the organization had held a dozen training sessions with 100 legal observers in recent weeks. The ACLU is providing them with a mobile phone app allowing them to upload video of police behavior to a secure central database. Ferguson police have been wearing video devices since September. Protest leaders have held meetings, and conference calls, with John Belmar, the St. Louis County Police chief, Captain Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and St. Louis City police chief Sam Dotson since mid-October, protest leaders and police say. The focus of the talks has been on 19 'rules of engagement' proposed by the Don't Shoot Coalition, an umbrella group of 50 community and protest groups. The police have agreed to about a dozen of the rules, but have stayed silent on the use of tear gas and riot gear. 'The area we are most concerned about is the militarized response, and we are still waiting to hear on that,' said Denise Lieberman, a lawyer and co-chair of the Don't Shoot Coalition. Tory Russell, a founder of the protest group Hands Up United, said he had only been asked to one meeting with police officials, in late October, which he attended. 'All they wanted to know was where we are going to be after the grand jury decision,' Russell said. 'They didn't tell us where they were going to be. It was just a dig for information. We don't trust them at all.' The St. Louis County Police, city police, and the Missouri Highway Patrol, did not respond to requests for comment.