Americans are evenly split on a recent grand jury decision not to indict the Ferguson, Mo. police officer who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Michael Brown, but answers varied along racial and partisan lines, according to a new poll.
The poll, conducted by the Washington Post, shows that 48% of American adults approved of a Missouri grand jury’s decision not to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson while 45% said they disapproved of it.
These figures varied dramatically between racial groups and party affiliation. Fewer than 10% of African Americans said they approved of the decision, while nearly 60% of white Americans said the same. More than three-quarters of Republicans agreed that Wilson shouldn’t have been charged, while 27% of Democrats agreed.
Still, the poll suggests that there is less of a divide on police handling of the protests that erupted after the shooting and the subsequent grand jury decision: just under 40% of all Americans approved of law enforcement’s handling of the situation.
- Essay: The Tyre Nichols Videos Demand Solemnity, Not Sensationalism
- For People With Disabilities, Losing Abortion Access Can Be a Matter of Life or Death
- Inside the Stealth Efforts to Smuggle Starlink Internet Into Iran
- Natasha Lyonne on Poker Face and Creating Characters Who Subvert Leading-Lady Tropes
- How to Help the Victims and Community After the Monterey Park Shooting
- Why Grocery Staples Are So Expensive Right Now
- Quantum Computers Could Solve Countless Problems—and Create a Lot of New Ones
- Where to Watch All of the 2023 Oscar Nominees
- How to Be Mindful if You Hate Meditating