Famed pathologist Michael Baden reveals startling detail about Michael Brown's shooting death
By RYAN GORMAN
A pathologist hired by Michael Brown's family revealed a startling detail in the police-involved shooting death of unarmed black teenager Michael Brown as he claimed he was in Missouri to make details of the killing public.
Michael Baden, formerly the chief medical examiner for the City of New York, said the gunshot wounds were suffered while facing the officer, but could not determine their order outside of the final kill shot to Brown's head – which took a very unusual path.
"What we found in New York City was that the sooner the info goes out, the sooner the family is talked to, the family has a right to know how their loved one died,' said Baden.
Brown was shot dead August 9 by white police officer Darren Wilson under unclear circumstances – witnesses claim he was surrendering, police insist he was charging at the cop. The teen was shot at least six times, according to Baden.
There was an audible gasp during the press briefing when Baden described how one bullet entered through the top of Brown's skull, exited just above the right eye and then re-entered the jaw, re-entered and exited again only to end up in the teen's torso – an almost impossible trajectory.
Baden claimed that other bullet wounds may have been suffered from re-entry as well, but the circumstances are not known.
Witnesses claim Brown was surrendering with his arms in the air, but multiple bullet wounds to his right arm refute that claim.
Law enforcement officers are trained to aim for center mass when firing upon a suspect, and Baden believes Brown was at least 24 feet from Wilson when the shots were fired.
A lack of gunpowder residue on Brown's body supports that theory, Baden said.
Baden also revealed he observed no signs of a struggle between Brown and Wilson, and that abrasions to the teenager's face were likely sustained when he fell unprotected to the ground after being shot in the head.
Officer Wilson's medical records will need to be reviewed to see if he suffered any injuries, Baden added.
The famed doc also said Brown could have survived all of the gunshots outside of the final fatal one, which killed him instantly.
"All of these gun shot wounds were survivable, except for the one to the top of the head that went through the brain,' said the doctor.
Baden also said he expects the results of autopsies conducted at both the state and federal levels to confirm his findings.
When asked by a resident why Officer Wilson has not yet been arrested – which drew loud cheers – Baden's only response was that he is a doctor and that decision is not up to him.
The results of the other two autopsies being conducted will determine Wilson's fate.
Related links:
Timeline: Michael Brown's death and the chaos that has gripped Ferguson since
'Don't know' if Missouri teen shot with hands up
Mo. governor sends National Guard to Ferguson
