CNN Says Rumor That Michael Brown Fractured Darren Wilson's Eye Socket is False
Mark Kauzlarich/Reuters
The Washington Post reported earlier today that a friend of Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson says Wilson's eye socket was broken during his confrontation with Michael Brown:
The signs of easing tensions came as a family friend of the officer who fatally shot Brown came forward to allege new details of the incident, saying that the officer suffered a fracture to his eye socket in a scuffle with the unarmed teenager before opening fire.
Hospital X-rays of the injury have been submitted to the St. Louis County prosecuting attorney and will be shared with a grand jury now weighing evidence to determine whether Officer Darren Wilson should be charged in the shooting.
That claim appears to have been undermined. For one, the Post is now reporting that prosecutors have not seen any of Wilson's medical records:
[Spokesperson Ed] Magee said that prosecutors have not received any medical records relating to Wilson so far. But he said that since Wilson was taken to the hospital, they assume there are medical records and they just haven’t received them yet.
And CNN producer Julian Cummings, who last week correctly reported that the release of Wilson's name was imminent, reports that the claim Wilson had a broken eye bone is flat-out incorrect:
Reports that Ofc Darren Wilson had a bruised or fractured eye socket are false. #ferguson A source close to the investigation tells CNN
— Julian Cummings CNN (@JulianCummings) August 21, 2014
Wilson was taken to the hospital after the shooting. He had xrays which came back negative. He was treated for a swollen face. #ferguson
— Julian Cummings CNN (@JulianCummings) August 21, 2014
St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch says the grand jury that will decide whether or not to indict Wilson may not hear all evidence in the case until October.