"It don't seem right:" Dontre Hamilton's family unhappy with grand jury verdict out of Ferguson



MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Some in Milwaukee see similarities between the Michael Brown case out of Ferguson, Missouri and the officer-involved shooting of Dontre Hamilton. FOX6's Jenna Sachs watched the grand jury announcement out of Ferguson with Dontre Hamilton's family on Monday night, November 24th. It was announced that officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted in Michael Brown's death. It was a decision that upset Dontre Hamilton's mother so much, she had to leave the room. Meanwhile, the decision had Dontre Hamilton's brother saying the system is broken.

31-year-old Dontre Hamilton was shot and killed in Red Arrow Park in April by Milwaukee police officer Christopher Manney. Manney has been terminated from MPD as a result of his handling of Dontre Hamilton. Manney is appealing that termination.

Dontre Hamilton's family members and other supporters are awaiting a decision out of the Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office as to whether Manney should be criminally charged.

Protesters held a demonstration in Red Arrow Park on Monday, November 24th, after learning the grand jury decision was coming in Ferguson.



"My heart goes out to Michael`s mom and family members. I feel what she's going through and I would like to tell her to keep her head up," Dontre Hamilton's mother, Maria Hamilton said.

This group has been demonstrating since Dontre Hamilton was shot -- sometimes blocking traffic in downtown Milwaukee.

Dontre Hamilton was affected by mental illness, and police say he grabbed Christopher Manney's baton prior to the shooting.

"They figured that we would probably go away -- and we`re not going away," Maria Hamilton said.

As snow fell in Milwaukee on Monday, police asked that protesters not shut down traffic as they've done in the past. Instead, they hung signs on the Christmas tree inside Red Arrow Park. The signs included messages such as "Justice for Dontre Hamilton" and "What if he was your brother."

Later Monday, the Hamilton family watched the announcement out of Ferguson -- a grand jury decision they aren't happy with.

"It don't seem right. It's just hurting me right now. Words can't even explain my anger. Right now, we have no faith in the prosecution," Hamilton's brother Nate said.

The Hamilton family's attorney says while the Ferguson decision came after three-and-a-half months, and the decision on whether Christopher Manney will be charged still hasn't come -- nearly seven months after the shooting.

"We've been waiting four months longer than they have," Nate Hamilton said.

"This is weighing really heavily on the family. They`re concerned as to whether they`re going to get any accountability and justice," attorney Jonathan Safran said.

Safran says he doesn't feel the decision out of Ferguson will have any impact on the possibility of charges being filed against Manney -- saying these are two separate cases, despite some similarities.