The grand jury in Ferguson (Mo.) has spoken, and there will be no criminal prosecution pursued against Officer Darren Wilson. The decision, outlined in detail tonight by St. Louis county prosecutor Robert McCullough, comes about three and a half months after the officer-involved shooting of Michael Brown which sparked weeks of violent protest on the streets there and elsewhere, and a torrent of anti-cop fervor online.

Police officers, legal experts, and people who actually work in the law enforcement profession had expected no charges to be filed, and McCullough spelled out clearly the rationale for the grand jury’s decision — citing several times the inconsistent and contradictory statements made by many witnesses. But despite the rationale, the question from the general public will invariably be: “Why wasn’t Officer Wilson indicted?”

The short answer is: Because he shouldn’t have been indicted.

Justified Use of Force
The facts of the case showed that under Missouri law…