Ferguson protest organizer Bishop Derrick Robinson claimed on MSNBC’s “NewsNation with Tamron Hall” that the man arrested for the shooting attack on two Ferguson police officers was “set up” by the police, earning him a rebuke from host Tamron Hall.
Hall asked whether there was any truth to reports the suspect, 20-year-old Jeffrey Williams, claimed to have been shooting at robbers the night of the shooting. “Well he did say he was robbed when he was on the scene,” Robinson responded. “And I think — I believe he was frustrated, and I really believe he was set up, and I really believe that.” (VIDEO: Dem State Senator Blames Ferguson Cop Shooting On White Supremacists And ISIS)
“Set up by who?” Hall asked. “Let me pause you on that. Set up by who?”
“Police!” he responded. “I think he was set up by — I would go even farther to say some of the police, you know. The story just does not add up.”
But Hall pushed him on the shocking accusation. “Okay, but I can’t let you — obviously I can’t let you say that he was set up by police. What evidence or proof do you have of that?”
She continued to list off a litany reasons why Williams was obviously the shooter. “Because right now, as I understand it, he has confessed. They found the caliber of weapon that was used was with him, and he has– according to police — admitted to firing those shots. So what is the set-up, sir?” (VIDEO: Ferguson Protester on MSNBC: Police Part Of ‘Evil System’)
“Well, I think he was not only — he was beaten,” Robinson responded. “He was brutally beaten when he was arrested. I think he was coerced to — he was not even given opportunity to seek counsel before he even — the police, they beat him to confessing.”
The rest of the interview continued somewhat awkwardly, until Hall finally ended it. “We do not have any evidence and you have not provided any of that to me at this point and if you have, we will continue the interview with you,” she said.