LEARNING THE LESSONS

Police

The Justice Department's decision not to prosecute the officers who shot
two unarmed men during the Jack in the Box drug bust last year was a proper
conclusion in light of the evidence.

But that doesn't mean that this week's reports by U.S. Attorney Ray
Gruender and St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Robert McCulloch should
be the end of the matter. Mr. McCulloch should revisit his policy of
withholding information from the public and the press. St. Louis County
police and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration should see if the drug
bust violated current policies and whether new policies are needed. And St.
Louis County's new citizens' review process should recommend policy reforms.

These officials have a tough road ahead of them to establish credibility
with African-Americans, as well as with the broader community. Some of the
criticism from African-American leaders on Wednesday was hyperbolic,
comparing police officers to terrorists. But police, prosecutors and public
officials should not underestimate the depth of the alienation.

Mr. McCulloch fueled mistrust by refusing to release key details, such as
the names of the shooters and the number of shots fired. For months he said
he would never release the officers' names. To his credit, he relented this
week.

After a state grand jury run by Mr. McCulloch decided not to indict the
officers, Mr. Gruender made the matter his top priority. He took the
unusual step of making a public report of his findings. He disclosed that
the car in which victims Earl Murray and Ronald Beasley were riding was not
moving forward toward the officers -- DEA agent Keith Kierzkowski and
Dellwood police Detective Robert Piekutowski Jr. That contradicted the
officers' statements that the car was moving forward, prompting them to
fire 21 shots.

The FBI found that the officers approached the car and yelled for the men
to raise their hands. Murray sped backward into a police vehicle behind
him, knocking agents out onto the ground. The car engine was revving,
rubber was flying off the tires and the officers said Murray's hand dropped
below the dashboard as if to shift gears. The officers, 10 feet away, fired
at Murray. Four shots accidentally hit Mr. Beasley, the passenger.

Mr. Gruender concluded that the officers could have reasonably believed
they were in imminent danger and needed to shoot in self-defense. To prove
that the officers violated federal civil rights laws, he would have had to
prove that they acted unreasonably and with a "bad purpose." The evidence
wasn't there.

One question that the federal investigation raises is whether the state
grand jury knew that physical evidence contradicted the officers' statement
about the car moving forward. This might have affected the grand jury's
decision because it is easier to make a state case than a federal one. If
it did, Mr. McCulloch may have to take another look.

The deaths of a low-level drug dealer and his friend seem devoid of
purpose. But the community -- and law enforcement officials -- still have a
chance to learn from the mistakes.