Judge tosses bid for probe of prosecutor in Ferguson case

ST. LOUIS -- A judge has tossed out a push by activists for an independent investigation of a prosecutor's handling of grand jury proceedings in the Ferguson police shooting of Michael Brown, ruling the effort was "not only logically flawed but contrary to the principles of our criminal justice system."

St. Louis Circuit Judge Joseph Walsh III, in a 10-page ruling filed Thursday, wrote he reached "the inescapable conclusion" St. Louis County prosecutor Robert McCulloch "faithfully performed his duty" in connection with the grand jury, "even though some other person may have made the presentation to the grand jury in a different manner."

The grand jury in November declined to indict white Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the Aug. 9 shooting death of Brown, 18, who was black and unarmed. A U.S. Justice Department probe also cleared Wilson, who has resigned.

During two hearings on the matter since April, Walsh had telegraphed his inclinations to reject the lawsuit seeking a special prosecutor to review McCulloch's handling of the grand jury.