Ferguson Grand Jury Decision Coming Today

Today's the day: A grand jury has decided whether Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson will face criminal charges in the shooting death of Michael Brown, reports the Washington Post. An attorney for Brown's relatives says they have been notified that the decision is in and that it will be announced sometime after 5pm, reports AP. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch, meanwhile, expects Gov. Jay Nixon to have a news conference about 6:30 ET. National, state, and local authorities have been preparing for weeks in case protests turn violent.

Wilson could face charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, voluntary manslaughter, or involuntary manslaughter in the August shooting of the unarmed 18-year-old. Or he could face no charges at all. (Civil rights charges are a separate possibility.) Last month, the 28-year-old got quietly married to a fellow officer, reports the New York Times. If he's exonerated today, Wilson may resign from the Ferguson force. (More Ferguson, Missouri stories.)