Federal gov’t enters Ferguson court case in strong position

By Eric Tucker And Jim Salter

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON _ The Justice Department enters its court fight against the city of Ferguson with the apparent upper hand given a months-long investigation that found vast problems in the way police and courts treat poor people and minorities in the St. Louis suburb.

The Justice Department will look to prove in court the same constitutional violations it’s already alleged on paper: baseless stops and searches of black drivers, excessive use of force by officers and a profit-driven court system reliant on fines for petty violations.

Federal officials announced last month that they had reached an agreement with the city to radically reshape the troubled police force and avert a federal lawsuit. But City Council members on Tuesday night sought to renegotiate the deal because of cost concerns.