Michael Brown’s mother: ‘You cannot judge him off an 18-second video’

Two days after a grand jury decided the officer who shot and killed their son would not stand trial, the parents of Michael Brown spoke with CNN. His mother also spoke to MSNBC.

The family steadfastly rejected the narrative that has emerged around the situation.

“Why? Why did you do that? Anybody that knew him, that was the thought. Why?” Lesley McSpadden told CNN’s Sunny Hostin while describing her first reaction upon hearing the news.

“You cannot judge him off an 18-second video,” McSpadden said, speaking to brief surveillance footage that was released by police. “We’ve known him for 18 years.”

Full coverage of the Michael Brown shooting

When reminded that Darren Wilson said he would do it again if he had to, Michael Brown Sr. made his thoughts clear: “He is a murderer. That’s what that tells me.”

“I hope the Lord has mercy on his soul,” McSpadden added.

Darren Wilson to ABC News: ‘I know I did my job right’

“I don’t even want to think about tomorrow being Thanksgiving,” McSpadden said while holding back tears on MSNBC. “It’s just Thursday.”

Watch both interviews below: