Grand jury proceedings are secret, and when no indictment is handed down � as was the case for Ferguson police Officer Darren Wilson � the files remain locked up.
But in an unusual step after a grand jury deliberation, transcripts of testimony that jurors heard considering Michael Brown's death have been released to the public.
Late Monday night, officials made available 24 volumes of material, covering 23 meetings that the grand jury held between August 20 and November 21.
A CNN team is going through all of the court documents. Here's what has emerged so far from that review:
Wilson had never used his weapon on duty before the shooting
Wilson had never fired his gun on duty before shooting Michael Brown, he told the grand jury.
Asked if he had ever used excessive force before, he replied: "I've never used my weapon before."
Wilson testified the area of the shooting was �hostile'
Wilson called the area where Brown was shot a "hostile environment."
"There's a lot of gangs that reside or associate with that area. There's a lot of violence in that area, there's a lot of gun activity, drug activity, it is just not a very well-liked community. That community doesn't like the police."
Wilson said he hoped to arrest Brown
Wilson told the grand jury his original goal was to arrest Brown, after identifying him as a possible suspect in a shop theft.
"My main goal was to keep eyes on him and just to keep him contained until I had people coming there," he testified.
"I knew I had already called for backup and I knew they were already in the area for the stealing that was originally reported. So I thought if I can buy 30 seconds of time, that was my original goal when I tried to get him to come to the car. If I could buy 30 seconds of time, someone else will be here, we can make the arrest, nothing happens, we are all good. And it didn't happen that way."
Wilson was carrying mace, not a stun gun
Wilson told the grand jury he didn't normally carry a stun gun.
"We only have a select amount. Usually there is one available, but I usually elect not to carry one. It is not the most comfortable thing. They are very large. I don't have a lot of room in the front for it to be positioned," he told the grand jury.
The officer testified he was carrying mace when he encountered Brown.
Wilson said he feared Brown could beat him to death
Officer Wilson told the grand jury that Brown punched him in the face when the officer drove back to him.
Wilson said he tried to get out of his cruiser but Brown slammed the door shut twice and hit him with his fist.
"I felt that another of those punches in my face could knock me out or worse � I've already taken two to the face and I didn't think I would, the third one could be fatal if he hit me right," Wilson said.
Wilson fired 12 times
