quote:
So what about the active crime scene prevented them from moving the body for 4-5 hours? The police chief himself said he was "uncomfortable" with how long the body was there.

That's just the way things work. As I've said earlier, I've been a volunteer firefigher/emt for over 15 years. Whenever I respond to a death in the field that involves violence, the first thing I do is text my wife that I'm going to be a while. That time is the only chance LE will have to correctly document the scene and collect evidence and you never know what might be important down the road. The position of the body, shell casings, skid marks, debris location, etc. Any one part of it could be critical. They just can't rush the job and do it right.

The longest I've waited is almost 7 hours. It was a police pursuit where a motorcycle going over 100 decided to go straight at a T intersection.* It was so long I asked a deputy friend of mine if the plan was to just let the buzzards take care of the body. Rigor mortis had set in by the time we helped the coroner load him. Even something as simple as a single vehicle accident's going to be a couple of hours on scene. With all the complicating issues occurring in Ferguson, I'm not a bit surprised it took as long as it did.

It is very uncomfortable for everyone with an ounce of empathy in their body to see someone's loved one lying dead on the ground for a long time. On our calls, we'll position apparatus and do anything else we can to protect the dignity of the deceased but there's just no other way. The interests of justice have to override those uncomfortable feelings.

*Interesting note about the motorcycle chase. There was a 'witness' claiming the officer hit the bike and forced it through the intersection. Thankfully for the officer, his car had a dash cam. The motorcycle had outrun him so badly, all you saw of the crash was a cloud of dust in the distance.