Five criminal cases have been dismissed because the primary witness — the cop who shot unarmed teen Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri — didn't show up to court, prosecutors said Monday. Officer Darren Wilson "wasn't available," said Ed Magee, a spokesman for the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney. He said prosecutors would not take any action against Wilson, who has not been seen publicly since the Aug. 9 shooting that sparked weeks of protest and unrest. "We don't get people in trouble for not showing up for court," he said.

A spokesman for the Ferguson Police Department and Wilson's lawyer did not immediately return requests for comment. Magee said he could not provide details on the cases because they were now closed, but the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the latest involved a felony drug charge against Christopher Brooks, who claimed in a Facebook post that Wilson roughed him up during the 2013 arrest. The judge tossed out the case after giving Wilson, who received a commendation in the case, weeks to show up before the grand jury.

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— Tracy Connor