FERGUSON: Sued by the Justice Department

There's more trouble for the city of Ferguson, Missouri. On Wednesday afternoon, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against it, citing "a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of rights, privileges, or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States."

The 56-page lawsuit was filed a day after the Ferguson City Council rubber-stamped an updated version of a consent decree. It was designed to deal with the issues surrounding the city's troubled police department and municipal court system that were brought to light in an investigation in 2015, following the deadly police shooting of Michael Brown and riots in its wake.

The Justice Department had said that it would likely challenge the city's changes to the consent decree in court.

The lawsuit alleges that officials in Ferguson used illegal practices in making stops, searches and arrests; in the prosecution and resolution of municipal charges; used excessive force; interfered with the right to free speech; and discriminated against African Americans.

photo via gawker