New details are coming to light after the family of Michael Brown commissioned an independent autopsy on the slain 18-year-old. Preliminary reports suggest that there were no signs of struggle before Brown was gunned down. Dr. Michael Baden, a renowned New York forensic pathologist, performed the autopsy on Brown, citing that all but one of the six gunshot wounds could have been survivable.

The likely cause of death was a shot to the top of Brown's head, which passed through his brain. Brown suffered a few abrasions to his face, which Baden surmises are from his fall to the ground.

Baden was quick was to note that this was only a preliminary report, and he would need to examine the officer in order to rule out prior contact that proceeded before the shooting.

Baden's report suggests that Brown was shot from a distance of only one or two feet, but that number cannot be confirmed until further investigation of Brown's clothing is conducted.   

Brown's family has hired attorney Benjamin Crump, who will help with any legal or civil suits filed against the Ferguson Police Department. The independent autopsy was the first step in digging for the truth about the events that lead to Brown's untimely death.

"They did not want to be left having to rely on the autopsy done by the St. Louis law enforcement agencies, the same individuals they feel are responsible for executing their son in broad daylight," Crump said.

The St. Louis County Medical Examiner is currently underway with the initial autopsy, which will take some weeks to process due to testing. 

Crump clarified the independent autopsy, saying that Baden's work so far is a "very preliminary." "We have to get all the witness statements out and look at all the autopsies, all the evidence, to put this picture together," he said.

Crump went on to say, "It answers just the basic questions, the number of shots, which was always a question that not only the family had, but the citizens of Ferguson and people all over the country."