(CNN)After a grand jury decided in November not to indict police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, many shifted their attention to a federal investigation into the killing. But on Wednesday, officials told CNN that federal investigators didn't find enough evidence and that Justice Department prosecutors won't recommend civil rights charges against Wilson. Attorney General Eric Holder, who has the final say in the matter, has said he will announce his decision before he leaves office, which is expected to be by the spring. The news that emerged Wednesday is likely to upset those who saw the federal investigation as a way to pursue justice for Brown and his family.
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"These cases are very hard to bring," says CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.
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Brown family attorney had expressed pessimism about the investigation in November
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Family is still expected to bring a civil lawsuit against Darren Wilson and Ferguson police
These anecdotal accounts underscore the history of mistrust of law enforcement in Ferguson that has received a good deal of attention," @placeholder said in September.