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(CNN) -- St. Louis County Prosecutor Robert McCulloch juggled two roles on Wednesday: overseeing the presentation of evidence in the Michael Brown case to a grand jury and responding to the flurry of attacks and calls for his recusal from the case.
McCulloch went on the offensive after Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon tried to deflect calls for the prosecutor's ouster by saying it was up to McCulloch to recuse himself.
McCulloch's deep ties with local police and perceived favoritism of law enforcement in criminal cases have led to concerns about his ability to be impartial in the Brown case.
Should he recuse?
Calls for prosecutor to recuse himself
Ferguson eyewitnesses 'scared to speak'
Police escort a woman backing Officer Darren Wilson to a police vehicle away from crowds protesting the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, on Wednesday, August 20. The St. Louis suburb has been in turmoil since Wilson, a white police officer, fatally shot Brown, an unarmed black teenager. Protesters and law enforcement officers have clashed in the streets since the August 9 shooting, leading to injuries and arrests.
Photos: Emotions run high in Ferguson
In a statement sent to the media on Tuesday night, Nixon said, "From the outset, I have been clear about the need to have a vigorous prosecution of this case, and that includes minimizing any potential legal uncertainty."
"I am not asking St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch to recuse himself from this case. There is a well-established process by which a prosecutor can recuse themselves from a pending investigation, and a special prosecutor be appointed. Departing from this established process could unnecessarily inject legal uncertainty into this matter and potentially jeopardize the prosecution," Nixon said.
McCulloch's response: Nixon needs to "man up."
"It's the typical Nixon doublespeak," McCulloch said during a radio interview with The McGraw Show on KTRS. "He says nothing and he's ducking."
McCulloch said the state of emergency Nixon declared on Saturday gave the governor authority to remove McCulloch from the case.
McCulloch said Nixon should "just make a decision."
"He doesn't need a reason," McCulloch said to KTRS, "all he has to do is a simple yes he's out, or no he's not out, and let's move on. The Brown family deserves that and the rest of the community deserves it."
McCulloch firmly stated he is not removing himself from the case.
"I have absolutely no intention of walking away from the duties and responsibilities entrusted to me by the people of this community. I've done it for 24 years," he said.
The clock is ticking for a decision, according to McCulloch. Now that the presentation has begun, recusing the main prosecutor could complicate matters even more.
"The most devastating thing that could happen, is if a week from now, a month from now he (Nixon) decides that he's taking me off this case and everybody is starting over. Stand up, man up," said McCulloch, "This family deserves nothing less than that."
5 things to know about Michael Brown's shooting
Grand jury presentation
Wednesday marked the first day of evidence presentation to the grand jury, a process that will likely continue into the fall.
"We will be presenting absolutely everything to this grand jury," McCulloch said on KTRS. "Every statement that a witness made, every witness, every photograph, every piece of physical evidence. Absolutely nothing will be left out, so the grand jury is making their decision based upon absolutely everything and we'll go from there."
But not all the evidence is ready to be presented, according to McCulloch, which is why prosecutors will have to present in parts.
"As things are completed they'll be presented to the grand jury," said McCulloch during an interview with CNN affiliate KMOV. "But we want to get the process started, and not wait until absolutely everything is done before we even start it."
Overwhelming Volume of Evidence
The evidence in the shooting death of Michael Brown involves investigations from multiple agencies, including the Ferguson Police Department, St. Louis Police Department, FBI, U.S. Attorney's Office and the Department of Justice.
Asked how many witnesses have been interviewed so far, McCulloch told KMOV, "I don't know. Dozens and dozens, maybe hundreds." He said the FBI has been successful at locating witnesses in the Canfield apartments, near where Brown was killed.
"The federal government is doing their independent investigation, and so they're also talking to witnesses, and ultimately that will be made available to us," McCulloch told KMOV. "They're doing their own forensic testing. They've done their own or will do their own post-mortem examination, and those results will be provided, all to the grand jury."
Grand jury time line
McCulloch estimated prosecutors will finish presenting the case by mid-October, a time line that brings its own set of challenges with the grand jury calendar, because the current session ends in early September.
"We will be presenting what we can, between now and the end of their term, which is early September," McCulloch told KTRS, "after that, their term is extended just for this case and that's all they will be doing. They can meet for as long as they want, as long as they want to meet."
"We present the full case to the grand jury and should there be an indictment, the full case will be presented to the trial jury so that they make the decision," McCulloch said. "I don't decide if somebody is guilty or not guilty. I present the evidence to a jury and the jury makes that decision."
Magazine: The Aftermath in Ferguson
Read more about the flash point in the Heartland at CNN.com/US
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Lightning streaks across the sky over protesters on August 20. The streets of Ferguson emptied out by early Thursday, August 21, for the first time since Brown's death.
Demonstrators protest in Ferguson on August 20.
Protesters march through the streets of Ferguson on August 20.
Police point out a demonstrator who has his arms raised before moving in to arrest him Tuesday, August 19.
People watch from inside a restaurant as protesters rally August 19.
Police arrest a demonstrator on August 19.
Police charge into the media work area with weapons drawn as they try to control demonstrators on August 19.
A protester speaks to a police officer on August 19.
People on August 19 stand near a memorial where Michael Brown was shot and killed.
Protesters march on August 19.
Police watch as protesters march August 19.
A demonstrator is arrested on August 19.
Police try to control protesters on Monday, August 18.
Police lead a man away during a protest August 18.
A demonstrator shouts during a protest on West Florissant Avenue, one of Ferguson's main streets, on August 18.
Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol pulls his men back from aggressive protesters on August 18.
Police arrest a demonstrator August 18 after peaceful protests gave way to angry confrontations with authorities.
Law enforcement officers stand guard during a protest on West Florissant Avenue on August 18.
A woman helps a man affected by tear gas August 18. The situation overnight deteriorated after a handful of protesters threw rocks, bottles and Molotov cocktails at police. Officers responded by firing stun grenades and tear gas canisters.
Officers stand with weapons drawn during a protest on West Florissant Avenue on August 18.
Musician Nelly, center, joins demonstrators in Ferguson on August 18.
Demonstrators receive red roses as they protest August 18.
Demonstrators march on August 18.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson shakes hands with a police officer as he visits Ferguson's demonstration area on August 18.
A protester picks up a tear gas canister on Sunday, August 17.
Police wait to advance after using tear gas to disperse protesters August 17.
Water gets poured into a woman's eyes after a tear gas attack by police on August 17.
A man runs through clouds of tear gas on August 17.
Protesters react as police fire tear gas at them August 17.
Police advance through a cloud of tear gas on August 17. Most of the crowd had dispersed after a curfew went into effect at midnight, St. Louis County authorities said.
People take cover from tear gas inside a McDonald's on August 17.
A large group of police officers advance toward protesters on August 17.
A man fights the effects of tear gas in Ferguson on August 17.
Michael Brown Sr. and Lesley McSpadden, the parents of Michael Brown, attend a rally at Greater Grace Church in Ferguson on August 17.
The Rev. Al Sharpton hugs McSpadden during the rally.
Capt. Ron Johnson of the Missouri State Highway Patrol speaks at the rally. He had been appointed by the governor to take control of security operations.
Demonstrators defy a curfew early on August 17.
Police fire tear gas at demonstrators after curfew on August 17.
A law enforcement officer aims his rifle August 17 after tear gas was fired to disperse a crowd.
People scramble as police fire tear gas on August 17.
Law enforcement officers check a building on August 17.
People attend a protest after the midnight curfew on August 17.
A law enforcement officer watches as tear gas is fired to disperse a crowd on August 17.
Police stand guard before the midnight curfew on Saturday, August 16.
People loot the Ferguson Market and Liquor store on August 16. Several businesses were looted as police held their positions nearby.
Missouri State Highway Patrol officers listen to taunts from demonstrators during a protest on Friday, August 15.
Demonstrators protest with their hands up on August 15. The "hands up" gesture has become a symbol in protests as Brown, according to eyewitnesses, was trying to surrender when he was shot multiple times.
Police confront demonstrators on August 15.
A demonstrator throws a tear gas canister back at police on August 15.
Police confront demonstrators on August 15.
Thousands of demonstrators march down a Ferguson street with members of the St. Louis County Police and the Missouri State Highway Patrol on Thursday, August 14.
Demonstrators hold signs as traffic moves slowly past them on August 14.
State Highway Patrol Capt. Ron Johnson smiles at demonstrators on August 14. Johnson was appointed to lead security as state troopers took over after days of clashes between protesters and local police.
The Rev. Traci Blackmon uses a megaphone to talk to a large group of demonstrators on August 14.
A man picks up a flaming bottle and prepares to throw it as a line of police advance in the distance on Wednesday, August 13.
Police stand in clouds of smoke as they clash with protesters on August 13.
An Al-Jazeera television crew runs for cover as police fire tear gas at its position on August 13. Video and images on social media showed police later breaking down the journalists' gear.
A protester runs from tear gas exploding around him on August 13.
Police stand guard among demonstrators on August 13.
Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson fields questions during a news conference on August 13.
A small group of protesters block traffic in the street before police arrived on August 13.
A protester throws a tear gas canister back toward police on August 13.
Police detain a man on Tuesday, August 12.
People congregate at the Greater St. Marks Family Church in St. Louis along with the family of Michael Brown and the Rev. Al Sharpton on August 12.
Michael Brown Sr. stands alongside Sharpton, right, during a news conference in St. Louis on August 12.
Demonstrators protest August 12 in Ferguson.
A makeshift memorial sits in the middle of the street where Michael Brown was shot and killed.
A woman tries to calm an emotional protester during a demonstration outside the headquarters of the Ferguson Police Department on August 11.
Phaedra Parks, left, comforts Desuirea Harris, the grandmother of Michael Brown, during a news conference in Jennings, Missouri, on August 11.
Police officers arrest a man who refused to leave when police cleared streets in Ferguson on August 11.
A burned-out QuikTrip gas station smolders on August 11 after protesters looted and burned the Ferguson building the night before.
Police officers and protesters confront each other on Saturday, August 9, the same day Michael Brown was shot and killed.
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